Category Archives: Forest Fires

Forest Fires

As ‘Zombie Fires’ Smolder, Canada Braces for Another Season of Flames

By Ian Austen
New York Times
March 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada

Canada’s emergency preparedness minister is warning that this year’s wildfire season will be worse than the record-breaking season of 2023, when thousands of fires burned tens of millions of acres and set off massive plumes of smoke that enveloped major U.S. cities, including New York and Washington. This year’s fires could be especially bad in two of the country’s most fire-prone provinces, where nearly 150 of the blazes that started during last year’s season are still burning this winter, under snow-covered ground. While so-called “zombie fires,” a term recently popularized in the Canadian media, are an annual phenomenon in parts of the country, never have so many fires been reported in a single winter, raising fears that many of them may flare up again above ground. The “zombie fires” persist during winter because porous peat and moss ground cover in northern areas act as underground fuel for them.

Read More

Wildfire near Chetwynd “being held”

By Shailynn Foster
Energetic City
February 27, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

CHETWYND, B.C. — The wildfire that sparked near Chetwynd on February 23rd is now listed as “being held” by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). Located 15 kilometres on the Hasler Creek Forest Service Road, the wildfire is now being held at eight hectares. According to the BCWS, the fire remained out of control until Monday morning, when it was re-classified. …The BCWS says weather conditions such as precipitation and low temperatures like the region has experienced recently reduce fire behaviour and facilitate suppression.

Read More

‘Holdover wildfires’ from 2023 producing visible smoke again, says B.C. Wildfire Service

CBC News
February 8, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Wildfires that went dormant over the winter have once again moved above ground, producing visible smoke and smouldering, the B.C. Wildfire Service says. The service says these “holdover fires” are primarily in the Prince George Fire Centre, which covers the northeastern quadrant of the province, and are being aided by ongoing drought conditions in the region. “A holdover fire is a fire that remains dormant and/or undetected for a considerable time after it starts,” the service said in a bulletin, adding they are particularly common for lightning-caused fires or fires of “considerable size.” It is not uncommon for holdover wildfires to be reported, though in past years notices about their reappearance generally come later in the year, around March or April.

 

Read More

Alberta Wildfire monitoring 19 new forest fires, two in Grande Prairie region, since Halloween

By Ethan Montague
My Grande Prairie Now
November 27, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

After a record-breaking wildfire season, regions like Grande Prairie have been subject to unseasonably warm and dry conditions heading into the winter season, meaning more wildfires could come before the year is over. According to Alberta Wildfire, 67 wildfires are still burning across the province and 19 new human-caused wildfires have started since October 31st. Wildfire Information Officer for the Grande Prairie Forest Area Kelly Burke says it is vital that Albertans stay informed on wildfire prevention measures, even in winter. According to Burke, 10 wildfires have sprung up in the Grande Prairie region since October 18th, with two in November alone. …Burke adds that 19 forest fires in less than a month in November is alarming for the region as seasonal workers for Alberta wildfire are largely off duty during the winter, and the number of firefighters required simply isn’t enough to reach demand over winter.

Read More

Fire continues to burn in hills above West Kelowna despite rain and light snow

By Rob Gibson
Castanet
October 28, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

As the BC Wildfire Service shifts to winter operations, the McDougall Creek wildfire is still smouldering above West Kelowna. …Fires the magnitude of the McDougall Creek fire sometimes end up being referred to as “zombie fires” — a fire that overwinters deep in the ground and pops back up in the spring. …The BC Wildfire Service said on social media it is now winding down operations for the season. …The 2023 wildfire season has gone down as the most expensive and most destructive wildfire year on record. A total of 2236 fires burned 2,849,397 hectares of B.C. forest this season. The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimated that the fires in the Okanagan and Shuswap alone caused $720 million in insured damage.

Read More

New, fast-growing wildfire threatens more than 2 dozen properties in northeastern B.C.

