California Wildfires

Wildfire threat in place for much of US Northeast as dry conditions persist

Firefighters in New York said on Sunday that a successful voluntary evacuation overnight helped them protect about 165 homes from a wildfire near the New Jersey border. However, New York City's fire department has taken the first-of-its-kind step of creating a brush fire task force to respond to what officials are calling a historic increase in brush fires occurring throughout the five boroughs, the FDNY commissioner announced. From November 1 to November 14, the FDNY responded to 271 brush fires across the city, marking the highest two-week period in New York's history. "Due to a significant lack of rainfall, the threat of fast-spreading brush fires fuelled by dry vegetation and windy conditions have resulted in an historic increase of brush fires throughout New York City," Commissioner Robert S Tucker said in a statement. Windy conditions renewed a wildfire on Saturday that escaped a containment line and prompted emergency officials to enact a voluntary evacuation plan for a ...

New wildfires burn in US Northeast; California, West witness bigger blazes

New wildfires burned Tuesday across the Northeast, adding to a series of blazes that have come amid very dry weather and killed at least one person, while much larger fires raged in California and other western states. Heavy smoke led to poor air quality and health advisories for parts of New Jersey and New York, including New York City. Firefighters in Massachusetts worked to contain dozens of fires amid strong winds and drought conditions. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for much of that state and parts of Connecticut, saying conditions were critical and fires could rapidly spread. Massachusetts officials said all of the 200 or so fires they had been dealing with this month had been caused by human behaviour, and Governor Maura Healey urged people to avoid lighting fires. Now is not the time to burn leaves. Now is not the time to go outside and light a fire, she told reporters in Middleton. One fire in southern New Jersey tripped fire alarms and set off ca

Fire officials recount conditions as Southern California wildfire exploded

Fire authorities on Sunday described battling fierce, howling winds and rescuing people in a fast-moving Southern California wildfire that forced thousands of people to flee and destroyed at least 168 structures and damaged 67. Crews increased containment of the Mountain Fire to 31% in Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles, up from 26% on Sunday morning. The fire's size remains around 32 square miles (about 83 square kilometers). "I am grateful for the number of lives that were saved and the fact that we have zero reported fatalities," said an emotional Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner at a community meeting Sunday night. I know we suffered great damage, but thousands of homes were saved and hundreds of lives were rescued. I know we made mistakes, but we will learn from those mistakes," he said. Ventura County public safety officials said they prepared for dry, warm and gusty northeast Santa Ana winds. But the fire that broke out Wednesday morning exploded in size with wi

Southern California firefighters gain ground on wildfire as winds subside

Southern California firefighters made progress against a wildfire that has destroyed 132 structures, mostly houses, and was fanned by gusty winds that began easing Friday, allowing some people to return to sort through the charred remains of their homes. Maryanne Belote returned to her hillside neighbourhood in Camarillo, a city northwest of Los Angeles, after making a harrowing escape with her cat, her dog and her horses as the blaze raged in the area. The only thing standing was a rock wall she built. If I hadn't gotten the horses, I would have been devastated, but I have my family and I have my animals so, I'm OK. I will rebuild, she said standing outside the remains of her home of 50 years while her dog stayed in her car. The Mountain Fire started Wednesday morning in Ventura County and had grown to 32 square miles (about 83 square kilometers). It was 14% contained Friday evening. Bill Nardoni and his family sifted through the rubble of their Camarillo home on Friday afternoon

California wildfires burn 1 mn acre so far in 2024; heatwave raises risk

The total acres burned in California this year surpassed a million as spiking temperatures on Tuesday added to the challenges facing firefighters struggling to contain a stubborn blaze in the mountains northeast of Los Angeles that flared up over the weekend. Evacuation orders were expanded again on Monday for remote communities northeast of Los Angeles as the Line Fire that has been burning for nearly a month spread over nearly 176 square kilometres of the San Bernardino Mountains and containment dropped from 83 per cent to 76 per cent. "The dry vegetation, steep slopes and wind aligned ... to create conditions for the rapid fire spread," according to a statement late on Monday from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The risk of wildfires increased across California as an autumn heatwave scorched much of the state. Some inland areas could see temperatures up to 20 degrees above average for this time of year, according to the National Weather ...

