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Tag: Wildfires

  • Evacuations ordered after brush fire in Arapahoe County spread to homes southeast of Byers

    Evacuations ordered after brush fire in Arapahoe County spread to homes southeast of Byers

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    Fire officials ordered evacuations in Arapahoe County Saturday after a brush fire burning southeast of Byers spread to at least one home and threatened others.

    Multiple fire departments and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office responded to a brush fire Saturday morning in the 2400 block of South Quail Hollow Road, according to an 11:20 a.m. statement from the sheriff’s office.

    South Metro Fire Rescue said seven crews responded to support Byers Fire Rescue in wildland and structure fire protection.

    “The fire, which is currently about the size of a football field, is burning several hundred yards from homes,” sheriff’s officials said when crews first arrived on scene.

    By 11:42 a.m., the fire had spread to at least one home and sheriff’s officials said more may be involved.

    Deputies have evacuated a three-mile area near County Road 193 and County Road 34, sheriff’s officials said.

    As of 11:45 a.m., no injuries had been reported and the fire was burning in the southeast direction.

    This is a developing story and may be updated.

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    Lauren Penington

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  • Tourists still flock to Death Valley amid searing US heat wave

    Tourists still flock to Death Valley amid searing US heat wave

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    DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — Hundreds of Europeans touring the American West and adventurers from around the U.S. are still being drawn to Death Valley National Park, even though the desolate region known as one of the Earth’s hottest places is being punished by a dangerous heat wave blamed for a motorcyclist’s death over the weekend.

    French, Spanish, English and Swiss tourists left their air-conditioned rental cars and motorhomes Monday to take photographs of the barren landscape so different than the snow-capped mountains and rolling green hills they know back home. American adventurers liked the novelty of it, even as officials at the park in California warned visitors to stay safe.

    “I was excited it was going to be this hot,” said Drew Belt, a resident of Tupelo, Mississippi, who wanted to stop in Death Valley as the place boasting the lowest elevation in the U.S. on his way to climb California’s Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Kind of like walking on Mars.”

    Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds cautioned visitors in a statement that “high heat like this can pose real threats to your health.”

    The searing heat wave gripping large parts of the United States also led to record daily high temperatures in Oregon, where it is suspected to have caused four deaths in the Portland area. More than 146 million people around the U.S. were under heat alerts Monday, especially in Western states.

    Dozens of locations in the West and Pacific Northwest tied or broke previous heat records over the weekend and are expected to keep doing so into the week.

    The early U.S. heat wave came as the global temperature in June was record warm for the 13th straight month and marked the 12th straight month that the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, the European climate service Copernicus said.

    In Oregon’s Multnomah County, home to Portland, the medical examiner is investigating four suspected heat-related deaths recorded on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, officials said. Three of the deaths involved county residents who were 64, 75 and 84 years old, county officials said in an email. Heat also was suspected in the death of a 33-year-old man transported to a Portland hospital from outside the county.

    Portland broke daily record temperatures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and was on track to do so again on Monday with a forecast high of 102 F (38.9 C), National Weather Service meteorologist Hannah Chandler-Cooley said. High temperatures were expected in Portland through Tuesday evening.

    The temperatures aren’t expected to reach as high as they did during a similar heat wave in the Pacific Northwest in 2021, which killed an estimated 600 people across Oregon, Washington and western Canada. But the duration could be problematic because many homes in the region lack air conditioning.

    Heat illness and injury are cumulative and can build over the course of a day or days, officials warn. In San Jose, California, a homeless man died last week from apparent heat-related causes, Mayor Matt Mahan reported on the social platform X, calling it “an avoidable tragedy.”

    In eastern California’s sizzling desert, a high temperature of 128 F (53.3 C) was recorded Saturday and Sunday at Death Valley National Park, where a visitor, who was not identified, died Saturday from heat exposure. Another person was hospitalized, officials said.

    They were among six motorcyclists riding through the Badwater Basin area in scorching weather, the park said in a statement. The other four were treated at the scene. Emergency medical helicopters were unable to respond because the aircraft cannot generally fly safely over 120 F (48.8 C), officials said.

    More extreme highs are in the near forecast with a high of possibly 130 F (54.4 C) around midweek,

    The largest national park outside Alaska, Death Valley is considered one of the most extreme environments in the world. The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 F (56.67 C) in July 1913 in Death Valley, though some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 F (54.4 C), recorded there in July 2021.

    “It’s impressive,” Thomas Mrzliek of Basel, Switzerland, said of the triple digit heat. “It like a wave that hits when you get out of the car, but it’s a very dry heat. So it’s not as in Europe.”

    Across the desert in Nevada, Las Vegas set a record high of 120 F (48.8 C) on Sunday and was forecast to hit a record high of 115 F (46.1 C) on Monday. The National Weather Service forecast a high of 117 F (47.2 C) in Phoenix.

    Extreme heat and a longstanding drought in the West has also dried out vegetation that can fuel wildfires

    In California, a wildfire in the mountains of Santa Barbara County grew to more than 34 square miles (88 square kilometers) by Monday night. More than 1,000 firefighters were on the lines of the Lake Fire, and areas under evacuation orders included the former Neverland Ranch once owned by the late pop star Michael Jackson. The blaze was just 8% contained.

