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...
Four Firefighters Heading Home After Battling B.C. Wildfires Die in Vehicle Crash in Canada
VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) — Four firefighters travelling home after battling British Columbia’s wildfires died Wednesday in a road crash. B.C. Premier David Eby and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in a joint statement the firefighters died in a motor vehicle...
Three Firefighters Killed in Turkish Firefighting Helicopter Crash
ISTANBUL (AP) — Underwater teams are trying to recover a helicopter that crashed in a lake over the weekend, killing three crew members, while fighting a forest fire in western Turkey, state media reported Monday. Four crew members were aboard the firefighting...
CA Regulators Propose Higher Rates for PG&E Customers to Reduce Wildfire Risk
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Power bills for about 16 million people in Northern California will likely increase after state regulators released two rate proposals for one of the nation's largest utilities Wednesday. The California Public Utilities Commission is...
Diesel/Gas Mix-Up Idles 42 Pieces of Apparatus at Smith River (CA) Wildfire
Austin De Dios - oregonlive.com Fire crews fighting the nearly 86,000-acre wildfire burning at the border of Oregon and California reported vehicle malfunctions Friday following a fuel-mix up, officials said. Firefighters working on the south side of the Smith River...
WA State to Install 21 Fire Detection Cameras
Ellen Dennis The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash. (TNS) Sep. 7—When a wildfire sparks, swift response times by first responders can mean the difference between a small brush fire and a deadly inferno. State officials say new artificial intelligence cameras installed...
Something’s Rotten at Siskiyou County (CA) Wildfire – It’s the Food
A California State Representative, Doug LaMalfa, called out the food vendors providing meals to firefighters in Siskiyou County on Twitter, The representative posted photos of a moldy cheese sandwich and beans and rice on bread that he says was being served in the...