By MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two insurance industry giants have pulled back from California's home insurance marketplace, saying that increasing wildfire risk and soaring construction costs have prompted them to stop writing new policies in...
Wildland Fire in One Canadian Province Contained, While Another Burns Out of Control
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — A wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes in Canada's Atlantic Coast province of Nova Scotia is now contained, while a second wildfire remains out of control, officials said Sunday. Nova Scotia's natural resources...
Wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic Coast Spurs Evacuation of 16,000
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — A wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic coast has damaged about 200 houses and other structures and prompted the evacuation of 16,000 people, many of whom were eager to return Tuesday to see whether homes and pets had survived. Firefighters worked...
Rain and Smoke Help Fight Canadian Wildfires; Evacuations Continue
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Scattered rains and even smoke cover cooled air temperatures and helped efforts to fight wildfires in Alberta over the weekend, officials said Sunday, while a new fire in neighboring British Columbia led to an evacuation order for one rural...
Unusually Early Heat Wave in Pacific Northwest Tests Records
By CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press/Report for America PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An early heat wave took hold Saturday in parts of the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures nearing or breaking records in some areas and heat advisories in place through Monday. The historically...
Half of U.S. West Out of Drought, But Not Fully Recovered
By BRITTANY PETERSON Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Nearly half of the U.S. West has emerged from drought this spring, but the welcome wet conditions haven't entirely replenished the region, scientists said Tuesday. Hydrologists from the National Oceanic and...
Out-of-Control Wildfires Cause Evacuations in Western Canada
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Fire crews battled wildfires threatening communities in western Canada on Sunday as cooler temperatures and a bit of rain brought some relief, but officials warned the reprieve came only in some areas. Officials in Alberta said there were 108...
Wildfires in Anchorage (AK)? Climate Change Sparks Disaster Fears
By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Research on a flat spot for air evacuations. Talk of old-style civil defense sirens to warn of fast-moving wildfires. Hundreds of urban firefighters training in wildland firefighting techniques while snow...
What Can Northern CA Expect This Wildfire Season? It Depends
Hanh Truong The Sacramento Bee (TNS) Record rains this winter may have dampened Northern California, but wildfire season is still coming — and certain regions will see it sooner than others. Temperatures in the region are warming up, teetering in the high 80s and low...
Human Factors in the Wildland Urban Interface
By Thomas W. Aurnhammer Although safety is always a major concern in structural and wildland firefighting, the wildland community took a unique approach to the subject and started examining the human dimensions of wildland firefighting. The emphasis was on the people,...
Judge to Weigh Limits for Aerial Fire Retardant in Wildfires
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge is weighing whether to severely limit the government's use of aerial fire retardant to combat wildfires following arguments Monday by environmentalists who are concerned about water pollution. A lawsuit pitting an environmental...
WV Man Accused of Arson, Murder in Wildland Firefighter Death
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia man has been charged with murder after a forestry worker was killed trying to extinguish a fire the man is accused of setting. The fire was reported on Tuesday night in the Tucker Hollow area of Fayette County. Overnight, the...