CBC News
October 10, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Properties near Chetwynd in British Columbia’s Peace region are under an evacuation alert after a wildfire discovered Sunday grew to seven square kilometres. The Mount Wartenbe wildfire is already considered a wildfire of note by the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), meaning it’s highly visible or a potential threat to public safety. It’s burning near Lone Prairie, about 20 kilometres southeast of Chetwynd and 80 kilometres southwest of Fort St. John. On Monday, the Peace River Regional District put in place an evacuation alert for two dozen addresses along with properties in the vicinity of Highway 97, west of Chetwynd Pulp Mill Road and east of the Guillet subdivision. The alert means residents should be prepared to leave their properties on short notice should the fire expand.

Read More

Forest fire starts near Chetwynd

By Adam Reaburn
Energetic City
October 8, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

CHETWYND, B.C. – The B.C. Wildfire Service is responding to a wildfire that started Sunday afternoon southeast of Chetwynd.  The fire was reported to the fire service just after 4 p.m. Sunday, and as of 8 p.m., it was already 70 hectares. By Monday evening, the fire had burned over 700 hectares.  The Peace River Regional District issued an evacuation alert for an area near the fire. The alert includes properties near Highway 97 (West of Chetwynd Pulp Mill Rd and East of Guillet Sub) and certain properties on Rimsmith Rd.  The Wildfire Service believes the fire was naturally caused and has initiated a full response. During a full response, a wildfire is suppressed and controlled until it is deemed “out.” There are nine type one firefighters being assisted by three helicopters on scene.

Read More

BC Wildfire Service is on the verge of declaring the end of the fire season

Castanet
October 4, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

After five months of fighting wildfires and battling smoke that choked B.C. residents throughout the spring and summer the BC Wildfire Service is on the verge of declaring the end of one of its busiest, most intense fire seasons, even though large fires continue to burn in the Prince George fire centre region. Two fires that continue to burn out of control are close to Prince George. The Great Beaver Lake fire is about 64 kilometres northwest of the city, while the Tatuk Lake fire is about 73 km southwest. The North Lucas Lake fire is in a remote area, 48 km south of Fraser Lake. There are two other large fires in BC – Big Creek (91 km northwest of Mackenzie) and Gatcho Lake (140 km southwest of Vanderhoof). BCWS unit crews and initial attack remain on the scene monitoring those fires.

Read More

Oregon Department of Forestry sending 16-member strike team to Texas to help fight their major wildfires

KTVZ Central Oregon
March 1, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry deployed a strike team to Amarillo, Texas on Friday to assist in their wildfire suppression efforts. The strike team is equipped with five engines and a strike team leader, with a total of 16 firefighters traveling down to the state. The firefighters are going to Texas under mutual assistance agreements, making it easier to share resources. When wildfire activity is low in Oregon, firefighters can be spared to help in other places experiencing high levels of wildfire response.  …“We’re ready and willing to help, whenever we receive the call from one of our partner states,” said Chris Cline, ODF’s Interim Fire Protection Division chief.  “It’s the right thing to respond when someone is in a time of need, and we are honored to have the opportunity to serve.”

Read More

Wildfire grows into 2nd-largest in Texas history and briefly shuts down nuclear weapons facility

By Jim Vertuno
The Associated Press
February 28, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

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 fires that burned out of control and threatened rural towns, where local officials spent the night shutting down roads and urging residents to leave their homes. The largest of the fires — which grew to nearly 800 square miles — jumped into parts of neighboring Oklahoma and remained completely uncontained as dawn broke, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Authorities have not said what ignited the fires, but strong winds, dry grass and unseasonably warm temperatures have fed the blazes. Near Borger, a community of about 13,000 people, emergency officials at one point late Tuesday answered questions from panicked residents.