Wildfires burn out of control in Southern California, 4,500 people affected

Apocalyptic-looking plumes of smoke filled skies east of Los Angeles on Tuesday as firefighters battled three major wildfires that erupted amid a blistering heat wave and threatened tens of thousands of homes and other structures. Evacuation orders were expanded Tuesday night as the fires grew and included parts of the popular ski town of Big Bear and the entire community of Wrightwood, with about 4,500 residents. Authorities implored people to leave their homes. "There is no property that is worth risking your life for," Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. In recent years wildfires have regularly burned in and around Wrightwood, a picturesque mountain town 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Los Angeles known for its 1930s cabins. Authorities expressed frustration in 2016 when only half the residents heeded orders to leave. Janice Quick, the president of the Wrightwood Chamber of Commerce, said a friend texted to tell her that the friend's home had been consumed by fire, whi

Wildfires growing under climate change, smoke threatens farmworkers: Study

As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes. Her saliva turned black from inhaling the toxins, until one day she had so much trouble breathing she was rushed to the emergency room. When she felt better, she went right back to work as the fires raged on. What forces us to work is necessity, Salinas said. We always expose ourselves to danger out of necessity, whether by fire or disaster, when the weather changes, when it's hot or cold. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world, a new study shows that farmworkers are paying a heavy price by being exposed to high levels of air pollution. And in Sonoma County, the focus of the work, researchers found that a program aimed at determining when it was safe to work during wildfires did not adequately protect farmworkers. They recommended a series of steps to safeguard the worker

EU estimate: Wildfire near Athens burned area twice the size of Manhattan

A European Union satellite mapping agency says 104 square kilometres (40 square miles) of land was burned northeast of Athens this week during a deadly wildfire that gutted scores of homes and prompted multiple countries to send assistance. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service announced the damage estimate Wednesday, a day after the wildfire was contained in a massive effort that ended on the outskirts of the capital. A factory worker was killed in the fire that swept through mountainous areas southward, covering an area almost twice the size of Manhattan and blanketing the Greek capital with a thick cloud of smoke. The fire damaged 22 businesses and rendered at least 78 homes uninhabitable, with nearly half of them completely destroyed, Greek officials said Wednesday. Inspections in fire-afflicted areas will continue in coming days. Nine countries, including neighbor Turkey, sent assistance to Greece to boost ground crews and water-dropping planes and helicopters operating

Firefighters advance against blaze in California ahead of warming weather

Fire crews worked Tuesday to hold on to the progress made against the largest blaze in California this year ahead of warming temperatures forecast for later this week. Authorities said containment was 14 per cent and lifted evacuation orders in some communities of Butte County, where the Park Fire started last week before spreading to a neighbouring county and scorching an area bigger than Los Angeles. The massive fire continues to burn through rugged, inaccessible terrain with dense vegetation, threatening to spread to two other counties. That's going to be a continued challenge for us moving forward over the next couple of days," said Mark Brunton, an operations section chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Park Fire, now the fifth largest in the state's recorded history, was one of more than 100 large active wildfires burning in the US on Tuesday. It has scorched nearly 600 square miles (1,551 square kilometres), according to CAL Fire. For ...

Thousands battle US-Canada wildfires as smoke causes air quality alerts

Wildfires across the western United States and Canada put millions of people under air quality alerts on Sunday as thousands of firefighters battled the flames, including the largest wildfire in California this year. The so-called Park Fire had scorched more than 550 square miles (1,430 square kilometres) of inland Northern California as of Sunday morning, darkening the sky with smoke and haze and contributing to poor air quality in a large swath of the Northwestern US and western Canada. Although the sprawling blaze was only 12 per cent contained, cooler temperatures and increased humidity could help crews battle the fire, which has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Camp Fire that tore through the nearby community of Paradise, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes. Paradise and several other Butte County communities were under an evacuation warning Sunday. However, Cal Fire operations section chief Jeremy Pierce had some good news for the area, saying around midday that the Park

Northern California wildfire doesn't grow, winds, heat whip up flames

Crews made steady progress overnight against a Northern California wildfire that has thousands of people under evacuation orders, but wind gusts and continued hot temperatures Thursday could pose problems on a searing hot July Fourth, officials said. The Thompson Fire near the city of Oroville in Butte County stayed roughly the same size and containment was still 7 per cent, which was the same as Wednesday night, said Kevin Colburn, information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. There are 26,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings, but numbers could drop as crews make fresh assessments. We're going to evaluate and see if we can open up some areas, Colburn said. The Thompson Fire broke out before noon on Tuesday, about 70 miles (110 kilometres) north of Sacramento. It sent up a huge plume of smoke that could be seen from space as it grew to more than 5.5 square miles (14 square kilometres). An Associated Press photographer saw

Thousands of people evacuate as Northern California wildfire spreads

Firefighters lined roads to keep flames from reaching homes as helicopters dropped water on a growing wildfire Wednesday in Northern California that has forced at least 26,000 people to evacuate, as the state sweltered under extreme heat. The Thompson fire broke out before noon Tuesday about 70 miles (110 kilometres) north of Sacramento, near the city of Oroville in Butte County. It sent up a huge plume of smoke that could be seen from space as it grew to more than 5.5 square miles (14 square kilometres). There was no containment. But Oroville Mayor David Pittman said by Wednesday afternoon there had been a significant drop in the fire activity, and he was hopeful that some residents could soon be allowed to return home. The fire's progress was stopped along the southern edge and firefighters working in steep terrain were trying to build containment lines on the northern side. "On that north side they have some real struggles in terms of the topography," Pittman said. Meanwhile, ..

