Savannah Eadens - oregonlive.com Portland General Electric is investing more than $20 million in its wildfire mitigation and resiliency plan this year, Oregon’s largest electricity company said Wednesday. This includes increasing inspections of utility poles,...
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...
CA ‘Weather Whiplash’ Fuels Uncertainty in Upcoming Wildfire Season
Alex Wigglesworth - Los Angeles Times When Jonathan O'Brien sees the rolling green hills of Southern California, the grasses lush from this winter's heavy rains, he can't help but feel uneasy. "Even if it's not this year or next year, sooner or later we absolutely...
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...
Artificial Intelligence Stations to Search for Early-Stage Wildfires in Washington
Jim McKay Government Technology (TNS) May 4—All wildfires start small. Unfortunately, not all of them stay small, and some quickly get out of hand before fire personnel can fight back. With this in mind, the state of Washington is deploying an artificial intelligence...
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...
New Campaign Encourages Coloradans to Prepare for Wildfire
Estes Park Trail-Gazette, Colo. (TNS) Apr. 27—Colorado faces a "new normal" when it comes to wildfire. Ongoing drought and warmer temperatures elevate wildfire risk for many Coloradans, and wildfires now occur year-round in the state. To encourage more residents to...
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...