George Avalos - The Mercury News OAKLAND, Calif. — PG&E is facing the prospect of a state penalty and fines in connection with a huge and destructive wildfire that the utility caused in Northern California, regulators said Monday. The state Public Utilities...
Marin (CA) Fire Agencies Take Advantage of Favorable Weather
Will Houston The Marin Independent Journal, Novato, Calif. (TNS) Oct. 8—Compared to recent catastrophic wildfire seasons in California, this one has been relatively mild. Just a few small ignitions have occurred in Marin County, and only 303,000 acres have burned...
Orange County (CA) Files Lawsuits Alleging Power Company Equipment Sparked Wildfires
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California county has filed lawsuits alleging a major power company's negligence caused two wildfires that collectively burned thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Orange County, which is...
Wildfire Destroys Three Homes in Australia; Man Injured by Falling Tree
Three homes were destroyed by a forest fire and a man was injured by a falling tree in the Bega Valley region of southeastern Australia.
Cleanup from Maui Fires Complicated by Island’s Logistical Challenges, Cultural Significance
Cleanup of areas destroyed in the Maui wildfires could end up being one of the most complex to date, federal officials said.
Iron Fire in Northwest CO Now Burning Over 7,300 Acres
Jacob Factor The Denver Post (TNS) The Iron Fire in northwest Colorado that ballooned to over six thousand acres within hours Friday is now burning at over 7,300 acres as of Saturday afternoon. The fire, which is about 18 miles northwest of Craig in Moffat County, is...
Fire Chief Criticizes Fort McCoy Prescribed Burns As Investigators Fail To ID Source of Monroe County (WI) Blaze
Steve Rundio - La Crosse Tribune, Wis. Sep. 26—Federal investigators declined to blame prescribed burns at Fort McCoy for a mid-April wildfire in Monroe County, but a local fire chief is adamant that no burning should have been conducted anywhere in the area during...
In Shawnee National Forest, a Debate Swirls Around How To Best Protect Trees Amid Climate Change and Wildfires
Karina Atkins = Chicago Tribune (TNS) The Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois is a mosaic of towering trees, lush wetlands and commanding rock formations that are the native habitat for a wealth of plants and animals, including 19 species of oaks. The forest...
Wildfire Concerns Grow on Oahu (HI) After Deadly Aug. 8 Maui Fires
Nina Wu - The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Sep. 25—One recent August evening, Brett Schenk went for a walk to Waahila Ridge State Recreation Area, where he noticed a young boy overloading a barbecue grill at a pavilion with branches just before closing time. Schenk...
Federal Firefighters Will Quit in Droves if Congress Doesn’t Take Action, Union Warns
Alex Wigglesworth - Los Angeles Times (TNS) With temporary pay hikes for federal wildland firefighters set to expire in the coming weeks, union officials are warning that the 15,000-member workforce could face a mass exodus if Congress fails to make the increases...
Wildfire-Prone CA Weighs New Rules for Property Insurance Pricing
By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will let insurance companies consider climate change when setting their prices, the state's chief regulator announced Thursday, a move aimed at preventing insurers from fleeing the state over fears of...
In a State Used to Hurricanes and Flooding, LA is Battling an Unprecedented Wildfire Season
By SARA CLINE Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana, typically one of the wettest states in the country, is on fire. In communities often challenged by flooding and hurricanes this time of year, firefighters instead are fending off 300-foot-tall (91.44...