Read More

Forestry Division battles 250-acre wildfire in Arkansas amid heightened statewide risk

By Andrew Mobley
KATV
February 27, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division says the risk for wildfires has elevated across the state, with over half of Arkansas’ counties designated high risk. The Forestry Division says there have been over 100 active fires in the last week, impacting every county in the state and increasing exponentially. “Conditions are dry with low humidity statewide, and we are forecasted to experience periods of high winds in the coming days.” said State Forester Kyle Cunningham. “We are seeing an increase in the number of wildfires and their intensity, and that’s a trend that will continue until we see significant rainfall. With this in mind, we are asking citizens of the state to be mindful of this risk and avoid burning.” On yesterday, 58 fires were reported statewide in a sudden increase of activity in Arkansas. 

Read More

Harlan County, Kentucky declares State of Emergency due to multiple forest fires

WBIR.com
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

HARLAN COUNTY, Kentucky — The Harlan County Emergency Management Agency said the county has declared a state of emergency due to forest fires that have caused a significant strain on first responders. Over the last three days, six different forest fires have happened in Harlan County and two firefighters have sustained non-life-threatening injuries while working around the clock for 72 hours, according to Harlan County EMA. The state of emergency will allow the county to request additional resources from the surrounding area to provide support, Harlan County EMA said. One of the forest fires happened Friday, Nov. 3 around the Smith area of Harlan County. Additional fires in the area happened on Saturday. The fires are under investigation as arson is suspected, according to Harlan County EMA.

Read More

Collett Ridge wildfire grows to 110 acres; crews begin setting large backfires in containment efforts

By Brittany Whitehead
ABC News 13
November 3, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Firefighters are more aggressively battling the Collett Ridge wildfire, as it has grown to 110 acres in size as of Friday morning, Nov. 3, after staying around 90 acres for several days. The fire, which began on Oct. 23, was still 0% contained. Collette Ridge is located about four miles south of Andrews, N.C. A news release from the Nantahala National Forest on Friday said firefighters have begun setting large backfires in their efforts to try and put out the wildfire in Cherokee County. Officials said fire activity increased on the western side of the fire Thursday, with additional heat on the north and northeast side. …Crews are setting the backfires near the Cherokee, Macon and Clay county lines. Officials said smoke is visible from Highway 74 and throughout the river valley. People living on Junaluska Road may even see flames in the distance.

Read More

There’s another wildfire burning in Hawaii. This one is destroying irreplaceable rainforest on Oahu

By Audrey McAvoy
Associated Press in ABC News
November 11, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

HONOLULU — A wildfire burning in a remote Hawaii rainforest is underscoring a new reality for the normally lush island state just a few months after a devastating blaze on a neighboring island leveled an entire town and killed at least 99 people. No one was injured and no homes burned in the latest fire, which scorched mountain ridges on Oahu, but the flames wiped out irreplaceable native forestland that’s home to nearly two dozen fragile species. And overall, the ingredients are the same as they were in Maui’s historic town of Lahaina: severe drought fueled by climate change is creating fire in Hawaii where it has almost never been before. …The fact that this fire was on Oahu’s wetter, windward side is a “red flag to all of us that there is change afoot,” said Sam ’Ohu Gon III, senior scientist and cultural adviser at The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii.

Read More

Southern California wildfire prompts evacuation order for thousands as Santa Ana winds fuel flames

Associated Press in News Channel 6
October 31, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

AGUANGA, Calif. — A wildfire fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land southeast of Los Angeles, forcing about 4,000 people from their homes, fire authorities said. The so-called Highland Fire erupted at about 12:45 p.m. Monday in dry, brushy hills near the unincorporated Riverside County hamlet of Aguanga. As of early Tuesday, the fire had grown to 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers) and was not contained, officials said in a social media post. About 1,300 homes and 4,000 residents were under evacuation orders, fire spokesman Jeff LaRusso said Monday. Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place Tuesday morning, officials said.

Read More

Rabbit Fire burning in Sequoia National Forest grows to 1,600 acres

By Sheyanne Romero
Visalia Times-Delta
October 16, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

The Rabbit Fire, burning in the Sequoia National Forest, has consumed more than 1,600 acres of wilderness and is 25% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The wildfire was ignited on Sept. 30, during a lightning strike near Hume Lake Ranger District. The fire is located near the Kings Canyon Overlook and Buck Rock. On Monday, firing operations were being made along Buck Rock Road/13S04 from Buck Rock Lookout South to Big Meadows Road/14S11. Crews also continued burning along Big Meadows/14S11 Road West toward Generals Highway. A drone was used to help fire managers in areas that are difficult and unsafe to access by ground. Trees that pose a threat to firefighters and the public were removed, according to forest service officials.

