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Tag: Fires

  • LA County Response To Deadly Fires Slowed By Lack Of Resources, Outdated Alert Process, Report Says – KXL

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — An outside review of Los Angeles County’s response to January’s deadly wildfires found a lack of resources and outdated policies for sending emergency alerts led to delays in warning residents about the need to evacuate as flames began consuming neighborhoods in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.

    The Independent After-Action Report produced by the consulting firm McChrystal Group was commissioned by county supervisors just weeks after the Eaton and Palisades fires killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes in highly dense areas of LA County.

    The report released Thursday says a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the effectiveness of the county’s response.

    Interviews with survivors and an Associated Press analysis of available data in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire found some residents did not receive emergency alerts until well after homes went up in flames. The report sheds more light on these findings.

    The area in which the Palisades Fire started was initially under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the after-action report, which also says “input from the LAPD was not provided for this review.”

    Similarly, evacuation orders for some neighborhoods of Altadena where the Eaton Fire swept through — including areas where the majority of deaths occurred — came long after houses had burned down.

    Staffing shortages
    The report cites critical staffing shortages including a high number of sheriff’s deputy vacancies and an under-resourced Office of Emergency Management. In addition, first responders and incident commanders were unable to consistently share real-time information due to unreliable cellular connectivity, inconsistent field reporting methods, and the use of various unconnected communication platforms.

    “While frontline responders acted decisively and, in many cases, heroically, in the face of extraordinary conditions, the events underscored the need for clearer policies, stronger training, integrated tools, and improved public communication,” the report says.

    It is not intended to investigate or assess blame, county officials said in a news release.

    “This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about learning lessons, improving safety, and restoring public trust,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Altadena. “Survivors of the Eaton Fire deserve answers — and today’s report is an important step toward delivering them.”

    The Office of Emergency Management began putting together its staffing plan for predicted heavy winds Jan. 3, four days before the Palisades and Eaton fires ignited. But an experienced OEM staffer had been sent out of town for a training event. That meant several less-knowledgeable staffers were in key positions, according to the report.

    They were also working with some new emergency notification software provided by an existing vendor: The county signed the expanded contract with emergency alert company Genasys in November, just before the holidays. Only four staff members were trained on Genasys when the fires hit, according to the report.

    The review also found that the process to communicate an evacuation decision to the public was slow, convoluted and involved multiple leadership roles across county-level departments.

    In the case of the Palisades Fire, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department identified areas that required evacuation. They then communicated those areas to a member of the County’s Office of Emergency Management at the Incident Command center. This person then made a phone call or sent a text message to another OEM staffer located in the Emergency Operations Center, who then updated the system put in place by the third-party vendor and triggered an alert to the public.

    Alerting the public
    During the January inferno, according to the report, this process took between 20 and 30 minutes. The report’s authors note this represented an improvement, though, over the old system that took between 30 and 60 minutes for the public to receive notice of an evacuation.

    Still, the report notes, many of the county’s methods to alert the public require opting-in.

    “If residents are not aware of or do not sign up for these services, such as Alert Los Angeles County, Genasys PROTECT, and WatchDuty, they will not benefit from the alerts and notifications sent from these systems,” the report states.

    Some of the evacuation alerts required residents to click a separate link to get complete information, hindering messaging, the report found. The communication system used for alerts did not provide complete information about the fire’s progression, like the names and locations of evacuation zones or the general areas of evacuations. Power outages and cell tower issues further hindered evacuation notices, and the timing of the evacuation notices simply could not keep up with the pace of the fire, the report found.

    There was also a gap in the county’s policies about who is responsible for letting residents know how they should prepare for extreme weather risks, according to the report. The county did send out a handful of warnings about the incoming Santa Ana wind event and amplified National Weather Service messaging on social media and in news releases, but there was no official, stand-alone preparedness messaging provided by the county.

    The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review the 133-page report when it meets next Tuesday.

    The causes of the two fires are still under investigation.

    After-action reports and investigations revealed issues with alert systems in other California blazes: in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people in Santa Rosa; the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people in Paradise; the Woolsey fire, which started the same day and killed three in Malibu; as well as in Colorado’s 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes outside Denver; and in Hawaii’s 2023 Lahaina Fire, which decimated that historic town and killed 102.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Maui officials sound emergency sirens, evacuate residents as wildfire threatens town

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    HONOLULU — Officials on the Hawaiian island of Maui went door-to-door evacuating residents from a wildfire Tuesday and sounded emergency sirens.

    The 4-acre (1.6-hectare) fire was first reported near the north shore town of Paia at 1:30 p.m., officials said. There were no containment estimates immediately available. There was no immediate information on what caused the fire.

    “Leave immediately!” said one alert from Maui Emergency Management Agency. “There is a dangerous threat to life and property.”

    Paia is a former sugar plantation town that has become popular with windsurfers. It is on the other side of the island from Lahaina, which was destroyed by a deadly wildfire in 2023.

    Paia resident Rod Antone was trying to coordinate evacuation of his elderly parents. “It’s nerve-wracking,” he said. “Hopefully nothing happens to the neighborhood.”

    Antone was working in a county building in Wailuku where he listened to radio updates but didn’t hear the sirens. In the hours before a wildfire engulfed the town of Lahaina in 2023, Maui County officials failed to activate sirens.

    Antone noted that winds didn’t feel particularly strong Tuesday, unlike in August 2023 when wind-whipped flames burned Lahaina and left 102 people dead. But like Lahaina, Paia is surrounded by dry brush, he said.

    The Maui Fire Department was using two helicopters to help fight the blaze. During the Lahaina fire, helicopters were grounded due to the strong winds.

    The American Red Cross was setting up evacuation sites, the county said.

    When traffic out of Paia started building, Wayne Thibaudeau decided to open a gate to give motorists an alternate evacuation route. Thibaudeau is one of the owners of Paia Sugar Mill, which closed in 2000 and is being renovated.

    The route takes motorists through old sugarcane fields.

    There was a steady stream of “cars packed with people” using the route, he said.

    A report on the Lahaina fire said that some back roads that could have provided an alternative escape were blocked by locked gates.

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  • Mudslides trap drivers, bury roads and damage homes in southern California

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    OAK GLEN, Calif. — Flooding and mudslides carrying trees and rocks buried roads, damaged homes and trapped drivers in several southern California communities, authorities said.

    The mudslides affected Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County on Thursday, the county’s fire protection district said in a statement.

    A group of about 10 people traveling in at least six vehicles was stranded on state Route 38 in the area of Jenks Lake, near the San Bernardino National Forest, the fire district said.

    “Though cut off by debris in both directions, the group is safe and their needs are being evaluated by emergency crews,” the district said.

    The route was still closed as of Friday morning, the California Highway Patrol said.

    The fire district said that, as of Thursday night, there were no reports of injuries or missing people.

    The mudslides happened after heavy rain. The National Weather Service had issued flash flood warnings for the area.

