Tag Archives: wildfire

US

Surging California wildfire prompts Nevada evacuations

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BECKWOURTH, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California wildfire exploding through bone-dry timber prompted Nevada authorities to evacuate a border-area community as flames leapt on ridgetops of nearby mountains.

The Beckwourth Complex — a merging of two lightning-caused fires — headed into Saturday showing no sign of slowing its rush northeast from the Sierra Nevada forest region after doubling in size only a few days earlier.

The fire was one of several threatening homes across Western states that are expected to see triple-digit heat through the weekend as a high-pressure zone blankets the region.

On Friday, Death Valley National Park in California recorded a staggering high of 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 Celsius). If verified, it would be the hottest high recorded there since July 1913, when the same Furnace Creek desert area hit 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.6 degrees Celsius), considered the highest reliably measured temperature on Earth.

California’s northern mountain areas already have seen several large fires that have destroyed more than a dozen homes. Although there are no confirmed reports of building damage, the fire prompted evacuation orders or warnings for hundreds of homes and several campgrounds in California along with the closure of nearly 200 square miles (518 square kilometers) of Plumas National Forest.

On Friday, ridgetop winds up to 20 mph (32.2 kph) combined with ferocious heat as the fire raged through bone-dry pine, fir and chaparral. As the fire’s northeastern flank raged near the border, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office asked people to evacuate some areas in the rural communities of Ranch Haven and Flanagan Flats, north of Reno.

“Evacuate now,” a Sheriff’s Office tweet said.

Hot rising air formed a gigantic, smoky pyrocumulus cloud that reached thousands of feet high and created its own lightning, fire information officer Lisa Cox said Friday evening.

Spot fires caused by embers leapt up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) ahead of the northeastern flank — too far for firefighters to safely battle, and winds funneled the fire up draws and canyons full of dry fuel, where “it can actually pick up speed,” Cox said.

Nearly 1,000 firefighters were aided by aircraft but the blaze was expected to continue forging ahead because of the heat and low humidity that dried out vegetation. The air was so dry that some of the water dropped by aircraft evaporated before reaching the ground, Cox said.

“We’re expecting more of the same the day after and the day after and the day after,” Cox said.

The blaze, which was only 11% contained, officially had blackened more than 38 square miles (98 square kilometers) but that figure was expected to increase dramatically when fire officials were able to make better observations.

Meanwhile, other fires were burning in Oregon, Arizona and Idaho.

In Oregon, pushed by strong winds, a wildfire in Klamath County grew from nearly 26 square miles (67 square kilometers) Thursday to nearly 61 square miles (158 square kilometers) on Friday in the Fremont-Winema National Forest and on private land. An evacuation order was issued for people in certain areas north of Beatty and near Sprague River.

That fire was threatening transmission lines that send electricity to California, which along with expected heat-related demand prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday to issue an emergency proclamation suspending some rules to allow for more power capacity.

The state’s electrical grid operator also issued a statewide Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, calling for consumers to voluntarily conserve electricity by reducing the use of appliances and keeping the thermostat higher during evening hours when solar energy is diminished or no longer available.

In north-central Arizona, increased humidity slowed a big wildfire that posed a threat to the rural community of Crown King. The 24.5-square-mile (63.5-square-kilometer) lightning-caused fire in Yavapai County was 29% contained. Recent rains allowed five national forests and state land managers to lift public-access closures.

In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little declared a wildfire emergency Friday and mobilized the state’s National Guard to help fight fires sparked after lightning storms swept across the drought-stricken region.

Fire crews in north-central Idaho were facing extreme conditions and gusts as they fought two wildfires covering a combined 19.5 square miles (50.5 square kilometers). The blazes threatened homes and forced evacuations in the tiny, remote community of Dixie about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Grangeville.

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US

California wildfire grows explosively, prompts evacuations

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A California wildfire underwent explosive growth Friday as the area north of Lake Tahoe braced for triple-digit temperatures this weekend amid a summer heat wave.