Read More

Long-term forecast predicts increased forest fire activity in Oregon and Washington’s dampest areas

By Brian Bull
KLCC Public Radio
March 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Alex Dye

Hotter and more intense fires are likely coming to the Pacific Northwest’s cooler and wetter forests. That’s from new research led by an Oregon State University scientist. Comprehensive wildfire simulations for over a 23-million acre stretch of forest show that for a 30-year period beginning in 2035, Oregon’s western Cascades and Washington’s north Cascades – as well as the Puget Lowlands and Olympic Mountains – could see at least twice as much fire activity as seen in the last 30 years. “It’s time to start thinking about things that could counteract those climate effects,” said Alex Dye. He’s a research associate with OSU’s College of Forestry, and the lead author on the study published in the latest edition of JGR Biogeosciences. …Dye said that it can be challenging to assess fire probability in an environment where there isn’t much empirical information about the fire history to build models.

Read More

Texas Panhandle wildfires have burned nearly 1.3 million acres in a week – and it’s not over yet

By Li Cohen
CBS News
March 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

The Texas Panhandle wildfires killed at least two people and burned nearly 1.3 million acres in their first week — and the situation isn’t over. There are five active wildfires across the region, according to Texas A&M Forest Service. The largest of those is the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County, which alone has burned nearly 1.1 million acres and is the largest wildfire ever recorded in the state. That fire was just 15% contained as of Sunday afternoon. …Weather conditions across the state have made battling the blazes difficult. For days, the area has seen favorable fire weather – warmer temperatures, dry air and strong winds – but the National Weather Service said Monday morning a cold front is set to pass through, bringing cooler temperatures that will help minimize wildfire impact.

Read More

Texas battles second-biggest wildfire in US history

By Phil McCausland & Chloe Kim
BBC News
March 1, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

A rapidly spreading Texas wildfire has killed one person, forced residents to evacuate, cut off power to homes and businesses, and briefly paused operations at a nuclear facility. It has burned 1.1 million acres north of the city of Amarillo – making it the second-largest fire in US history. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties. Dry grass, high temperatures and strong winds have fuelled the blaze, which remains 3% contained. The Smokehouse Creek Fire, as it has been named, has already razed 1.1 million acres – larger than the state of Rhode Island. The West Odessa Fire Department said on Facebook that it “is now both the largest and most destructive fire in Texas History”, surpassing the East Amarillo Complex fire, which burned over 900,000 acres in 2006.

Read More

Massive wildfires burning in Texas Panhandle force evacuations, prompt disaster declaration

By S.E. Jenkins
CBS News
February 28, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

NORTH TEXAS – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Tuesday due to widespread wildfires in the Panhandle amid hot and dry conditions. Dry vegetation and high winds were fueling the rapid growth of blazes. Abbott’s declaration includes 60 counties. Pantex, the main facility that assembles and disassembles America’s nuclear arsenal, shut down its operations Tuesday night because of nearby wildfires. But the plant’s operators said overnight on X, that it is “open for normal day shift operations for Wednesday, February 28.” The plant is located some 30 miles east of Amarillo. …The largest fire is the Smokehouse Creek fire in Hutchinson County, northeast of Amarillo. It is an estimated 500,000 acres and is 0% contained. The Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management said late Tuesday night that “Randall County, Potter County, and City of Amarillo, Texas have declared a local state of disaster. …The Texas A&M Forest Service is bracing for more wildfire activity in the coming weeks.  