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    “San Bernardino County Fire is planning for a full operational period tomorrow, with priorities focused on completing damage assessments, supporting affected residents, and addressing critical infrastructure needs in partnership with CAL FIRE, Caltrans, and other allied agencies,” the fire department said.

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  • Youth mental health challenges keep mounting 2 years after Maui wildfires

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    LAHAINA, Hawaii — Mia Palacio felt like she lost a piece of herself when wildfires destroyed her hometown of Lahaina.

    She isolated from loved ones after the 2023 disaster while struggling to process the grief, often angry that her family didn’t have a permanent place to stay and that so many others were unable to evacuate.

    Moving between high schools, she never felt welcome, Palacio said, and the pain only intensified as the months wore on. Finally, near the first anniversary of the fires, Palacio reached out for help.

    Hundreds of students like Palacio have struggled mentally since the fires – and not all have received the help they need.

    The Hawaii Department of Education estimates more than a third of Maui students lost a family member, sustained a serious injury or had a parent lose a job after the fires, which killed 102 people and damaged more than 3,300 properties in Lahaina.

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    AP is collaborating with Honolulu Civil Beat, CalMatters, Blue Ridge Public Radio, and Centro de Periodismo Investigativo in Puerto Rico to examine how school communities are recovering from the disruption of natural disasters.

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    Two years later, many in Lahaina are ready to return to normal. But therapists say students’ mental health challenges continue to mount.

    That’s common after a disaster, especially at the two-year mark, when adrenaline wears off and stress remains high, said Christopher Knightsbridge, one of several researchers at the University of Hawaii who has studied the well-being of Lahaina fire survivors. While kids may feel numb immediately following a disaster, after two years, they’re facing the toll of constant uncertainty and change, he said.

    It’s a phenomenon seen wherever schooling has been disrupted by natural disasters, reporting by Honolulu Civil Beat, The Associated Press and several other news outlets shows. But a couple years after the disaster, schools are not always prepared with extra mental health supports.

    On Maui, the island is dealing with an ongoing shortage of specialists. In the past few years, the number of psychiatrists serving youth has dropped from four to two, even as demand has grown.

    “The crisis isn’t over,” Knightsbridge said.

    Palacio made progress with the help of a school counselor and then a local organization that supports teens’ mental health through outdoor activities and adventures.

    The senior at Lahainaluna High School said she’s now more comfortable confiding in others and controlling her emotions. She takes pride in mentoring younger students who also have struggled since the fires.

    Two years in, many kids still wrestle with depression and anxiety.

    DayJahiah Valdivia, a senior at Kīhei Charter School, said her stress levels spike when there are strong winds or small brush fires. Valdivia lives in Upcountry Maui, which also faced wildfires that burned over a thousand acres of land on the same day as the 2023 Lahaina fires. Her home was spared, but it took months for her family to return because their property was covered in soot and needed professional cleaning.

    She feels less anxious now that her family members have discussed their escape plan for future disasters. But a summer fire near a friend’s home in Central Maui renewed her fears about her loved ones’ safety.

    “The anxiety never really wore off,” she said. On windy days, it was especially difficult to concentrate in class or feel safe.

    In a University of Hawaii study of fire survivors conducted in 2024, just over half of children reported symptoms of depression, and 30% were likely facing an anxiety disorder. Nearly half of kids in the study, ages 10 to 17, were experiencing PTSD.

    Children in disaster-torn towns across the U.S. can relate.

    In Paradise, California, where the 2018 Camp Fire took 85 lives, a protracted period of disillusionment followed what some called the “hero phase,” when the community pulled together and vowed to resurrect their town. Both Lahaina and Paradise had housing shortages after their fires, so families had to move away or live with friends to go to school or work in the area. In general, students who don’t have a permanent living arrangement tend to struggle more academically and have more behavioral challenges, research shows.

    Many Paradise students still struggle with anxiety and grief, seven years later, making it difficult to fully engage in school. A year after the Camp Fire, 17% of students were homeless, and the suspension rate was 7.4%, compared to 2.5% statewide. The suspension rate remained nearly triple the state average last year, and more than 26% were chronically absent.

    Aryah Berkowitz, who lost her home, two dogs and her family’s business in the Paradise blaze, dealt with lingering behavioral challenges following the disaster. For nearly a year afterward, her family of seven, plus a pair of surviving pit bull-Labrador mixes, lived with a friend in nearby Chico, sharing two bedrooms and a bathroom. Berkowitz, then in sixth grade, slept on the couch.

    “I was having to help my family a lot and wasn’t able to handle it,” said Berkowitz , once a high-achieving student who was suspended twice after the fire. “I was holding it inside and took it out on other people. Some days I’d just walk out of class.”

    Back on Maui, many students similarly disengaged from school.

    In a state survey of Maui students in the first year after the fires, roughly half of kids said they were having trouble focusing in class or felt upset when they were reminded of the wildfires.

    Some have struggled to retain class material or simply stopped attending in-person classes as they moved between hotel rooms and temporary housing, Lahainaluna High teacher Jarrett Chapin said. A few moved to online learning as their families faced continued instability.

    “They just sort of vanished,” Chapin said.

    Maui has long dealt with medical workforce challenges. Even before the fires, it faced a shortage of mental health professionals because they struggled with the state’s high cost of living and housing shortage.

    The fires brought burnout and greater economic obstacles, only exacerbating the issue. Since then, Hawaii’s education department has tried to bulk up Maui’s mental health staff by bringing in providers from neighbor islands and the mainland and, more recently, using a $2 million federal grant to support students.

    But hiring mental health staff has been so difficult that even the federal money hasn’t made much of a dent. In the first nine months of the grant, the state education department primarily used the money to bus displaced students from other parts of the island to Lahaina schools.

    The state has used the money to hire five part-time mental health providers working with students and staff, including one specialist who works in the evenings with students living as boarders on Lahainaluna’s campus, said Kimberly Lessard, a Department of Education district specialist.

    Two of the six behavioral health specialist positions in Lahaina schools remained unfilled this summer, as they have been for years due to Maui’s housing shortage and high cost of living, Lessard said.

    Valdivia, who still struggles with anxiety from the Upcountry Maui fires, has seen the impacts of the provider shortage firsthand. She’s on a two- to three-month waiting list to see a psychiatrist on Maui, and she’s seeing an Oʻahu-based therapist via telehealth because there aren’t enough providers who can meet with her in person.

    “Even just to get evaluated (by a psychiatrist), it’s literally months,” she said. “I just think that’s crazy.”

    It’s common for disaster-torn communities to struggle with shortages of psychological staff, often because of burnout and a lack of resources.

    In Puerto Rico, which has suffered from a series of disasters since Hurricane Maria struck in 2017, students have experienced high rates of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

    Yet despite legislation in 2000 to create more school psychologist positions, it wasn’t until the pandemic that the commonwealth’s Education Department dedicated money to hire them. Today, there are 58 vacancies across the archipelago’s 870 schools.