The Beckwourth Complex Fire on federal land near the town of Beckwourth prompted evacuations, a closure of part of the Plumas National Forest and presented serious danger for area campgrounds, National Forest Service officials said.

As the fire moved east toward Nevada, officials were considering closing Highway 395, a popular route with tourists heading to Reno, said forest service spokeswoman Phyllis Ashmead. A nearby rail line was also being threatened, spokeswoman Lisa Cox added later.

Firefighters battle the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, burning in Plumas National Forest, Calif., July 8, 2021.Noah Berger / AP

Multiple other roadways, including state route 284, were closed because of the fire.

“Yesterday it took a big run,” she said, “and today it’s grown even more.”

Containment was limited to 9 percent Friday, and 38,056 acres had burned. A singular complex fire was declared July 4 after the Dotta Fire, which started June 30, and the Sugar Fire, which began July 2, combined. Both were sparked by lightning strikes, federal officials said.

The complex fire nearly doubled by Friday, adding 10,000 acres to its footprint, forest officials reported. Then it added another 14,871 acres by evening, they said.

The weather outlook was bleak. The National Weather Service reported lightning strikes on the east flank of the blaze.

“Cloud-to-ground lightning and erratic outflow winds greater than 30 mph are possible near the complex,” the weather service said in a special weather statement Friday.

It was 94 degrees Friday in Beckwourth, about 55 miles north of Lake Tahoe. An excessive heat was warning was scheduled to take effect Saturday at noon through Monday night.

Firefighters monitor the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, burning in Plumas National Forest, Calif., July 8, 2021.Noah Berger / AP

The warning signifies “dangerously hot conditions” and temperatures at near 100 degrees, the weather service said.

The U.S. Forest Service predicted in an incident report that by Saturday “fire activity will increase.” “The weather will become hotter and dryer with a forecasted heat wave this weekend,” it said.

The Beckwourth Complex Fire appeared to be the most serious of several brush fires burning in California Friday. “Climate change is considered a key driver” of the state’s recent wildfire woes, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said earlier this year.

On Thursday Gov. Gavin Newsom called on residents Thursday to cut back water consumption by 15 percent amid a statewide drought and far-reaching heat wave.

Dennis Romero

Dennis Romero writes for NBC News and is based in Los Angeles.



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US

600-acre brush fire erupts near 5 Freeway in Gorman, prompting evacuations

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GORMAN, Calif. (KABC) — A brush fire erupted Sunday afternoon near the 5 Freeway in Gorman and quickly spread to about 600 acres, officials said, prompting evacuations and a massive response from firefighters.

The so-called Tumbleweed Fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. near Gorman Post Road and the southbound side of the freeway, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said flames were being driven by winds in the area – which, according to the National Weather Service, are gusting between 18 and 25 mph.

The blaze was initially reported at 200 acres, but quickly tripled in size. It is 0% contained.

No structural damage was immediately reported, but two firefighters suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Evacuations were under way for the Gorman Park Area in Gorman, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

DEVELOPING: More details will be added to this report as they become available.

Copyright © 2021 KABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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US