Additional coverage in the Dallas Morning News: Wildfire triggers evacuation for multiple parts of Texas Panhandle, forest service says

Read More

All Virginia wildfires except Matt’s Creek contained, say officials

By Sarah Vogelsong
The Virginia Mercury
November 22, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

After an unusually active fall fire season that has seen responders struggle to get multiple blazes under control, all of Virginia’s wildfires except for the Matt’s Creek Fire in Bedford County have been contained. As of Monday night, the state had “no active wildfires” besides Matt’s Creek, said Virginia Department of Forestry spokesman Greg Bilyeu in an email. Virginia’s fall fire season runs from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30, a period when dead leaves provide ample fuel for any spark. This year has proved especially challenging, with the Department of Forestry responding to 113 wildfires that have burned more than 12,000 acres since the season began. By comparison, the agency has said the average annual acreage affected by wildfires in Virginia is 9,500. “We need no further proof that fall fire season has arrived with a vengeance,” said Chief of Fire and Emergency Response John Miller in a Nov. 16 statement. “We will remain vigilant to protect people and property.”

Read More

Matts Creek wildfire sees upgraded containment

WDBJ7 News
November 18, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Bedford County, Virginia — The Matts Creek wildfire is now 6,835 acres, with containment up from 2 to 15 percent, according to the US Forest Service. Early Saturday, mapping had the fire at just under 6,000 acres. Forestry officials said winds would take smoke south of the fire Saturday. Very unhealthy and hazardous air quality was expected in Big Island Saturday afternoon and evening. Smoke models showed the heaviest smoke staying east of Bedford, affecting Forest and Altavista until Saturday night, but a slight shift could take dense smoke to Bedford or Lynchburg. For much of the last week, the smoke had been moving north, creating hazardous conditions in Lexington and unhealthy conditions as far north as Winchester. A wind shift Friday night was expected to push the smoke east — perhaps as far as Washington D.C. — before swinging around to pass through communities like Amherst and Lynchburg

Read More

Wildfire from I-40 crash in NC mountains expands again to nearly 1,800 acres in less than 3 days

By Rodney Overton
CBS 17
November 18, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

WAYNESVILLE, N.C.  — A large North Carolina mountain wildfire that was sparked during a tractor-trailer crash on Interstate 40 grew a third in size on Saturday — starting the day at nearly 1,200 acres and expanding to just under 1,800 acres by 9:30 p.m. The fire began around 9 a.m. Thursday in Haywood County on I-40 at mile marker 3 near the tunnel after a tractor-trailer overturned in the westbound lanes near the Tennessee border, according to the U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The blaze, called the Black Bear Fire, was still burning Saturday in rugged terrain at mile marker 3, in Haywood County in the Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest. So far, the fire has scorched 1,193 acres and is 0 percent contained, the U.S. Forest Service said Saturday afternoon. At 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the Forest Service said the fire had burned 1,790 acres.

Read More

Officials in North Carolina declare state of emergency as wildfires burn hundreds of acres

The Associated Press in the Washington Post
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina — 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 areas of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky as wide swaths of those states face moderate to severe drought condition s and warmer than normal temperatures. The 431-acre fire in Henderson County, North Carolina, has destroyed two homes, a cabin and an outbuilding, county officials said in a social media post Sunday that declared a state of emergency. Officials have identified 75 other structures that are threatened and said fire departments are focusing on structure protection while North Carolina Forest Services is focusing on putting in fire lines.

Read More

Alabama Forestry Commission battling over 140 wildfires due to dry conditions

By Tristan Rupert
WBRC.com
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Fire and forestry leaders are reiterating the serious nature of the dry conditions after multiple brush fires within the last 48 hours. The Alabama Forestry Commission’s fire alert remains in place across the state and across the northern portion of the state no burn permits are being issued. …“We had about 53 fires on Saturday, 32 on Sunday. So that is way up from what is normal,” said Alabama Forestry Commission Northwest Regional Fire Specialist Karl Byrd. According to the Forestry Commission website, there are 147 wildfires in the state right now. 134 are contained, two are controlled and 11 are active.

