Roberta Simonson The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash. (TNS) Mar. 19—It's never too early to start thinking about the fire season. In fact, now is the perfect time, fire officials said at a wildfire readiness event in Spokane Valley Tuesday. "I'm encouraging everyone...
Largest Wildfire in TX History 100% Contained After Burning More Than 1 Million Acres
Lana Ferguson - The Dallas Morning News The Smokehouse Creek fire that burned through more than 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle is completely contained after a nearly three-week battle. The blaze, sparked Feb. 26 in Hutchinson County near Stinnett, quickly grew...
These 11 CA Counties Are Most at Risk for Wildfires, FEMA Map Shows. Here’s Where
Angela Rodriguez - The Modesto Bee Mar. 13—California is no stranger to wildfires — and some regions are more at risk than others. While most wildfires occur between April and October, "California faces the risk of wildfires all year now" due to the warmer and drier...
Wildfire Detection Sensors to Be Deployed on Maui and Around HI
Kacie Yamamoto - The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Mar. 9—The fire sensor technology, which was developed by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the U.S. Fire Administration in partnership with small business N5 Sensors Inc., will be...
Infernos Rage From TX to Australia As Fire Season Kicks Off Early
Brian K Sullivan, Jessica Nix and David Stringer Bloomberg News (TNS) After a year of deadly wildfires around the globe, the world is burning again from Texas to Australia — and in some regions, the blazes are igniting early. Canada’s Alberta province said last month...
Firefighters Battle Two Fires at Fort Carson (CO)
Mary Shinn The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) (TNS) Feb. 26—Fort Carson fire crews are battling a second wildfire that started around 11:30 a.m. Monday. The new blaze, which is 100 acres and spreading quickly, is near the first fire that started on Sunday, a news...
Cape Ann (MA) Wins $131K for Wildfire Firefighting
Stephen Hagan - Gloucester Daily Times, Mass. Feb. 21—Cape Ann's fire departments have won a $131,000 state grant aimed at preventing and fighting wildfires. "It's for all of the Cape Ann towns," Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith said of the Massachusetts Department of...
‘Leading the Nation’: OK Meteorologists Innovate New Fire Detection Strategies
Andrea Hancock The Norman Transcript, Okla. (TNS) Feb. 17—On Friday, the National Weather Center hosted the director of the National Weather Services to demonstrate an innovative partnership between Oklahoma meteorologists and Oklahoma Forestry Services. Since about...
Couple Whose Gender-Reveal Party Sparked Massive CA Wildfire That Killed Firefighter Sentenced
Rachel Uranga - Los Angeles Times The couple whose pyrotechnics during a gender-reveal party set off what came to be known as the massive El Dorado fire in San Bernardino County in 2020 was sentenced Friday after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors. The couple...
Sparks From Light Caused Gray (WA) Fire, DNR Investigation Finds
Emma Epperly - The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash. Feb. 6—The Gray fire that devastated Medical Lake in August was caused by sparks from an Inland Power and Light security light mounted to a pole, a Department of Natural Resources investigation found. Multiple...
NM Recruits Firefighters for First Hotshot Crews
Gabrielle Porter - The Santa Fe New Mexican Feb. 5—What does it take to build a Hotshot firefighting crew from the ground up? How about two of them? New Mexico officials are about to find out. The State Forestry Division, part of the Energy, Minerals and Natural...
Former Criminology Professor Pleads Guilty to Igniting Four Wildfires in 2021
Sam Stanton - The Sacramento Bee A criminal justice professor who has worked at various California colleges pleaded guilty Thursday after being charged with setting a series of blazes near the massive Dixie Fire in 2021. Gary Stephen Maynard, 49, pleaded guilty to...