Firefighters make progress against California forest fires

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Firefighters were making progress Friday against Northern California forest fires that burned several homes and forced thousands to flee communities even as authorities prepared for a hot, crowded Fourth of July weekend that could bring the threat of new blazes.Three wildfires near the towering Mount Shasta volcano an hour’s drive from the Oregon border have burned around 60 square miles of land.Damage was reported at the Salt Fire, which broke out Wednesday near Interstate 5 and prompted evacuations for some roads in Lakehead, an unincorporated community of around 700 people north of the city of Redding. Wildfire Safety TipsEvacuation warnings vs. orders, forward progress and acreage: California wildfire terms to knowUnder a fire evacuation warning? Here’s what you should bring and how to prepareCal Fire Q&A: How to keep your family safe and home protected this fire seasonHow to prepare your disaster readiness kitWhat to know about hardening your homeA reporter for the Redding Record Searchlight saw at least a dozen buildings destroyed south of Lakehead, including homes, garages and outbuildings, the paper reported. Alexis Hohimer and her son, Michael, ended up at a Red Cross shelter in the city of Shasta Lake after authorities ordered their trailer park to evacuate early Thursday.”So all we can do is hope and pray right now. Keep our fingers crossed,” she said.The Salt Fire was slightly larger early Friday, covering nearly 8 square miles, and was 5% contained, said Adrienne Freeman, a spokeswoman for Shasta-Trinity National Forest. She said official damage assessments will be made by local authorities. No building damage was reported from two other northern fires, which erupted as California and the rest of the U.S. West is enduring a historic drought tied to climate change.”Fuel conditions this year are looking a lot more like late August than early July,” Freeman said.To the north, the Lava Fire burning partly on the flanks of Mount Shasta covered more than 37 square miles but was 27% contained. Several thousand residents of Lake Shastina were allowed to return home late Thursday.Firefighters were doing mop-up on the western side of the fire and making good progress on the most active eastern portion, fire official Pat Bell said in a morning briefing.To the northeast, the Tennant Fire in the Klamath National Forest grew slightly to more than 15 square miles but progress was also reported there. Mop-up began on the western flank while the east side remained active. Evacuation orders and warnings continued in nearby areas.The blazes erupted during an extreme heat wave in the U.S. West. The heat has since moderated but temperatures in the Mount Shasta area were still expected to reach nearly 100 degrees over the weekend.Arizona, New Mexico and Utah have been forced to battle wildfires and California is bracing for what some experts fear will be one of its worst fire seasons yet. Last year, California wildfires scorched more than 6,562 square miles of land, the most in its recorded history. And just three years ago, a fire in Butte County in Northern California killed 85 people and largely destroyed the town of Paradise.This year, many of California’s national parks have restrictions on campfires, cooking and smoking because of fire risks in the hot, dry summer. The parks are bracing for large crowds over the holiday weekend.Fire authorities throughout California also have stepped up campaigns urging people not to use fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July, citing both the explosive dangers and the threat of wildfires in the withering conditions.”The fuels are bone dry,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said. “We are extremely concerned about the use of fireworks of all kinds.”___Antczak reported from Los Angeles.

Firefighters were making progress Friday against Northern California forest fires that burned several homes and forced thousands to flee communities even as authorities prepared for a hot, crowded Fourth of July weekend that could bring the threat of new blazes.

Three wildfires near the towering Mount Shasta volcano an hour’s drive from the Oregon border have burned around 60 square miles of land.

Damage was reported at the Salt Fire, which broke out Wednesday near Interstate 5 and prompted evacuations for some roads in Lakehead, an unincorporated community of around 700 people north of the city of Redding.

Wildfire Safety Tips

A reporter for the Redding Record Searchlight saw at least a dozen buildings destroyed south of Lakehead, including homes, garages and outbuildings, the paper reported.

Alexis Hohimer and her son, Michael, ended up at a Red Cross shelter in the city of Shasta Lake after authorities ordered their trailer park to evacuate early Thursday.

“So all we can do is hope and pray right now. Keep our fingers crossed,” she said.

The Salt Fire was slightly larger early Friday, covering nearly 8 square miles, and was 5% contained, said Adrienne Freeman, a spokeswoman for Shasta-Trinity National Forest. She said official damage assessments will be made by local authorities.

No building damage was reported from two other northern fires, which erupted as California and the rest of the U.S. West is enduring a historic drought tied to climate change.

“Fuel conditions this year are looking a lot more like late August than early July,” Freeman said.

To the north, the Lava Fire burning partly on the flanks of Mount Shasta covered more than 37 square miles but was 27% contained. Several thousand residents of Lake Shastina were allowed to return home late Thursday.