Read More

Virginia Dept. of Forestry reporting some three-dozen wildfires through the Commonwealth

WINA 1070
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia – The state forestry department is listing some 3-dozen wildfires burning… all in the western third of the Commonwealth… as the fall fire season continues through the month of November. Quaker Run in Madison County is by far the biggest and keep jumping containment lines, however firefighters also have four separate fire incidents in Buchanan County alone… one of them the 2nd-largest. The Fish and Chips fire is at 835 acres with 90% contained. The 3rd largest fire that initially threatened some structures in Pulaski County near the Giles County line remains at 536 acres with 100% contained.

Read More

Georgia Forestry Says Dry Conditions Put Northwest Georgia In High Fire Danger

By Ethan Garrett
Northwest Georgia News
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

The Georgia Forestry Commission has advised a high fire danger warning to the people of Northwest Georgia and is asking the community to refrain from burning or starting fires temporarily. “There’s been no measurable rain for over a month, and conditions are critically dry,” said Georgia Forestry Commission Director Tim Lowrimore. “Seasonal leaf fall, along with sustained gusty winds, are contributing to high fire risk conditions. We’re recommending any planned outdoor burning be postponed for now.” According to the GFC, many weather factors can dictate the risk, intensity and spread of wildfires. …The majority of fires that get out of hand are caused by humans and care must be exercised whenever open burning is conducted.

Read More

Madison County wildfire spreads to nearly 2,500 acres, including part of Shenandoah Natl Park

By Sarah Vogelsong
The Virginia Mercury
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

A Madison County wildfire that broke out near the community of Syria Oct. 24 has now spread to almost 2,500 acres as state and local firefighters work to contain it. While no structures have been damaged by the blaze to date, Madison County officials have issued a voluntary evacuation for residents north of Finks Hollow Lane, which lies near the border of Shenandoah National Park. The Quaker Run Fire, named for another nearby road, has breached two containment lines since it began. Frequently called fire lines or fire breaks, these perimeters of earth are cleared by firefighters to halt a wildfire’s advance by depriving it of fuel. An initial 650-acre containment line was not completed before the fire advanced beyond its limits early last week. While firefighters went on to construct a larger 1,250-acre perimeter, the blaze broke through it Thursday and then on Saturday breached a 1,600-acre line.

Read More

Cherokee National Forest fighting fire near Etowah

By Courtney Goins
WDEF News 12
November 6, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

ETOWAH, Tenn. — A wildfire is burning in the Cherokee National Forest near Etowah, Tennessee. Federal wildland firefighters are working to suppress the fire, which is burning southeast of Etowah in steep terrain. The fire is on Starr Mountain in a remote location. The Cherokee National Forest says it does not pose an immediate threat to people or structures. Firefighters started working around 3:40 p.m. on Sunday and continued late that night. “The steep, remote location of the fire makes it inaccessible by ground crews limiting suppression tactics to firing operations that create a burned perimeter around the fire. The burned perimeter reduces fuel for additional fire spread,” the Cherokee National Forest said in a press release.

Read More

Alabama Forestry Commission Issues Statewide Fire Alert

By Peyton Newman
WVUA23
October 30, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

The Alabama Forestry Commission has issued a fire alert for the entire state, effective immediately. The alert notifies citizens to be careful around any flames and cautious toward what activities could spark one. The AFC has responded to 142 wildfires burning more than 1,200 acres in just the last seven days. Tuscaloosa County Forester Samuel Boswell shares what the AFC is asking from residents. …The Tuscaloosa County Fire Department estimates 8-10% of fires they respond to are wildfires. The fire alert prohibits the ability to obtain a burn permit, leaving counties north of Interstate 20 on a strict no burn permit policy. Fire Marshall Patrick Stines explains what that means.

