Wildfires

Wildfire Grows Into Second-Largest in Texas History

A fast-moving wildfire burning through the Texas Panhandle grew into the second-largest blaze in state history Wednesday, forcing evacuations and... Read More

A fast-moving wildfire burning through the Texas Panhandle grew into the second-largest blaze in state history Wednesday, forcing evacuations and triggering power outages as firefighters struggled to contain the widening flames. The sprawling blaze was part of a cluster of... Read More

At Least 36 Killed on Maui as Fires Burn Through Hawaii and Thousands Race to Escape

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Wildfires fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane killed 36 people and destroyed... Read More

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Wildfires fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane killed 36 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings on the Hawaiian island of Maui, in the deadliest blaze in the U.S. in... Read More

People in Hawaii Flee Into Ocean to Escape Wildfires Burning Popular Maui Tourist Town

HONOLULU (AP) — Wildfires in Hawaii fanned by strong winds burned multiple structures in areas including historic Lahaina town, forcing evacuations and... Read More

HONOLULU (AP) — Wildfires in Hawaii fanned by strong winds burned multiple structures in areas including historic Lahaina town, forcing evacuations and closing schools in several communities Wednesday, and rescuers pulled a dozen people escaping smoke and flames from the ocean. The... Read More

As Planet Warms, Scientists Worry Cases of Infectious Diseases Could Spike

NEW YORK (AP) — People around the world are living longer, healthier lives than they were just half a century... Read More

NEW YORK (AP) — People around the world are living longer, healthier lives than they were just half a century ago. Climate change threatens to undo that progress. Across the planet, animals — and the diseases they carry — are... Read More

2023-03-08 17:38:05
by Dan McCue
Firefighters Rally at Capitol for PFAS-Free Gear

WASHINGTON — Firefighters from across the nation gathered for a rally at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday to urge Congress to... Read More

WASHINGTON — Firefighters from across the nation gathered for a rally at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday to urge Congress to fund the research and development of PFAS-free protective gear and fire extinguishing equipment. “We need to get these toxic carcinogens... Read More

2022-10-20 21:00:43
by Tom Ramstack
Environmentalists Sue Forest Service for Flame Retardants Dropped on Fires

MISSOULA, Mont. — An environmental group is suing the U.S. Forest Service for the flame retardant it drops on western... Read More

MISSOULA, Mont. — An environmental group is suing the U.S. Forest Service for the flame retardant it drops on western wildfires, saying the chemical pollutes waterways and violates the Clean Water Act.  The Forest Service dropped more than 761,000 gallons... Read More

2022-08-22 16:13:20
by Dan McCue
Study Finds Wildfire Hazards in Residential Fences and Mulch Beds

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — For many, summertime means relaxing in their backyard behind the privacy of a large wooden fence and... Read More

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — For many, summertime means relaxing in their backyard behind the privacy of a large wooden fence and the beauty of a well-mulched flower bed. A new study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, however, suggests... Read More

2022-08-08 17:49:35
by Dan McCue
Wildfires Have Destroyed Almost All of California’s Forest Carbon Offsets, Study Says

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carbon released during an epic series of wildfire seasons in California has effectively wiped out most of... Read More

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carbon released during an epic series of wildfire seasons in California has effectively wiped out most of the 100-year buffer that had been built into the state’s carbon trading system, a new study has found. According to... Read More

2022-06-10 17:38:29
by Tom Ramstack
California Utility Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter in Deadly Wildfire

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pacific Gas & Electric pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony involuntary manslaughter charges after a Northern California... Read More

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pacific Gas & Electric pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony involuntary manslaughter charges after a Northern California fire caused by its electrical transmission lines burned 87 square miles of land and killed four residents. Prosecutors acknowledge criminal... Read More

2022-06-08 23:14:02
by Madeline Hughes
FCC Levies Largest Fine to Amateur Radio Operator

WASHINGTON — While firefighters were battling a blaze near Elk River, Idaho, in 2021 an unknown voice came over the... Read More

WASHINGTON — While firefighters were battling a blaze near Elk River, Idaho, in 2021 an unknown voice came over the radio waves they were using to coordinate an airplane to help fight the fire. The U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement... Read More

2021-05-27 18:51:40
by Reece Nations
Congress Pushes for Prescribed Burns as Dry Season Approaches

WASHINGTON — Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., unveiled legislation that would... Read More

WASHINGTON — Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., unveiled legislation that would up the scale of controlled burns to mitigate the effects of severe wildfires nationwide. The bill, entitled the “National Prescribed... Read More

Native Americans Feel Double Pain of COVID-19 and Fires ‘Gobbling Up the Ground’

When the first fire of the season broke out on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in Northern California in July, Greg... Read More

When the first fire of the season broke out on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in Northern California in July, Greg Moon faced a dilemma. As Hoopa’s fire chief and its pandemic team leader, Moon feared the impact of the blaze... Read More

Pandemic Precautions Are Protecting Wildfire Fighters — So Far

District Chief Paul Duarte’s team, the first to reach the Pine Gulch fire as it began spreading across western Colorado... Read More

District Chief Paul Duarte’s team, the first to reach the Pine Gulch fire as it began spreading across western Colorado about three weeks ago, put months of planning to the test as they prepared to battle their first major wildfire... Read More

Why California Still Isn’t Safe a Year After the Camp Fire

PARADISE, Calif. — Chainsaws were humming and backhoes were beeping. Wood frames were being hammered into place. It was the... Read More

PARADISE, Calif. — Chainsaws were humming and backhoes were beeping. Wood frames were being hammered into place. It was the sound of Paradise rebuilding, one nail at a time. “I love it up here — it’s beautiful,” said Holly Austin,... Read More

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