Firefighters were doing mop-up on the western side of the fire and making good progress on the most active eastern portion, fire official Pat Bell said in a morning briefing.

To the northeast, the Tennant Fire in the Klamath National Forest grew slightly to more than 15 square miles but progress was also reported there. Mop-up began on the western flank while the east side remained active. Evacuation orders and warnings continued in nearby areas.

The blazes erupted during an extreme heat wave in the U.S. West. The heat has since moderated but temperatures in the Mount Shasta area were still expected to reach nearly 100 degrees over the weekend.

Arizona, New Mexico and Utah have been forced to battle wildfires and California is bracing for what some experts fear will be one of its worst fire seasons yet.

Last year, California wildfires scorched more than 6,562 square miles of land, the most in its recorded history. And just three years ago, a fire in Butte County in Northern California killed 85 people and largely destroyed the town of Paradise.

This year, many of California’s national parks have restrictions on campfires, cooking and smoking because of fire risks in the hot, dry summer. The parks are bracing for large crowds over the holiday weekend.

Fire authorities throughout California also have stepped up campaigns urging people not to use fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July, citing both the explosive dangers and the threat of wildfires in the withering conditions.

“The fuels are bone dry,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said. “We are extremely concerned about the use of fireworks of all kinds.”

___

Antczak reported from Los Angeles.

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World

Town ravaged by wildfire after enduring Canada’s all-time hottest temps

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A small Canadian town was ravaged by an ongoing wildfire on Thursday after enduring the country’s all-time hottest temperatures for three straight days this week.

Most homes and buildings in Lytton, British Columbia, were destroyed and some of the town’s roughly 1,000 residents were unaccounted for following the wildfire that forced people to evacuate on Wednesday night, officials said.

The wildfire devastating Lytton spans over 30 square miles — and is one of several fires burning in the region, according to the British Columbia Wildlife Service.

RECORD NORTHWEST HEAT MAY HAVE KILLED HUNDREDS

“Three consecutive days of the highest recorded temperature in Canadian history all happened in Lytton this week,” British Columbia Premier John Horgan said in a television appearance.

“To have a heat wave and a horrific fire is so troubling and so challenging for the people of this community,” he said.

Lytton reached a sweltering 115 degrees on Sunday, 118.2 degrees on Monday and 121.2 degrees on Tuesday — marking three consecutive days of record-high temperatures for Canada.

Local officials are working to figure out where residents fled.

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Lytton city council member Lilliane Graie, on behalf of Mayor Jan Polderman, said in a written statement: “Our people are scattered north and south and we are trying to establish who is where.”

Some people are reported to have escaped about 40 miles north to a recreational center in Lillooet.

Click here to read more of the New York Post.

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US

Town ravaged by wildfire after enduring Canada’s all-time hottest temps

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A small Canadian town was ravaged by an ongoing wildfire on Thursday after enduring the country’s all-time hottest temperatures for three straight days this week.

Most homes and buildings in Lytton, British Columbia, were destroyed and some of the town’s roughly 1,000 residents were unaccounted for following the wildfire that forced people to evacuate on Wednesday night, officials said.

The wildfire devastating Lytton spans over 30 square miles — and is one of several fires burning in the region, according to the British Columbia Wildlife Service.

“Three consecutive days of the highest recorded temperature in Canadian history all happened in Lytton this week,” British Columbia Premier John Horgan said in a television appearance.

“To have a heat wave and a horrific fire is so troubling and so challenging for the people of this community,” he said.

In this aerial photo taken from a helicopter, a wildfire burns in the mountains north of Lytton, British Columbia.
AP
Flames rise from a burning building along a street in Lytton.
via REUTERS
A helicopter flies over the burning forests in British Columbia.
REUTERS
The sign for the town of Lytton, where a wildfire raged through and forced residents to evacuate.
REUTERS

Lytton reached a sweltering 115 degrees on Sunday, 118.2 degrees on Monday and 121.2 degrees on Tuesday — marking three consecutive days of record-high temperatures for Canada.