    The school psychologists “can’t keep up,” said Nellie Zambrana, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. Those who are working are overstretched, according to a study by the university’s Psychological Research Institute. One psychologist, the study said, was assigned to more than 100 students at three schools.

    Loren Lapow wasn’t deterred by the storm clouds gathering one June afternoon over D.T. Fleming Beach on Maui. The social worker helped teens carry an inflatable paddleboard to the water’s edge, cheering them on as they swam.

    Amid the fun, Lapow directed the teens to reflect on their fears and losses. He asked them how they feel when they smell smoke or think about Lahaina’s famed Front Street, most of which was destroyed in the blaze.

    “Places are like a friend to us,” Lapow said. “When you lose places, it hurts.”

    Lapow founded the Maui Hero Project, which his website describes as “adventure-based counseling services.” The eight-week program teaches teens basic disaster preparedness skills and immerses them in outdoor activities. It’s also a form of mental health support.

    Lapow’s approach has become a common strategy for nonprofits and therapists trying to reach kids who have balked at discussing their mental health since the fires. But those efforts don’t always reach the kids who need the most help.

    There’s a strong stigma around seeking mental health services, particularly in Filipino and Latino communities that make up a large portion of Lahaina’s population, said Ruben Juarez, a professor at University of Hawaii who led the research study on fire survivors. Families may see counseling as a sign of weakness, and children may be reluctant to open up to therapists out of fear of being judged or scrutinized, he added.

    Yet in the study, Latino teens reported the highest rates of severe depressive and PTSD symptoms. Filipino teens reported some of the highest rates of anxiety.

    The state is hoping struggling students will open up to their peers. A new program called YouthLine will train Hawaii teens to respond to crisis calls, said Keli Acquaro, who oversees youth mental health for the state.

    Keakealani Cashman, who graduated from Kamehameha Schools Maui in 2024, is hoping to be part of the state’s solution to provide more mental health support to the next generation of children.

    After losing her home to the fires, Cashman spent her senior year talking to Native Hawaiian practitioners and researching how cultural values, such as connections to the land and her ancestors, could help her community heal from the trauma of the fires. The project helped her own mental health improve, said Cashman, who regularly met with her school’s behavioral health specialist.

    Now, Cashman is entering her second year at Brigham Young University Hawaii and hopes to work as a behavioral health specialist in Hawaiian language immersion schools

    “This horrible, horrible thing happened to me and my family, but I don’t have to let it kill the rest of my life,” Cashman said. “I can really help my family, my community in school, and just make an impact in what I know how to do.”

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    The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • Ukrainian drones strike one of Russia’s top oil refineries, sparking fire

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    Ukrainian drones have struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, sparking a fire, Russian officials and Ukraine’s military said Sunday.

    The overnight strike on the Kirishi refinery, in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region, follows weeks of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure that Kyiv says fuels Moscow’s war effort.

    The facility, operated by Russian company Surgutneftegas, produces close to 17.7 million metric tons per year (355,000 barrels per day) of crude, and is one of Russia’s top three by output.

    More than three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drones continue to be a key weapon for both sides. Multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland on Wednesday, prompting NATO to send fighter jets to shoot them down and underlining long-held concerns that the fighting might spill over beyond Ukraine’s borders.

    According to Ukraine’s General Staff, explosions and a fire were reported at the Kirishi refinery. It posted a photo appearing to show a blaze and clouds of smoke against a night sky.

    Regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said that three drones were downed overnight in the Kirishi area, with falling debris sparking a fire at the facility. He said that no one was injured, and the blaze was put out.

    As of Sunday afternoon, Russian officials offered no further comment on the consequences of the strike, and it wasn’t immediately possible to verify these. At least 80 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russia, the annexed Crimean Peninsula and the adjacent Sea of Azov, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

    Ukrainian drones previously targeted the Kirishi refinery in March, causing minor damage, according to social media posts published at the time by Drozdenko.

    Russia remains the world’s second-largest oil exporter, but a seasonal rise in demand and sustained Ukrainian drone strikes have caused gasoline shortages in recent weeks. Gas stations have run dry in some regions of the country, with motorists waiting in long lines and officials resorting to rationing or cutting off sales altogether.

    To try to ease the shortage, Russia has paused gasoline exports, with officials on Wednesday declaring a full ban until Sept. 30 and a partial ban affecting traders and intermediaries until Oct. 31.

    Also in the Leningrad region, a diesel locomotive was derailed during the night, local Gov. Drozdenko said Sunday. He said the incident occurred near Gatchina south of St. Petersburg. Russia’s No. 2 city, which was known as Leningrad during Soviet times, is surrounded by but not included in the region of the same name.

    Drozdenko said the locomotive’s driver was trapped in his cabin, and later died of his injuries while being transported to a hospital. He added an official investigation would check for signs of sabotage.

    Separately, a bomb planted along railway lines in Russia’s Oryol region has killed three people, according to reports by local Gov. Andrey Klychkov. He said victims had been inspecting the track, and identified one as a member of Russia’s National Guard.

    According to Klychkov’s posts, published late Saturday and Sunday, the incident happened near the town of Maloarkhangelsk, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Russian officials didn’t immediately comment on what caused it.

    Elsewhere, as some Russians headed to the polls to elect local governors and deputies on Sunday, the head of the Russia’s main electoral body told reporters that it and Russia’s electronic voting system were facing a large wave of cyberattacks.

    Ella Pamfilova, of the Central Election Commission, said that “an unprecedented attack is underway” on its digital systems, but assured the public that it wouldn’t affect the outcome of the votes.

    The commission’s website appeared to be down for much of Sunday, when 21 out of Russia’s more than 80 regions were set to elect new governors. Seats in nearly a dozen regional assemblies and various municipal bodies were also up for grabs.

    But few expected a meaningful challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and its supporters, following a sweeping crackdown on dissent that came with Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

    Almost 100 denial-of-service attacks were recorded on Sunday on online resources linked to the elections, according to Alexander Izhko of Russia’s media and digital watchdog, Roskomnadzor. Izhko spoke at a media briefing Sunday. A denial-of-service attack involves flooding a site with data to overwhelm it and knock it offline.

    Russian officials didn’t immediately comment on who they thought might be behind the alleged attacks.

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    Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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  • Grove of giant sequoia trees burns in California’s Sierra National Forest

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    FRESNO, Calif. — A lightning-sparked wildfire in California’s Sierra National Forest burned Tuesday through a grove of giant sequoias and set some of the ancient towering trees on fire.

    Wildland firefighters with tree-climbing experience were being sent in to put out the fire burning in the canopies of the beloved trees, said Jay Tracy, a spokesperson for the Garnet Fire ablaze in Fresno County.

    To protect the majestic trees, some estimated to be 3,000 years old, fire crews laid sprinkler lines to increase ground moisture, wrapped the trunks with fire-resistant foil blankets, raked flammable material away from trees and patrolled the area looking for hotspots, he said.

