By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — The last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed Maui's historic town of Lahaina in August was identified Friday as a 70-year-old woman whose husband, sister and several other relatives also...
Colombia Declares a Disaster Because of Wildfires and Asks for International Help
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government declared a disaster Thursday and asked for international help to combat raging wildfires that are expected to worsen in coming days due to warm, dry conditions associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon. Officials...
AK Charter Company Pays $900K After Guide Caused Wildfire by Not Properly Extinguishing Campfire
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska fishing guide company has paid $900,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. government alleging one of its guides started a wildfire in 2019, the U.S. attorney’s office for Alaska said in a statement Wednesday. Court documents...
OR Jury Awards $85 Million to Nine Victims of Deadly 2020 Wildfires
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon jury awarded $85 million Tuesday to nine victims of wildfires that ravaged the state in 2020, the latest verdict in a series of legal proceedings that are expected to put the utility PacifiCorp on the hook for billions of dollars over...
911 Calls From Maui (HI) Capture Pleas for the Stranded, the Missing, and Those Caught in the Fire’s Chaos
By REBECCA BOONE, CLAUDIA LAUER and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press The day after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century destroyed a seaside community on Maui, the barrage of 911 calls didn't stop: Reports of missing people, stranded family members and confused...
CA City Ending Use of Herbicide Spray in Fire Prep
The Fire Department and the Laguna Canyon Foundation, which monitor weed abatement, will evaluate fuel modification zones.
Wildland Briefings: Create Impact with Context and Incident Specifics
By Todd McNeal Stress is our fireground enemy, undermining our ability to promptly recognize and rapidly respond to changing conditions. To combat this stress reaction that every human experiences, we should convert information to intelligence by applying context and...
Wildfire Prevention and Helping Maui Recover From Flames Top the Agenda for HI Lawmakers
By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers are due to convene this week for the first time since the burning of historic Lahaina awakened the state to the deadly and costly threat posed by wildfires in an age of climate change. The tragedy...
Target Shooter Starts Wildfire in National Forest, Feds Say. Now He Must Pay $180,000
Julia Marnin - The Charlotte Observer A man must pay $180,000 after federal officials said he started a wildfire with a shotgun loaded with flaming, incendiary rounds of ammunition. The blaze began April 30, 2023, soon after the man asked two people if he could...
Wildland Urban Interface Fires
BY BRIAN DODGE A few years ago, I was talking to one of my captains about a “small” brush fire that had occurred the previous shift. I was off that day and was interested in how the incident went. The fire involved two to three acres located off a major roadway. The...
Fireworks Over New Year’s Holiday Likely Sparked LA Marsh Fire
Posted: Jan 1, 2024 Slug: NMG-Fireworks-over-New-Years-holiday-likely-sparked-ma Anthony Mcauley and Chelsea Shannon The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate (TNS) Jan. 1—Firefighters in St. Tammany Parish battled a Slidell-area marsh fire authorities...
Pacific Gas and Electric Completes 600 Miles of Underground Power Lines to Quash Fire Danger
Lynzie Lowe The Reporter, Vacaville, Calif. Dec. 21—Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced Wednesday completion of more than 600 miles of underground powerlines within its service region since 2021 as part of their 10,000-Mile Undergrounding program. The...