Local officials are working to figure out where residents fled.

Lytton city council member Lilliane Graie, on behalf of Mayor Jan Polderman, said in a written statement: “Our people are scattered north and south and we are trying to establish who is where.”

Some people are reported to have escaped about 40 miles north to a recreational center in Lillooet.

With Post wires

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US

A wildfire in New Jersey has damaged dozens of homes

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The fire damaged dozens of houses and at least two mixed-use buildings have been destroyed in the fire but “no homes were substantially damaged,” the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in a Facebook post late Sunday night.

Residents who were evacuated Sunday night from Brick Township were allowed to return home starting 7 p.m., the post said.

As the fire ripped through the area of Jackson and Brick Township, about 50 miles east of Philadelphia, people who hadn’t yet been evacuated Sunday afternoon started preparing to leave the area should the fire spread further, according to NJ.com.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Roni Anderson, who said she saw a helicopter flying over the fire Sunday afternoon, told NJ.com.

Anderson said her husband decided to drive home from work in case they had to evacuate but wasn’t even able to make it into the neighborhood due to the fire, according to NJ.com.

Instead, she told the publication, her husband parked his car at a store and walked home. The couple packed their important documents and pictures into another care in preparation to evacuate.

The fire’s cause is under investigation

The fire was first reported around 1:30 p.m. in Lakewood Township. Fueled by high winds, the flames jumped the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Forest Fire Service spokesperson Maris Gabliks said during a Sunday press conference.

Portions of the parkway remained closed early Monday morning as firefighters continued to battle the blaze, a tweet from New Jersey Department of Transportation said.

While the origin of the fire has been identified, the cause remains under investigation, an update posted to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The agency said that the cause was not from a prescribed burn.

Officials said in the update that two mixed use buildings were destroyed and some ancillary structures such as sheds were impacted in the residential area.

As of Sunday night the blaze was at least 50% contained, Gabliks told reporters during the press conference.

Firefighters are expected to remain in the area battling the blaze throughout the night to fully contain the fire.

Large wildfires are rare in New Jersey

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning and wind advisory in the area late Sunday afternoon, warning of “critical fire weather conditions” due to strong winds up to 50 mph and low relative humidity.

The warning and wind advisory remain in effect until 5 p.m. and midnight Monday, respectively.

“Larger wildfires are uncommon or rare for NJ,” CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said. A combination of very low humidity and warm temperatures in the area could have contributed to the spread.

“We have extremely strong winds with low humidity that aids the fire in growth but also hampers the fire fighters ability to contain and control the fire,” Gabliks said.

CNN’s Ganesh Setty, Joe Sutton and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.



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World

30 homes estimated to have been lost in Australian wildfire

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PERTH, Australia (AP) — An out-of-control wildfire burning northeast of the Australian west coast city of Perth has destroyed an estimated 30 homes and was threatening more Tuesday, with many locals across the region told it is too late to leave.

The 7,000-hectare (17,000-acre) blaze, which has a 75-kilometer (47-mile) perimeter, began on Monday and raged through the night near the town of Wooroloo, with the shires of Mundaring, Chittering, Northam, and the city of Swan impacted.

Swan Mayor Kevin Bailey said more than 30 homes are believed to have been destroyed.

“We are just waiting for confirmation of the numbers but we’re looking somewhere in the vicinity of 30-plus homes lost,” Bailey said.

Bailey said one firefighter had been treated for smoke inhalation. There had been no other injuries.

Western Australia’ state’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Craig Waters said the fire had doubled in size overnight and burned through 7,366 hectares (18,202 acres) of farm and woodland.

“Strong winds are hampering us getting in and containing the fire and bringing it under control,” he said.

State Premier Mark McGowan said 80% of all properties near Gidgegannup on Perth’s northeast rural fringe have been lost.

