Tag Archives: wildfire

The inmates of Washington state’s prison system tramp through the forest, their yellow uniforms and helmets bright against the brown branches and green leaves. They are Arcadia 20, or ARC 20, an elite group of firefighters based in Spokane who have been recruited from existing firefighting prison camps. The aim? Teach the inmates the skills needed to help prevent forest …

California’s largest wildfire so far this year was significantly surrounded Monday after blackening a swath of hilly grasslands between San Francisco Bay and the Central Valley. The Corral Fire was 75% contained after scorching more than 22 square miles during the weekend, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. One home was destroyed and two firefighters were injured. …

A former collegeprofessor who specialized in social deviancy was sentenced on Thursday to more than five years in prison for starting four fires in 2021, some of which threatened to trap firefighters as they responded to one of the largest wildfires in California history, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California said. Gary Stephen Maynard, 49, pleaded …

A wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes in western Canada’s oil sands hub of Fort McMurray earlier this month is now under control, Alberta officials said Wednesday. Alberta wildlife officials said the blaze remains less than six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the community and is about 190 square kilometers (118 square miles) in size. CANADA BATTLES WORST-EVER …

A wildfire burned down two structures and was threatening more than 50 others in the small desert community of Kearny, authorities said Wednesday. The Simmons Fire, which broke out Tuesday, has burned 475 acres with zero containment, said Tiffany Davila, spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. About 180 residents remained under mandatory evacuation in Kearny, which …

High in the evergreen canopy of General Sherman, the world’s largest tree, researchers searched for evidence of an emerging threat to giant sequoias: bark beetles. The climbers descended the towering 2,200-year-old tree with good news on Tuesday. “The General Sherman tree is doing fine right now,” said Anthony Ambrose, executive director of the Ancient Forest Society, who led the expedition. …

Jordan on Monday stationed two helicopters in Cyprus to help the Mediterranean island nation combat potential forest fires until it can lease firefighting aircraft of its own for the summer fire season. Cypriot Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou said the Cypriot government considers firefighting and prevention a national security matter and is also moving to purchase 10 aircraft for that reason. …

A judge on Friday forced the Hawaii attorney general’s office to turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer’s Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the disaster. Attorneys representing plaintiffs suing over the August fires filed a motion last month asking a judge to compel the …

Skimming over miles of hills blackened by wildfires west of Athens, Fire Lt. Col. Ioannis Kolovos readies his elite fire crew crouched inside a helicopter. The 10-member group from the 1st Wildfire Special Operation Unit bristles with tools needed to hold back fires: chainsaws, specialized rakes, weather gauges, computer tablets and earth-scorching drip torches to burn wildfire barriers into the …

A Greek court convicted five former firefighting and disaster response officials on Monday over the deadliest wildfire in the country’s history, with more than 100 people killed outside the capital. But some survivors were outraged when they were fined and let go. The 2018 fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens. Residents and vacationers, many trapped …