Read More

State forestry commission explains why fire risk is high in Northwest Georgia

By Cornelia Nicholson
Local 3 News
October 23, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

GEORGIA — Fire season is upon us and the Georgia Forestry Commission said fire risks are high due to a severe drought in our area. It’s such a pretty sight to see when the leaves turn to bright, vibrant colors, but Aubrey Brown, the Wildland Urban Interface Specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission said it’s a sign that fire season is here. …He said October is usually one of the driest months, but Northwest Georgia is currently under a significant drought which plays a big role in fire risk. …With fire risk currently high the Forestry Commission is asking people to wait until will a good amount of rain before you burn. If you do have the burn, Brown said make sure you’re in a well maintained fire area, have a constant water source and be aware of the weather and fire danger risk.

Read More

Mississippi foresters request out-of-state aid amid overactive fire season, flash drought

Mississippi Public Broadcasting
October 11, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Since August 1, nearly 900 wildfires have burned more than 15,000 acres across Mississippi, challenging previously established notions of wildfire activity in the state and pushing resources and the workforce to the point of exhaustion. The outbreak of fires – which weather forecasters and responders alike owe to extreme drought conditions over the past several months – led Mississippi to request both equipment and personnel from neighboring states for the first time ever. That aid was provided through Mississippi’s membership in two wildland fire compacts, where states sharing a geographic region enter into an agreement to pool and share forest fire fighting staff and resources. …Last week, Florida’s Forest Service provided engine and bulldozer teams to help combat a number of large wildfires in southern Mississippi, and more help is expected from neighboring Alabama and Tennessee, as well as South Carolina, through a clearinghouse system utilized by both compacts.

Read More

Arkansas deploys wildland firefighters to assist Mississippi

Arkansas Online
October 10, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has authorized a crew of 10 wildland firefighters from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division to assist Mississippi with its ongoing wildfire suppression efforts. Mississippi’s Forestry Commission has responded to more than 760 fires since Aug. 1 that have burned more 14,163 acres. The Arkansas crew will be mobilized as part of the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact, which enables participating state forestry agencies to send resources and personnel across state lines to assist with wildfire suppression efforts. The 10-person crew will be in Mississippi for two weeks, beginning today, and its primary role will be to respond and suppress new fires in southern Mississippi. The Arkansas Forestry Division also will send five dozers to assist with the effort.

Read More

Megafires and the forestry industry in Chile

By Rodrigo Barria
The Patagon Journal
February 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

For decades, severe and extensive forest fires have affected the central-southern zone of Chile with force and destruction. The fires have left not only deaths and serious environmental impacts in their wake, but severe social and economic consequences. Increasing in their intensity, forest fires not only reflect the effects of the climate crisis, but warn of other issues, such as urban expansion and land use changes. But now we have gone from seeing fires of varying scale and magnitude to a much more terrifying category: megafires. These are powerful massive fires that are extreme in their size and impact. And they are no longer rare. …What is happening that is causing these destructive fires to repeat with greater frequency …According to land use type, half of the area affected by large fires between 1985 and 2018 was covered by exotic species tree plantations utilizing pine and eucalyptus.

Read More

Chile firefighters pull bodies from rubble as blaze death toll hits 122

By Alexander Villegas and Jorge Vega
Reuters
February 5, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

© REUTERS/ Sofia Yanjari

VINA DEL MAR, Chile – The death toll from wildfires raging across central Chile hit 122 on Monday as helicopters dumped tons of water on blazes and emergency crews told Reuters they were still finding bodies buried in the wreckage three days after the fires took hold. The toll from Chile’s worst natural disaster in years was expected to climb further as residents, firefighters and military raced to clear rubble in residential areas of the coastal cities of Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar where fireballs consumed houses within minutes. “It’s like a war zone, as if a bomb went off,” said Jacqueline Atenas, 63, who fled her home in nearby Villa Independencia on Friday. “It burned like someone was throwing gasoline on the houses. I don’t understand what happened… There was a lot of wind, a lot of wind and big balls of fire that would fly by.”