Firefighters would investigate whether there had been any loss of life, he said.

McGowan said a large aerial tanker was flying from the Australian east coast to help fight the blaze.

“This is an extremely dangerous fire and a serious situation. Weather conditions are extremely volatile,” McGowan said.

“Please do everything you can to keep you and your family safe and look after each other,” he added.

People in a 25-kilometer (16-mile) stretch west from Wooroloo to the Walyunga National Park northeast of Perth had been told Tuesday it had become too dangerous to leave their homes.

“You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you,” the latest warning said.

Roads out of semi-rural suburb The Vines on Perth’s northern outskirts were bumper-to-bumper with traffic, making some people choose to stay.

Melissa Stahl, 49, heeded a text telling her to evacuate.

“I could smell the fire and went out the back and the whole yard was filled with smoke,” she said. “We grabbed bedding, photos, the two kids and the dog and got out of there,” she added.

A warning to other threatened areas told people to leave if they are not prepared to fight the blaze. The bushfire is unpredictable and weather conditions are rapidly changing, the warning said, urging people to stay vigilant.

The cause of the blaze is unknown.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services Superintendent Peter Sutton said about 250 firefighters had been battling erratic fire behavior.

“It has made it very hard, near on impossible … to suppress this fire,” Sutton said.

Wildfires are common during the current South Hemisphere summer. However the season has been mild on Australia’s southeast coast which was devastated by massive fires last summer.

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Business

Utility to pay $2B settlement in deadly 2018 California fire

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Southern California Edison will pay $2.2 billion to settle insurance claims from a deadly, destructive wildfire sparked by its equipment in 2018, the utility announced Monday. Edison, which acknowledged no wrongdoing, said the agreement covers all claims in pending lawsuits from insurance companies related to the Woolsey fire, which blackened 151 square miles (391 square kilometers) of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Three people died in the November 2018 fire, and more than 1,600 homes and other buildings were destroyed.In addition, Edison said it has finalized settlements from the December 2017 Thomas fire and mudslides a month later on land that burned. “We have made another significant step toward resolving pending wildfire-related litigation,” Edison CEO Pedro Pizarro said in the statement. Total expected losses for the 2017 and 2018 events are estimated to be $4.6 billion, the utility statement said. “The settlement was fair to all and consistent with prior cases against Edison and other utilities,” Craig Simon, co-lead counsel for the insurance companies, said in a statement to the Ventura County Star.Investigations determined Edison equipment sparked both the Woolsey and Thomas fires. In recent years, utility equipment has been blamed for multiple wildfires across the state. The state’s largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, was forced into bankruptcy in 2019 after facing liability for devastating blazes in Northern California.

LOS ANGELES —

Southern California Edison will pay $2.2 billion to settle insurance claims from a deadly, destructive wildfire sparked by its equipment in 2018, the utility announced Monday.

Edison, which acknowledged no wrongdoing, said the agreement covers all claims in pending lawsuits from insurance companies related to the Woolsey fire, which blackened 151 square miles (391 square kilometers) of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Three people died in the November 2018 fire, and more than 1,600 homes and other buildings were destroyed.

In addition, Edison said it has finalized settlements from the December 2017 Thomas fire and mudslides a month later on land that burned.

“We have made another significant step toward resolving pending wildfire-related litigation,” Edison CEO Pedro Pizarro said in the statement.

Total expected losses for the 2017 and 2018 events are estimated to be $4.6 billion, the utility statement said.

“The settlement was fair to all and consistent with prior cases against Edison and other utilities,” Craig Simon, co-lead counsel for the insurance companies, said in a statement to the Ventura County Star.

Investigations determined Edison equipment sparked both the Woolsey and Thomas fires. In recent years, utility equipment has been blamed for multiple wildfires across the state.

The state’s largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, was forced into bankruptcy in 2019 after facing liability for devastating blazes in Northern California.

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