wildfires

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6 Firefighters Critically Injured in California Crash

They had just finished 12-hour shift battling Airport Fire

(Newser) - Six firefighters were critically injured Thursday night in a rollover crash on a freeway in Orange County, California. The two other firefighters in the fire truck had minor injuries, KTLA reports. The California Highway Patrol says the Orange County Fire Authority truck hit a guardrail and rolled over after it...

Man Pleads Not Guilty to Starting Massive California Fire

Delivery driver Justin Halstenberg allegedly used incendiary device

(Newser) - A California man has pleaded not guilty to starting a fire that authorities said ballooned into a massive wildfire and forced the evacuation of thousands of homes. Online court records show Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, entered the plea from jail in a video arraignment Tuesday in the San Bernardino city...

Suspect Accused of Starting Massive California Fire

Sheriff believes FedEx driver Justin Halstenberg may be responsible for more wildfires

(Newser) - A California man has been arrested for allegedly starting a wildfire that has put more than 65,000 structures at risk. Riverside County resident Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of arson, KCAL reports. Investigators believe he started the Line Fire , which has burned more than 54...

Firefighters Can't Get a Grip on Blaze Raging Near Athens

Evacuations triggered for suburbs of Greek capital, as blaze rips through dry pine forests

(Newser) - A major forest fire was raging out of control on the northern fringes of the Greek capital on Monday, triggering numerous evacuation orders for Athens suburbs and outlying areas as strong winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes. Authorities were faced with "an...

Older Firefighter Pilots Often Just Keep on Flying

Fatal crash of 73-year-old draws attention to the issue

(Newser) - Pilot Jim Maxwell logged nearly 25,000 flight hours over five decades flying small planes in dangerous situations, from spraying to kill illegal drug crops in Central America to navigating smoky skies to drop fire retardant as wildfires scorched the Western United States. Once in the 1980s, his plane went...

Wildfire Smoke Signals Some Trees to Hold Their Breath

Researchers document a unique reaction from pines when smoke fills the air

(Newser) - During wildfires, people are urged to stay inside with shut windows to avoid inhaling smoke. Surrounding trees don't have that option, of course, but a new study suggests that some species can protect themselves from dangerous air quality, too. Yale Environment 360 reports that a team of researchers out...

$4B Settlement Won't Make Maui 'Whole,' but It's a Start

Parties in lawsuit over Lahaina wildfire come to an agreement, nearly one year later

(Newser) - The parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year's Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement, a court filing said Friday, nearly one year after the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. The term sheet with details of the settlement isn't publicly available, but...

He Ran 1.5 Miles From Chopper to Save Dogs From Park Fire

Trevor Skaggs' heroism on display amid 5th-largest fire in California history

(Newser) - A man fleeing California's Park Fire was forced to leave behind his two Rottweilers and their litter of puppies on Wednesday when his truck broke down. The remote area above Cohasset was soon blocked by fire and the dogs "presumed lost," the North Valley Animal Disaster Group...

California's Biggest Wildfire Just Got Even Bigger

Firefighters are struggling to contain Park Fire, threatening thousands of homes in 4 counties

(Newser) - California's largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger. The Park Fire's intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned...

Tanker Plane Crashes Fighting Oregon Fire, Killing Pilot

Crews struggle with blazes spreading across western US

(Newser) - A tanker plane that disappeared in eastern Oregon while fighting one of the many wildfires spreading across several Western states has been found, and the pilot on board is dead, authorities said Friday. A local search and rescue team located the aircraft Friday morning, said a Bureau of Land Management...

Wildfire Engulfs Town in Canadian Rockies

Firefighters are battling to save critical infrastructure in Jasper, Alberta

(Newser) - One of two raging wildfires menacing the town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies' largest national park has roared into town and begun burning buildings. Park officials say the fire entered the southern edge of the community Wednesday evening, and crews are battling multiple structural fires and working to protect...

Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch Is in Wildfire's Path

The Lake Fire is also threatening wineries in California's Los Olivos area

(Newser) - One of the largest wildfires currently burning in California has Michael Jackson's former home in its sights. The Lake Fire, which has grown to more than 18,000 acres since it broke out Friday afternoon, is burning in southern California's Santa Barbara County near Los Olivos, and along...

'Vast Majority' of California Evacuees Allowed Home

Crews are continuing to battle Thompson Fire near Oroville

(Newser) - Thousands of people evacuated during a Northern California wildfire were allowed to return home Thursday afternoon as crews continued battling flames amid scorching heat, officials said. Containment of the Thompson Fire near the city of Oroville in Butte County also increased to 29% from 7%, the AP reports. The "...

Plane Emissions Were Nothing Compared to Canada Wildfires
Canada Wildfires Were
an Emissions Firehose
NEW STUDY
Jun 30, 2024 7:31 AM CDT

Canada Wildfires Were an Emissions Firehose

Fires produced more carbon dioxide than airplanes, India's burning of fossil fuels: report

(Newser) - The devastating Canadian wildfires of last year were fueled by climate change and fueled climate change right back. The fires emitted more heat-trapping carbon dioxide than did India in burning fossil fuels, according to a study update published Thursday in Global Change Biology . "The update is not peer-reviewed, but...

In New Mexico, 'a Whole Other Level of Devastation'

There are dozens missing, unconfirmed reports of additional deaths

(Newser) - As residents return to a fire-ravaged village in the mountains of southern New Mexico, the mayor on Monday warned them that some parts of Ruidoso remain off limits as special search and rescue teams comb the charred rubble along the hardest-hit streets. They're looking for the remains of people...

FBI: $10K to Help Us Catch Person Who Set Wildfires

Agency is offering reward in New Mexico

(Newser) - Federal authorities offered a reward for information about those responsible for igniting a pair of New Mexico wildfires that killed two people and destroyed hundreds of homes in the past week. The FBI on Saturday offered up to $10,000 for information in connection with the South Fork Fire and...

Firefighters Make Progress in New Mexico

Full containment of wildfires is weeks away, agency reports

(Newser) - Recent rains and cooler weather are helping more than 1,000 firefighters gain ground on two wildfires in southern New Mexico on Saturday that have killed two people, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to flee. Fire crews took advantage of temperatures in the 70s, scattered showers, and light...

Biden Issues New Mexico Disaster Declaration

Uncontained wildfires have killed at least 2

(Newser) - President Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico on Thursday. The move freed up funding and more resources as crews worked, under the threat of flooding and lightning, to battle a pair of deadly wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people...

New Mexico Needs Help With Fires From Rainfall

Crews could be put in danger by shifting winds

(Newser) - Air tankers dropped water and red retardant on Wednesday on a pair of growing fires in mountainous New Mexico that killed at least one person, damaged more than 1,400 structures, forced thousands to flee a tourist locale, and may now threaten hundreds of firefighters amid high wind risks. Strong...

New Mexico Village to Residents: 'GO NOW'

Wildfires approach Ruidoso like 'pair of tongs'

(Newser) - "GO NOW: Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home. Evacuate immediately," officials told residents of Ruisodo, New Mexico as wildfires approached the village of around 7,000 people Monday evening. CBS News reports that traffic clogged streets for hours on Monday, but Ruidoso's main...

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