Read More

At least 112 dead as authorities struggle to contain forest fires in Chile

The Guardian
February 4, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

CHILE — Firefighters are wrestling with huge forest fires that broke out in central Chile on Friday. …The fires have been burning with the highest intensity around the city of Viña del Mar, where a botanical garden founded in 1931 was destroyed by the flames. At least 1,600 people have been left without homes. Flames and smoke on the eastern edge of the city have trapped some people in their homes. Officials said 200 people have been reported missing in Viña del Mar and the surrounding area. The city of 300,000 people is a popular beach resort. Late on Sunday, Chile‘s forensic medicine service updated the confirmed death toll to 112 people. Drone footage filmed by Reuters in Vina del Mar area showed entire neighbourhoods scorched, with residents rummaging through husks of burnt-out houses where corrugated iron roofs have collapsed. On the streets, singed cars littered the roads.

Read More

Forest fire in Los Alerces National Park is ‘out of control’

Buenos Aires Herald
January 28, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

ARGENTINA — An ongoing wildfire has swept at least 577 hectares of forest in Los Alerces National Park, Chubut province. The fire is “out of control,” according to fire brigade authorities, while strong winds and intense heat are making the situation worse. Provincial and national fire brigades are working to prevent the fire from reaching nearby towns such as Esquel and Trevelin. The flames are torching the native forest area, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2017… the fire first broke out on Thursday in two separate locations, very near to each other, and merged as flames spread. It is currently affecting the Centinela Creek area inside the national park, although the fire has now spread beyond the park’s borders. Mario Cárdenas, head of the local fire department, told Télam on Saturday that it is “out of control” and expected that it would take several days to subdue.

Read More

Wildfires Ravage Iran’s Hyrcanian Forests For Fifth Consecutive Day

Iran International
November 28, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Fires that ignited in the Hyrcanian forests in northern Iran on Thursday have persisted for the fifth consecutive day, posing a severe threat to the ecologically significant region. Despite initial containment efforts, the situation escalated on Monday morning due to strong gusts of warm wind, rekindling the flames. Reports indicate that since Friday morning, three locations in the Mazandaran province, specifically in the cities of Tonekabon, Noshahr, and Savadkouh, have been impacted by the wildfires. Meteorological forecasts warn of continued warm wind gusts and rising temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, heightening the likelihood of fresh outbreaks in other parts of the Mazandaran forests in the coming days. Mehrdad Khazaipoul, the Director General of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Mazandaran in Noshahr, identified the “negligence of illegal hunters and excavators in extinguishing the fire” as the primary cause of the wildfire.

Read More

Massive wildfire in Spain continues to burn out of control forcing 850 people from their homes and another 6,000 confined

By Juan Sanchis
SUR in English
November 3, 2023
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

The forest fire that started in Montitxelvo , in the Vall d’Albaida area of the Valencia region of Spain on Thursday, remains uncontrolled after a day of intense firefighting. The battle has been made more complicated by the strong winds blowing in the area. The orography of the land does not work in favour of controlling the fire, as it is complex and makes the work of the firefighters even more difficult. Regional minister Elisa Núñez reported that the fire has already devastated 2,580 hectares with a fire perimeter of 38 kilometres. The municipalities affected so far are Montitxelvo, Aielo de Rugat, Llocnou de Sant Jeroni, Ador, Castellonet de la Conquesta, Vilallonga and Terrateig. The president of the Generalitat regional government, Carlos Mazón, who visited the advanced command post, reported that the number of people evacuated in the area exceeds 850, although no injuries or personal damage have been reported.

Read More

Colombia declares a disaster because of wildfires and asks for international help

The Associated Press in Yahoo News
January 25, 2024
Category: Forest Fires

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s government declared a disaster Thursday and asked for international help to combat raging wildfires that are expected to worsen in coming days due to warm, dry conditions associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon. Officials raised the number of fires from 25 to 31, and said nine of them were under control. They did not order mandatory evacuations despite some fires burning in the mountains that surround some municipalities. President Gustavo Petro said Chile, the United States, Peru and Canada have already responded to the call for help, without specifying when the assistance will arrive to the South American country. …Colombia’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies reported that roughly half of the country’s municipalities are on maximum alert due to fire risk. But about a third of all municipalities do not have a fire department, according to the National Fire Department of Colombia.

Read More