    Sequoias grow naturally only in a 260-mile (420 kilometers) belt of forest on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. They have massive trunks and can grow over 300 feet (90 meters) tall.

    The sequoia is the world’s largest tree by volume and closely related to the redwood, the world’s tallest.

    “These trees are near and dear to the forest and to our community and we want to do our best to protect them,” Tracy said.

    The Garnet Fire, which started on Aug. 24, reached the southeast side of the 100-acre (40-hectare) McKinley Grove sometime Sunday night or Monday morning, he said.

    The giant trees rely on low-intensity fire to help open their cones to disperse seeds, and flames clear undergrowth so seedlings can take root and get sunlight. The Garnet Fire, however, is more intense, Tracy said.

    The blaze has scorched 85 square miles (220 square km) of grass, chaparral and timber in a remote area known for camping and hiking about 60 miles (97 km) east of Fresno. It was about 14% contained as of Tuesday.

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  • 2 people die in small plane crash near suburban Denver airport

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    GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Two people died when a small plane crashed and caught on fire near a suburban Denver airport on Friday, officials said.

    The crash happened just south of Centennial Airport and was initially reported as an explosion, Deborah Takahara, a spokesperson for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, said.

    Firefighters found the Beech BE35 airplane engulfed in flames, with the fire threatening to spread to a nearby building and some diesel-powered generators, Brian Willie, a spokesperson for South Metro Fire Rescue, said. Firefighters were able to put out the flames, he said.

    The plane appeared to have crashed in the parking lot of an industrial office park.

    Air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net includes an air traffic controller clearing the plane for takeoff just before the crash.

    Another pilot later reported seeing smoke.

    “Tower, there’s smoke off the left side. Looks like he went down,” came the report, followed a few seconds later by: “He appears to have crashed in the parking lot about a mile southeast of the field.”

    The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash of the plane.

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  • Wildfire scorches historic California gold mining town, burning multiple homes

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    TUOLUMNE COUNTY, Calif. — A quick-moving wildfire scorched thousands of acres Tuesday and burned homes in a California Gold Rush town settled around 1850 by Chinese miners who were driven out of a nearby camp.

    The fire rapidly grew to 6.25 square miles (16.1 square kilometers) in size, forcing the evacuation of the Chinese Camp Town and surrounding highways, according to CalFire, the state’s chief fire agency. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths, but the fire remained uncontained Tuesday night

    At least five homes were burning in the rural town, which has a mix of freestanding and mobile homes.

    Outside one house on Tuesday evening, seven people quickly moved large tree branches away from the structure and shoveled sand onto the fire in a desperate attempt to keep the blaze from spreading from the house next door. They worked for about 30 minutes until firefighters arrived. An RV on the property was damaged by the fire.

    Fire officials have requested additional resources such as fire engines, dozers and an aircraft.

    The blaze, known as the 6-5 Fire, was caused by lightning, according to CalFire. It is one of more than a dozen blazes that erupted Tuesday across California, according to CalFire.

    Thousands of Chinese came to California during the Gold Rush and faced persecution that included an exorbitant Foreign Miners Tax designed to drive them away from mining.

    Chinese Camp Town, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of Stockton, was settled by Chinese miners after they were driven out of a nearby camp, according to Visit Tuolumne County. Originally called Camp Washington, its name was soon changed to reflect the thousands of people from China who settled there.

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  • Forklift error at beauty products warehouse spurs chemical leak, fire

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    YONKERS, N.Y. — A chemical leak and fire at a suburban New York beauty products warehouse Tuesday may have been caused by a forklift mishap, officials said, warning neighbors to stay indoors. Commuter trains were temporarily stalled in the area ahead of the evening rush hour.

    The trouble began around noon at a facility in Yonkers, a city of about 211,000 people on the Hudson River just north of New York City’s Bronx borough. Firefighters believe a forklift damaged a container while moving products around the tightly packed space, and the container leaked a chemical of some sort, Fire Commissioner William Fitzpatrick said at a news conference.

    Voice and email messages were sent to a hair and skin products company that operates from the address.

    Fitzpatrick said firefighters arrived to find a large cloud of white chemical smoke pouring out of the warehouse, and within an hour, the chemical reaction intensified into a fire.

    Police warned residents of several surrounding blocks to stay inside because of “a hazmat situation involving bleach.” Cars and pedestrians were told to avoid the area.

    Two people with pre-existing medical problems were escorted out of the area, Fitzpatrick said. About half a dozen firefighters suffered minor injuries during an hourslong response.

    Ultimately, wind blew a lot of the smoke toward the nearby Hudson River and away from buildings, the commissioner said. He said firefighters had the blaze under control by late afternoon.

    The Metro-North Railroad stopped running trains in the area around 3:30 p.m., but they started rolling again two hours later.

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  • Two small planes collide midair at an airport in Colorado, killing 1 person and injuring 3

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    FORT MORGAN, Colo. — One person was killed and three were injured when two small planes collided midair as they tried to land at an airport in northeastern Colorado, authorities said.

    A Cessna 172 and an Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 collided Sunday morning while trying to land at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

    Both planes — each with two people aboard — crashed and caught fire, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said.

    The two on the Cessna suffered minor injuries, one of the occupants of the other plane was taken to a hospital, and the other was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.

    The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating the crash.

    Fort Morgan is a city of about 12,000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Denver.

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  • Latest on Colorado wildfires: State’s largest wildfire of season near full containment

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    DENVER — The 137,758-acre Lee Fire burning southwest of Meeker is nearing full containment as firefighters make steady progress on the state’s largest wildfire of the season.

    A Saturday update reported the fire at 95% containment, an increase of 5 percentage points from the previous week.

    The lightning-sparked fire was first reported on Aug. 2 and forced evacuations as it destroyed three homes and 12 outbuildings. No injuries have been reported.

    However, some of those evacuations have since been rescinded. For the most up-to-date evacuation map, click here.

    Recent weather, including rain showers, has aided firefighting efforts.

    Other Western Slope counties have seen similar fires over the past couple of months.

    The extreme fire behavior prompted Gov. Jared Polis to sign an executive order declaring a disaster emergency, which will bolster the state’s response to these and any new potential wildfires.

    Denver7 is tracking several other wildfires on Colorado’s Western Slope. Below is a summary of those fires, containment amounts and where residents can learn more details.

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    Size: 5,738 acres
    Containment: 6%
    First reported: Aug. 16
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: 13 miles north of Dotsero
    Evacuations 🏠: Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuation notices can be viewed here.

    The lightning-sparked Derby Fire, first reported on Aug. 16, is burning 13 miles north of Dotsero in Eagle and Garfield counties.

    In an update Thursday, fire officials said crews continue to strengthen control line along the southeastern side of the fire. Meanwhile, fire officials said smoke may be visible within the fire footprint as the sun rekindles isolated areas of smoldering timber.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) temporary closed the following areas: Lands north and west of the town of Gypsum that are north of Sweetwater Road; west of the Colorado River; east of the White River National Forest boundary, and south of Derby Creek.

    Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Forest Service said the following eras were also temporarily closed: North of Sweetwater Lake, following the Forest boundary north and east to the southwestern edge of the Derby Mesa rim. The Derby Mesa rim generally northwest to Big Spring. The W Mountain Trail (#1817) to its junction with the South W Trail (#2060). The Nellie’s (#1839) and Turret Creek (#1838) trails. And south to Sweetwater Lake.

    Updates posted to:
    InciWeb
    Derby Fire Colorado

    stoner mesa fire1.png

    󠀠

    Size: 10,249 acres
    Containment: 44%
    First reported: July 28
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: 5 miles west of Rico in the San Juan National Forest
    Evacuations 🏠: No current evacuations

    The lightning-sparked Stoner Mesa Fire, first reported on July 28, is burning west of Telluride inside the San Juan National Forest in Dolores County.

    In an update Saturday, the Forest Service said it has reduced its Stoner Mesa Fire Closure area. This is due to decreased fire activity and progress with firefighting efforts.

    Firefighters will be patrolling and will mop-up any hot spots deemed a potential threat to the firelines. A spot fire on the northern side of the fire was determined to be completely out, they added.

    To sign up for Dolores County emergency alerts, click here. To sign up for Montezuma County emergency alerts, click here.

    Updates posted to:
    Stoner Mesa Fire Information
    USDA Forest Service Facebook page
    InciWeb

    containedfires.png

    󠀠

    Blue Ridge Fire
    Size: 25 acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: Aug. 15
    Cause: Under investigation
    Location: La Plata County
    Notes: All evacuation and pre-evacuation orders lifted on Aug. 18.

    Crosho Fire
    Size: 2,073 acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: Aug. 11 at 3:25 pm.
    Cause: Unknown

    Deer Creek Fire
    Size: 17,724 Acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: July 10
    Cause: Under investigation (as of last update on Aug. 12)
    Location: Eastern Utah and Montrose County (Colorado)

    Leroux Fire
    Size: 195 Acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: Aug. 3
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: Delta County

    Oak Fire
    Size: 75 acres
    Contained: 78% (as of last update on Aug. 13)
    First reported: Aug. 10
    Cause: Structure fire
    Location: Archuleta County west of Pagosa Springs
    Notes: The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office said two suspects have been arrested in connection with an illegal burn that started this fire. The suspects have been identified as Sergio Alaniz Jr., 41, and Ross Heirigs, 60. They were arrested on charges of fourth-degree arson.

    Peninsula Fire
    Size: 17 acres
    Containment: 80% (as of last update on Aug. 10)
    First reported: Aug. 8
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: South of Highway 145, between Norwood and Placerville

    South Rim Fire
    Size: 4,232 Acres
    Containment: 100% containment likely will not occur until snowfall
    First reported: July 10
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    Turner Gulch Fire
    Size: 31,699 acres
    Contained: 96%
    First reported: July 10
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: 8 miles northeast of Gateway in Mesa County
    Evacuations 🏠: All evacuation orders have been lifted

    Wright Draw Fire
    Size: 466 acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: July 10
    Cause: ⚡️
    Location: Mesa County

    Windy Gap Fire
    Size: 30 acres
    Containment: 100%
    First reported: Aug. 6
    Cause: Unknown
    Location: Grand County

    Yellowjacket Fire
    Size: 29 acres
    Contained: 40% (as of last update on Aug. 16)
    First reported: Aug. 15
    Cause: Unknown
    Location: Northeast of Meeker

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  • China protests Taiwan foreign minister’s visit to the Philippines

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    MANILA, Philippines — Taiwan’s foreign minister has flown to the Philippines as head of a high-level delegation of investors, two senior Philippine officials said Saturday, prompting a protest from China and a warning to Manila “not to play with fire.”

    Relations between China and the Philippines have been strained as their coast guards and other forces spar in increasingly tense confrontations over the ownership of islands and fishing grounds in the disputed South China Sea. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s visit earlier this week to Manila and the Clark Freeport Zone, an industrial hub north of the capital, has exacerbated the tensions.

    Philippine officials have publicly neither confirmed nor denied news reports of Lin’s visit, but two members of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet told The Associated Press that Taiwan’s top diplomat flew to the country “in his private capacity” to lead a major delegation of Taiwanese investors and business executives in the semiconductor and other key industries.

    Lin did not have any official engagements with political and security officials while in the Philippines for two or three days, said the two officials, who did not elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

    Under a “One China” policy, the Philippines does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, which could be annexed by force if necessary, and opposes the self-governing island having official interactions with other countries, particularly the United States.

    The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said Friday that the Philippines has “consistently upheld” that policy, which is “clear and unwavering.” It added, however, that “the Philippines maintains economic and people-to-people engagements with Taiwan, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, and tourism. These interactions are conducted within the bounds of our One China Policy.”

    The department said that “no official from Taiwan (was) recognized as a member of the business delegation that recently visited the Philippines,” suggesting that Lin came as a private business representative.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing issued a strongly worded protest in Manila and Beijing and said that by allowing Lin to visit, the Philippines has provided a platform for “’Taiwan independence’ separatists to engage in anti-China activities” and has “severely violated its own commitment on Taiwan-related issues.”

    It urged the Philippines to “stop pursuing the wrong course and return to the right track at once, stop playing with fire on issues concerning China’s core interests.” It warned the Philippines not to “underestimate the firm resolve of the Chinese people to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

    “There is a price to pay for trampling on China’s red line, and all consequences arising therefrom will be borne by the Philippines,” the Chinese foreign ministry said.

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  • Altamont Pass and Peter Fire updates

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    Here’s a look at fires reported in the Bay Area and Northern California NBC Bay Area is aware of.

    Vegetation fire blocks I-580 lanes on Altamont Pass

    All eastbound Interstate 580 lanes were blocked due to a brush fire Friday in the Altamont Pass near Livermore, according to the California Highway Patrol.

    No other information was immediately available.

    Peter Fire prompts evacuation warning in Kelseyville


    AlertWildfire

    AlertWildfire

    A wildfire burns in the Kelseyville area of Lake County. (Aug. 29, 2025)

    A wildfire that has burned over 45 acres in the Kelseyville area of Lake County prompted evacuation orders and warnings on Friday afternoon, officials said.

    The incident was reported near the 9500 block of Adobe Creek.

    View the latest updates on this fire at fire.ca.gov.

    View evacuation order maps here.

    A three-alarm fire destroyed the vacant former MACSA youth center in San Jose early Friday.

    At about 1 a.m., San Jose firefighters responded to a large fire at the vacant building at 600 Sinclair Drive in the city’s Mayfair district, officials said.

    View the latest updates here.

    A three-alarm fire destroyed the vacant former MACSA youth center in San Jose early Friday. Kris Sanchez reports.

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  • Fire departments concerned about cancer risks are buying gear that is free of forever chemicals

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    EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Every time he rushed out on a fire call, East Providence Lt. Thomas Votta knew he put himself at risk for cancer. There are potential carcinogens in the smoke billowing out of a house fire, but also risks from wearing his chemically-treated gear.

