By Brian White When I think back 20-plus years to my first introduction to being a wildland firefighter, I smile, take a deep breath, and exhale. I have the most amazing memories and, honestly, I miss it. It was the hardest work of my life. I was part of a group of...
Making the Hard Calls: Strategic Priorities for Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting
By Gerard Mann The wildland urban interface (WUI) risk is increasing around the world due to climate shift. This has resulted in wildland fires impacting communities where, historically, a wildland risk has either not existed or been very low. This increasing risk is...
Becoming a Wildland Firefighter
By Mark Brunton Whether you are beginning your career in the fire service or diversifying your fire service training and education, a roadmap on how to achieve success in becoming a wildland firefighter exists. Although traditionally, wildland fires have been a West...
Crews Fought Large Brush Fire in MA; One Person Found Dead in Separate Outdoor Fire
SALEM, Mass. (AP) — A woman died in an outdoor fire at an encampment in Millbury on Saturday night and crews on Sunday were still fighting a large overnight brush fire in Salem as dry and windy conditions have raised the risk of wildfires in southern New England. When...
Remembering the Yarnell Fire with Brendan McDonough of the Granite Mountain Hotshots
A discussion about guilt, depression, and growth Fire Engineering Host Jim Burneka speaks with Brendan McDonough, the lone survivor of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. This episode focuses on the aftermath of the June 30th, 2013 Yarnell wildfire in which...
US Wildfires Are Getting Bigger and More Complex, Changing Firefighting Workforce
By TY ONEIL Associated Press PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — It’s shaping up to be a long wildfire season, with Texas already seeing its largest blaze in recorded history and firefighters becoming overwhelmed with recent blazes in Virginia. Just in the first three months of...
Crews Battle Scores of Wildfires in VA, Including a Blaze in Shenandoah National Park
LURAY, Va. (AP) — Crews were battling scores of wildfires around Virginia on Thursday, including a fire affecting hundreds of acres at Shenandoah National Park, amid an elevated fire risk, officials said. More than 100 new fires popped up Wednesday amid gusty winds...
Wildland Briefings: Create Impact with Context and Incident Specifics
By Todd McNeal Stress is our fireground enemy, undermining our ability to promptly recognize and rapidly respond to changing conditions. To combat this stress reaction that every human experiences, we should convert information to intelligence by applying context and...
NC Declares State of Emergency As Wildfires Burn Hundreds of Acres
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Officials have declared a state of emergency in a western North Carolina community where a wildfire has burned hundreds of acres, some structures and now is threatening dozens of homes. Crews are fighting several separate blazes in forested...
Wildfire in Mountainous Central Oahu Moves Away From Towns As HI Firefighters Continue Battle
HONOLULU (AP) — A wildfire that has burned forestlands in a remote mountainous area of Central Oahu has moved eastward and away from population centers, Hawaii authorities said, as firefighters continued to battle the blaze. The flames haven't threatened homes or...
There’s a Better Way to Fight Wildfires, Indigenous Groups Say
Amy Bainbridge, Angus Whitley Bloomberg News (TNS) More frequent fires. Smaller, cooler blazes. Nighttime and early morning burns. Those are three important principles of what’s known as cultural burning, a firefighting practice honed by Indigenous people in Australia...
Evacuations Ordered as Northern CA Fire Roars Through Forest Near Site of 2022 Deadly Blaze
Aug 16, 2023 7:36 AM - 369 words HAMBURG, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire pushed by gusty winds from a thunderstorm raced through national forest land near California's border with Oregon, prompting evacuations in the rural area. The blaze in Siskiyou County, dubbed the Head...