California firefighters continue to battle wildfires east of San Francisco

California firefighters expected to gain ground on Sunday on a wind-driven wildfire that scorched thousands of acres 97 kilometres east of San Francisco, burned down a home and forced residents to flee the area near the central California city of Tracy. The fire erupted on Saturday afternoon in the grassy hills managed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, one of the country's key centres for nuclear weapons science and technology. The cause was under investigation. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the research centre was not under immediate threat from the blaze, dubbed the Corral Fire, which had devoured some 52 square kilometres by Sunday afternoon and was 30 per cent contained. Thousands of people in the area, including parts of the city of Tracy with a population of 1,00,000, were ordered to leave for evacuation centres. Tracy is about 112 kilometres south of California's capital in Sacramento. CalFire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira said o

Death toll rises to 112 as wildfires continue to wreak havoc in Chile

President Gabriel Boric announced on Sunday, following his visit to the affected districts, that Monday and Tuesday would be designated as national mourning days in honour of the fire victims

Southern California wildfire prompts evacuation order for thousands

A wildfire fuelled by gusty Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land southeast of Los Angeles on Monday, forcing about 4,000 people from their homes, fire authorities said. The so-called Highland Fire erupted at about 12:45 p.m. in dry, brushy hills near the unincorporated Riverside County hamlet of Aguanga. As of late Monday night, it had spread over about 5 square kilometres of land, fire spokesman Jeff LaRusso said. About 1,300 homes and 4,000 residents were under evacuation orders, he said. The fire had destroyed three buildings and damaged six others but it wasn't clear whether any were homes. The region is sparsely populated but there are horse ranches and a large mobile home site, LaRusso said. No injuries were reported. Winds of 32 to 40 kph with some higher gusts drove the flames and embers through grass and brush that were dried out by recent winds and low humidity so that it was "almost like kindling" for the blaze, LaRusso said. The winds were expected to ease somew

Thousands under evacuation, homes burn as wildfires race through Washington

Fast-moving wildfires raced through Washington state on Friday, burning some homes and prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people in small rural communities. One of the largest blazes, the so-called Gray Fire near Spokane in eastern Washington, began around noon and a few hours later had surged through 4.7 square miles (12 square kilometers) of grass, timber and wheat, pushed by 35-mph (56-kph) winds, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Level 3, or Go Now, evacuations were issued for Medical Lake, a community of about 4,800 people and some homes and other buildings had burned, authorities said, although it wasn't clear how many. National Guard troops were called in to help evacuate patients and staff from Eastern State Hospital, a 367-bed psychiatric facility in Medical Lake. Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said deputies were running from house to house urging people to leave their homes, NBC News reported. We've had to rescue people by b

Climate change sparks disaster fears in Anchorage Hillside, Alaska

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 still blankets the ground. This is the new reality in Alaska's largest city, where a recent series of wildfires near Anchorage and the hottest day on record have sparked fears that a warming climate could soon mean serious, untenable blazes in urban areas just like in the rest of the drought-plagued American West. The risk is particularly high in the city's burgeoning Anchorage Hillside neighbourhood, where multi-million dollar homes have pushed further and further up steep slopes and to the forest's edge. Making the challenge even greater is that many of these areas on the Hillside home to about 35,000 people have but one road in and out, meaning that fleeing residents could clog a roadway or be cut off from reaching Anchorage at all. The prospect of a major wildfire there kee

Excessive methane emitted from mega wildfires fuels vicious cycle: Study

The amount of methane emitted by the top 20 fires in 2020 was more than seven times the average from wildfires in the previous 19 years, the study said

13 dead in Chile amid struggle to contain over 150 raging wildfires

At least 13 people were reported dead as of Friday night as a result of the more than 150 wildfires burning across Chile that have destroyed homes and thousands of acres of forest while the South American country is in the midst of a scorching heat wave. Four of the deaths involved two separate vehicles in the Biobo region, around 560 kilometers (348 miles) south of the capital of Santiago. In one case they were burned because they were hit by the fire, Interior Minister Carolina Toh said. In the other case, she said, the victims died in a crash, probably trying to escape the fire. The fifth victim was a firefighter who was run over by a fire truck while combatting a blaze in the area. Later in the afternoon, a helicopter that was helping combat the flames crashed in the Araucana region, killing the pilot, a Bolivian national, and a mechanic, who was Chilean. At nightfall, the national agency responsible for emergencies raised the death toll to 13 without giving details on the lat

California wildfire triples in size to over 18,000 acres in just 24 hours

The fast-moving Fairview Fire started on Monday afternoon near the city of Hemet in Riverside County amid a brutal heatwave, reports Xinhua news agency