    Last month, the Rhode Island fire department became the nation’s first to give the 11-year veteran and all his 124 fellow firefighters new gear free of PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

    Known as forever chemicals because of how long they remain in the environment, PFAS have been linked to a host of health problems, including increased risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and babies born with low birth weights.

    “We are exposed to so many chemicals when we go to fires,” Votta said. “Having it inside our gear, touching or very close to our skin was very, very concerning. Knowing that’s gone now, it gives us a little bit of relief. We’re not getting it from every angle.”

    The PFAS in the multilayered coats and pants — primarily meant to repel water and contaminants like oil and prevent moisture-related burns — have been a growing concern among firefighters for several years.

    Cancer has replaced heart disease as the biggest cause of line-of-duty deaths, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters, the union that represents firefighters and EMS workers. Firefighters are at higher risk than the general population of getting skin, kidney and other types of cancer, according to a study led by the American Cancer Society.

    Firefighters are exposed to smoke from faster and hotter blazes in buildings and wildfires, many containing toxic chemicals like arsenic and asbestos. In addition to the PFAS in their gear, the IAFF is also concerned about firefighting foam that contains the chemical and is being phased out in many places.

    “The question that is obvious to us is that why would we have carcinogens intentionally infused into our personal protective equipment?” IAFF General President Edward Kelly, who was elected in 2021 in part on a campaign to address PFAS dangers, said at a news conference this month.

    It can be difficult to determine the cause of a firefighter’s cancer since the disease can take years to develop and genetics, diet and other lifestyle factors can play a role, experts say. Where a firefighter works — cities, suburbs or rural areas — also can impact the level of exposure to toxins.

    “That’s good they’re shining a light on the health of their workers,” said Dr. Lecia Sequist, program director at the Cancer Early Detection and Diagnostics Clinic at Mass General Hospital.

    “But I don’t think the data is mature enough that we have a clear understanding of what the unique causes of cancer in firefighters might be that’s different from the general population.”

    Still, health concerns among firefighters have sparked a flurry of lawsuits against makers of gear and PFAS chemicals. Seven states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island, have passed laws banning PFAS in gear and two others introduced bills calling for bans, according to the IAFF.

    The union has also targeted the agency that sets voluntary standards for firefighting gear and other safety requirements. In a 2023 lawsuit, the union accused the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, of setting standards that can only be met with PFAS-treated material and working with several gear makers to maintain that requirement — something the association denied.

    Last year, the agency announced new standards restricting use of 24 classes of chemicals including PFAS in gear — though it is considering delaying the law until March to give companies more time to comply.

    “The development of this new standard marks the most significant and complex shift in how firefighter protective gear is made in a generation,” said NFPA spokesperson Tom Lyons.

    Amid the state bans and legal fights, some of the largest gear makers are shifting away from PFAS. Smaller companies have also emerged marketing what they claim is PFAS-free gear. Hydrocarbon wax or silicone-based finish often replaces PFAS in the outer shell and removes it from the middle, moisture barrier.

    The changing gear landscape is giving fire departments an opportunity to make the switch to safer alternatives.

    Vancouver, Canada, purchased PFAS-free gear last year while Manchester, New Hampshire, bought new gear in March. Gilroy, California, and Belmont, Massachusetts, are in the process of making the switch, the IAFF said.

    “We’re trying to take every step possible to limit their exposure to the chemicals,” said Manchester Assistant Chief Matt Lamothe.

    But switching to PFAS alternatives hasn’t been easy.

    Since companies often don’t list chemicals in gear, fire departments are often in the dark as to whether it’s actually safer while also complying with heat stress, moisture and durability requirements. And PFAS-treated gear is still on the market, supported by the American Chemical Council, which argues these materials are the “only viable options” to “meet vital performance properties.”

    San Francisco was considering getting PFAS-free gear from one company until tests showed the chemical was present. The company addressed the problem and the fire department bought its first 50 of 700 sets this month.

    “The biggest challenge has been trust — or more accurately, the lack of it,” said Matthew Alba, a San Francisco department battalion chief who is being treated for a brain tumor he blames on fighting wildfires.

    In Quincy, Massachusetts, the department bought what it thought were 30 sets of PFAS-free gear, but independent tests revealed the chemical’s presence.

    “These last few months dealing with this issue has been frustrating, angry and truthfully sad seeing what these companies continue to pull,” Tom Bowes, president of the IAFF local, told a news conference attended by dozens of Quincy firefighters this month.

    Researchers at Duke and North Carolina State universities argue concerns over the new gear suggest the transition away from PFAS has been rushed — potentially exposing firefighters to new chemicals and giving them gear that hasn’t been proven safe.

    “I’ve talked to fire chiefs, fire departments across the country, across the world, they’re all dealing with it,” said Bryan Ormond, a professor at North Carolina State and director of its Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center. “They’re all trying to figure out … how to move forward safely and protect our people because we don’t necessarily know what the new gear is going to do.”

    But Graham Peaslee, an emeritus professor at the University of Notre Dame who tested gear for San Francisco and Quincy and is working with five other departments, said concerns about PFAS-free gear were a “scare tactic” from the chemical companies that want to keep selling their products.

    In East Providence, testing showed the fire department’s first attempt to buy PFAS-free gear contained flame retardants that pose increased cancer risk and didn’t adequately protect from heat. A new supplier provided PFAS-free materials that offered the heat protection.

    “It’s a home run,” Fire Chief Michael Carey said of the gear, which cost $658,000 and was paid for by pandemic funds.

    “It takes a sizable weight off of my shoulders,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about them being in that gear and being exposed to a known carcinogen.”

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  • 2 firefighters battling Washington state wildfire arrested by Border Patrol

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    SEATTLE — Two firefighters who were part of a 44-person crew fighting a wildland blaze on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula were taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents during a multiagency criminal investigation into the two contractors they worked for, federal authorities said Thursday.

    The U.S. Bureau of Land Management asked the Border Patrol to help check the workers’ identities Wednesday when crews were working in a remote area, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol said in a statement. Border Patrol agents found two workers who were in the U.S. illegally and detained them, the agencies said.

    Federal authorities did not provide information about the investigation into the contractors, and they did not immediately respond to questions seeking details about the criminal case.

    The BLM terminated the contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc. — both from Oregon — and escorted the 42 workers off federal land, the release said. The two arrested were taken to the Bellingham station on charges of illegal entry and reentry, authorities said.

    Email and phone messages left Thursday for the two businesses seeking comment were not immediately returned.

    Initial reports saying firefighters had been arrested by federal agents sparked outrage from U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. Several firefighters who witnessed the incident had told The Seattle Times anonymously that federal agents took two firefighters into custody.

    Murray responded to the news on Thursday by saying the Trump administration has undercut wildland firefighting by “decimating the Forest Service” and their immigration policy “is fundamentally sick.”

    “Here in the Pacific Northwest, wildfires can, and have, burned entire towns to the ground,” the Democrat said in a statement. “This new Republican policy to detain firefighters on the job is as immoral as it is dangerous.”

    Dennis Lawson, president of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, told the AP that firefighters work as a team, and losing a member for any reason hurts their ability to serve their communities.

    U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rosario Vasquez said in the statement that the effort highlights the coordination between federal agencies to ensure the integrity of government operations.

    “U.S. Border Patrol steadfastly enforces the laws of the United States and unapologetically addresses violations of immigration law wherever they are encountered,” Vasquez said.

    The crews were helping with the Bear Gulch Fire, which has burned about 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) on the north side of Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest and National Park. It was 13% contained by Thursday afternoon.

    Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden posted on the social media site X that one of the arrested firefighters was from Oregon and denounced the arrest, saying it makes communities less safe. The man is represented by lawyers with the nonprofit Innovation Law Lab, who said he was unlawfully detained and they have been unable to locate him.

    “We demand that they allow him to access counsel as is his right afforded by the U.S. Constitution,” lawyer Rodrigo Fernandez-Ortega said in an email. “We have seen entire towns burned to the ground and it is outrageous that the US border patrol unlawfully detained the brave individuals who are protecting us.”

    Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said he was “deeply concerned” about the news, adding that firefighters help keep communities safe. He said his team has reached out to the federal agencies to get more information and “to question why the Trump administration’s cruel immigration policies now extend to individuals fighting forest fires.”

    Jennifer Risdal, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service’s Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting efforts, said they were aware of the Border Patrol activities at the fire site but offered no information about what happened.

    “The Border Patrol operation is not interfering with firefighting activity and Bear Gulch firefighters continue to make progress on the fire,” Risdal told The Associated Press in an email.

    During the first Trump administration, DHS issued a statement during the 2020 wildfire season saying CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were concerned about the impact the fires could have on Western states and said their highest priority was “the preservation of life and safety.”

    “In consideration of these circumstances, there will be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to the wildfires, except in the event of a serious public safety threat,” the statement said.

    Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove, whose agency oversees Washington’s wildland firefighting efforts, said he was aware of the enforcement actions at the Bear Gulch Fire.

    “While we don’t have all of the details yet, this is all occurring at a time when the Trump administration’s crude and inhumane approach to immigration enforcement has intentionally and unnecessarily stoked fear and mistrust among members of the public — including firefighters putting their lives on the line to protect our state,” he said.

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  • Trump fires Democratic member of Surface Transportation Board ahead of huge rail merger decision

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    President Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie before the body considers the largest railroad merger ever proposed.

    Board member Robert Primus said on LinkedIn that he received an email from the White House Wednesday night terminating the position he has held since he was appointed by Trump in his first term. The vacancy would allow Trump to appoint two additional Republicans to the board before its decision on the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger though the Senate would have to confirm them.

    Primus was named Board Chairman last year by former President Joe Biden and he was the only board member to oppose Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern railroad two years ago when it was approved. Trump elevated Board member Patrick Fuchs to Chairman after he was elected.

    This follows Trump’s previous firings of board members at the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Reserve, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which are all supposed to be independent agencies.

    “Robert Primus did not align with the President’s America First agenda, and was terminated from his position by the White House,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “The administration intends to nominate new, more qualified members to the Surface Transportation Board in short order.”

    Primus said the firing is “deeply troubling and legally invalid” so he plans to continue serving until he is blocked and then he will consider legal actions to fight it. Primus has already been removed from the STB website.

    “I have worked tirelessly to build bipartisan trust and have demonstrated myself to be truly an independent board member that has consistently rendered fair and impartial decisions,” Primus said. “My record during my four and a half years at the board reflects this and I strongly believe the actions of the White House would weaken the board and adversely affect the freight rail network in a way that may ultimately hurt consumers and the economy.”

    The nation’s largest railroad union that represents conductors, SMART-TD, quickly condemned the firing.

    “The explanation provided for this decision — that his position has been “eliminated” — is nothing short of outrageous. Appointed bodies established through federal code are not designed to be erased at the whim of powerful corporate interests,” the union said. “This action is unprecedented, unlawful in spirit, and reeks of direct interference from hedge funds and the nation’s largest rail carriers.”

    The board is set to consider Union Pacific’s $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern in the next two years before deciding whether to approve the nation’s first transcontinental railroad and reduce the number of major freight railroads in the U.S. to five.

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  • Firefighters try to corral California forest blaze as lightning strikes bring risk of new ignitions

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    FRESNO, Calif. — Firefighting crews tried to corral a fast-growing blaze churning through central California’s Sierra National Forest as forecasters warned Tuesday that lightning strikes from thunderstorms could spark new ignitions.

    Since breaking out Sunday afternoon, the Garnet Fire has scorched 14 square miles (36 square km) of grass, chaparral and timber in a remote area known for camping and hiking about 60 miles (97 km) east of Fresno. There was no containment.

    Firefighters were aided by scattered rain showers as they worked to protect the tiny Balch Camp community and nearby hydroelectric facilities along the Kings River, according to a Tuesday incident report.

    “However, continued strong, erratic winds on top of dry, heavy vegetation will likely test containment efforts,” the report said.

    Parts of central and northern California are under red flag warnings for increased fire threat from dry lightning that could accompany thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said.

    The 10-square-mile (26-square-km) Pickett Fire in Napa County wine country saw little growth Monday as crews kept flames contained to canyons about 80 miles (130 km) north of San Francisco. It was 17% contained on Tuesday.

    There have been no reports of damage to any vineyards from the fire, a spokesperson for the trade group Napa Valley Vintners said Monday.

    In central Oregon, rain and cooler temperatures helped crews make progress against the Flat Fire, which has charred 34 square miles (88 square km) of rugged terrain in Deschutes and Jefferson counties since igniting in dry, hot weather last Thursday. It was 7% contained on Tuesday.

    “The incident, for the first time in the last three days, is really beginning to stabilize,” Travis Medema, the state’s chief deputy state fire marshal, told a community meeting Monday night.

    Authorities at one point ordered evacuations for more than 4,000 homes but lifted orders for some areas on Monday.

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  • Wildfire in Oregon destroys 4 homes, threatens thousands more, as flames spare California wineries

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    Ten structures — including four homes — have been destroyed by a wildfire sweeping through central Oregon, where thousands of residents remained under evacuation orders on Monday, while a blaze in Northern California wine country has so far spared some of the state’s most famous vineyards.

    Officials said Oregon firefighters working in rugged terrain amid dry, hot weather saved hundreds of other buildings from the 34-square-mile (88-square-kilometer) Flat Fire spanning Deschutes and Jefferson counties. It was 15% contained.

    “We are deeply saddened by the loss of homes and personal property and extend our sympathy to those affected,” Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert said in a statement.

    Flames still threatened nearly 4,000 homes, fire spokesperson Gert Zoutendijk said Monday. He said crews were taking advantage of slightly cooler temperatures that dipped into the high 80s (31 C), and even some scattered rain.

    “A little bit of rain does some good right now, but later, if the sun comes out, it doesn’t take long to dry everything out again,” Zoutendijk said.

    A heat advisory was in place through Wednesday, and forecasters warned that potential thunderstorms could create erratic winds that would challenge firefighters.

    Meanwhile, the Pickett Fire in Northern California has charred about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of remote Napa County, known for its hundreds of wineries. It was 13% contained on Monday.

    Flames spared the home and adjacent vineyards of Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre wines, but he said it was a close call on Thursday when the fire broke out and raced along nearby slopes.

    He and his son grabbed hoses and futilely began spraying down the steep hillsides. “The water was evaporating as fast as we were spraying it out there,” Woodbridge recalled Monday. “It was just a hot funnel of air. Fire was just engulfing everything.”

    Before long, crews with bulldozers and air support arrived to protect the property. Water-dropping helicopters continued their flights on Monday, keeping the flames contained to remote canyons about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

    With about a month to go before harvest, Woodbridge said his grapes won’t be damaged because of the “pure luck” of wind direction.

    “The smoke won’t affect the fruit because the wind’s coming in from the west, thankfully,” Woodbridge said. That wasn’t the case in 2020 when toxic smoke from the Glass Fire caused Woodbridge and other wineries to scrap much of that year’s crop.

    There have been no reports of damage to any vineyards from the Pickett Fire, said Michelle Novi with Napa Valley Vintners, a nonprofit trade association.

    Firefighting resources have been put in place to protect wineries, especially as winds pick up later in the day, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

    “With the weather over the last 48 hours, we’re seeing high temperatures, low humidity paired with some increasing wind in the late afternoon, which was giving our troops some additional work on the eastern side of this incident,” Cal Fire spokesperson Curtis Rhodes told The Associated Press on Monday.

    In southwest Montana, a firefighter died Sunday afternoon after suffering a cardiac emergency while battling the Bivens Creek fire.

    The man, who was not immediately identified, was among more than 700 firefighters working on the lightning-caused fire in the Tobacco Root Mountains about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Virginia City, Montana.

    The Bivens Creek fire has burned approximately 3 1/2 square miles (9 square kilometers) since Aug. 13 in a remote area with thick timber and numerous dead trees.

    Residents of the western United States have been sweltering in a heat wave that hospitalized some people, with temperatures hitting dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.

    After a weekend of triple-digit temperatures, authorities in Multnomah County, Oregon, said they were investigating the death of a 56-year-old man as possibly heat-related.

    The area of the Oregon fire is in a high desert climate, where dried grasses and juniper trees are burning and fire is racing through tinder-dry canyon areas where it’s challenging to create containment lines, said Deschutes County sheriff’s spokesperson Jason Carr.

    In central California, the state’s largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, was at 95% containment Monday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of dry brush in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation.

    Although it’s difficult to directly tie a single fire or weather event directly to climate change, scientists say human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas is causing more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn set the stage for more destructive wildfires.

    ___

    Webber reported from Chicago, and Walker from New York. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.

    ___

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • Firefighter dies after cardiac emergency while battling Montana wildfire

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    BILLINGS, Mont. — A firefighter died after suffering a cardiac emergency while battling a wildfire in southwest Montana.

    The firefighter was conducting suppression work on the ground, and a paramedic gave him medical aid, authorities said. However, attempts to resuscitate him failed, and he died Sunday afternoon.

    The man, who was not immediately identified, was among more than 700 firefighters working on the lightning-caused fire in the Tobacco Root Mountains about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Virginia City, Montana. Gov. Greg Gianforte referred to the firefighter as a “fallen hero” in a statement offering condolences.

    Further details of the incident were not immediately released.

    The Bivens Creek fire has burned approximately 3 1/2 square miles (9 square kilometers) since Aug. 13 in a remote area with thick timber and numerous dead trees.

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  • Wildfires threaten homes in Oregon and California, prompting hundreds of evacuations

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    Thousands of homes in Northern California wine country and central Oregon were under evacuation orders and warnings Sunday as firefighting crews battled wildfires in dry, hot weather.

    The Pickett Fire, which had charred about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of Napa County, was just 11% contained by Sunday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

    About 150 people were ordered to leave their homes, while another 360 were under evacuation warnings as the fire threatened 500 structures near Aetna Springs and Pope Valley, 80 miles (127 kilometers) north of San Francisco, said Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay. Some evacuation orders were later lifted.

    In Oregon, the 29-square-mile (75-square-kilometer) Flat Fire in Deschutes and Jefferson counties had about 4,000 homes under various levels of evacuation notice, including 1,000 with orders to leave immediately, according to the state Fire Marshal’s Office.

    Firefighters were able to cut containment lines and continued to suppress fires in some residential areas. However, they faced significant challenges with difficult terrain, low humidity and triple-digit temperatures in some areas, officials said.

    Some homes have burned, and officials said they were working to confirm the status of structures.

    More than 1,230 firefighters backed by 10 helicopters were battling the California fire, which began in a remote area Thursday after a week of hot weather. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

    Residents of the western United States have been sweltering in a heat wave that hospitalized some people, with temperatures hitting dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.

    Clay said the weather has moderated since the California fire began, with Sunday’s high about 94 Fahrenheit (34 Celsius). But humidity levels were expected to drop with increasing winds later in the day.

    “That’s been a driving factor in the afternoons since we’ve seen the fire activity pick up for the last three days,” Clay said, adding that “support from all up and down California has been critical to our efforts.”

    The Pickett Fire began in the same area as the much larger Glass Fire in 2020, which crossed into Sonoma County and eventually burned about 105 square miles (272 square kilometers) and more than 1,500 structures.

    The 2020 blaze was driven by wind, while the current conflagration is fueled mainly by dry vegetation on steep slopes — some of it dead and downed trees left over from the Glass Fire and some of it grass and brush that grew back and then dried out again, said Clay.

    The area of the Oregon fire is in a high desert climate, where dried grasses and juniper trees are burning and fire is racing through canyon areas where it’s challenging to create containment lines, said Jason Carr, Deschutes County sheriff’s spokesman.

    The fire began Thursday night and grew quickly amid hot, gusty conditions. Fire officials were keeping an eye on isolated thunderstorms in southern Oregon that could drift north on Sunday, state Fire Marshals spokesman Chris Schimmer said in a video posted to Facebook.

    “If we get thunderstorms that roll through, it can … cause the fire to jump (containment) lines,” said Carr, adding the downdrafts can push fire in multiple directions.

    In central California, the state’s largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, was at 95% containment Sunday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation.

    Although it’s difficult to directly tie a single fire or weather event directly to climate change, scientists say human-caused warming from burning fossil fuels like coal and gas is causing more intense heat waves and droughts, which in turn set the stage for more destructive wildfires.

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    Associated Press writer Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.

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    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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