    A small but smoky blaze, dubbed the Royal Fire, burned through more than 150 acres (60 hectares) of forest west of Lake Tahoe and sent ash raining down on the tourist town of Truckee, California. There was no containment Monday night.

    Rare heat advisories were extended even into higher elevations including around usually temperate Tahoe area, with the weather service in Reno, Nevada, warning of “major heat risk impacts, even in the mountains.” For the third straight day, the town of South Lake Tahoe, California, hit a high of 91 F (32.7 C), beating the previous record of 89 F (31.6 C) set in 2017.

    And for the first time in records dating to 1888, Reno reached 105 F (40.5 C) for the third consecutive day. A short time later on Monday, the city set a record high of 106 F (41.1 C), leap-frogging the previous mark of 104 F (40 C) set in 2017.

    People flocked Monday to the beaches around Lake Tahoe, especially Sand Harbor State Park, where the record high of 92 F (33.3 C) set on Sunday smashed the old record of 88 F (31.1 C) set in 2014. For the fifth consecutive day, Sand Harbor closed its gates within 90 minutes of opening at 8 a.m. because it had reached capacity.

    “It’s definitely hotter than we are used to,” Nevada State Parks spokesperson Tyler Kerver said.

    ___

    Rush reported from Portland, Oregon, and Snow reported from Phoenix. AP journalists Christopher Weber and John Antczak in Los Angeles; Janie Har in San Francisco; and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report.

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  • Torrid heat bakes millions of people in large swaths of US, setting records and fanning wildfires

    Torrid heat bakes millions of people in large swaths of US, setting records and fanning wildfires

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    LAS VEGAS — Roughly 130 million people were under threat over the weekend and into next week from a long-running heat wave that broke or tied records with dangerously high temperatures and is expected to shatter more from East Coast to West Coast, forecasters said.

    Ukiah, north of San Francisco, hit 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, breaking the city’s record for the date and tying its all-time high. Livermore, east of San Francisco, hit 111 F (43.8 C), breaking the daily maximum temperature record of 109 F (42.7 C) set more than a century ago in 1905.

    Las Vegas tied the record of 115 F (46 C), last reached in 2007, and Phoenix topped out at 114 F (45.5 C), just shy of the record of 116 F (46.7 C) dating to 1942.

    The National Weather Service said it was extending the excessive heat warning for much of the Southwest through Friday.

    “A dangerous and historic heatwave is just getting started across the area, with temperatures expected to peak during the Sunday-Wednesday timeframe,” the National Weather Service in Las Vegas said in an updated forecast.

    In Las Vegas, where the mercury hit 100 F (37.7 C) by 10:30 a.m., Marko Boscovich said the best way to beat the heat is in a seat at a slot machine with a cold beer inside an air-conditioned casino.

    “But you know, after it hits triple digits it’s about all the same to me,” said Boscovich, who was visiting from Sparks, Nevada to see a Dead & Company concert Saturday night at the Sphere. “Maybe they’ll play one of my favorites — ‘Cold Rain and Snow.’”

    In more humid parts of the country, temperatures could spike above 100 F (about 38 C) in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, said Jacob Asherman, a weather service meteorologist.

    Meteorologists predicted that temperatures would be near daily records in the region through most, if not all, of the coming week, with lower desert highs reaching 115 to 120 degrees F (46.1 to 48.8 C).

    Rare heat advisories were extended even into higher elevations including around Lake Tahoe, on the border of California and Nevada, with the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada, warning of “major heat risk impacts, even in the mountains.”

    “How hot are we talking? Well, high temperatures across (western Nevada and northeastern California) won’t get below 100 degrees (37.8 C) until next weekend,” the service posted online. “And unfortunately, there won’t be much relief overnight either.”

    Indeed, Reno hit a high of 104 F (40 C) on Saturday, smashing the old record of 101 F (38.3 C).

    More extreme highs are in the near forecast, including 129 F (53.8 C) for Sunday at Furnace Creek, California, in Death Valley National Park, and then around 130 F (54.4 C) through Wednesday.

    The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 F (56.67 C) in July 1913 in Death Valley, eastern California, though some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 F (54.4 C), recorded there in July 2021.

    Triple-digit temperatures are likely in the West, between 15 and 30 F (8 and 16 C) higher than average into next week, the National Weather Service said.

    The Eastern U.S. also was bracing for more hot temperatures. Baltimore and others parts of Maryland were under an excessive heat warning as heat index values could climb to 110 F (43 C), forecasters said.

    “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” read a National Weather Service advisory for the Baltimore area. “Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”

    In Arizona’s Maricopa County, which encompasses Phoenix, there have been at least 13 confirmed heat-related deaths this year, along with more than 160 other deaths suspected of being related to heat that are still under investigation, according to a recent report.

    That does not include the death of a 10-year-old boy last week in Phoenix who suffered a “heat-related medical event” while hiking with family at South Mountain Park and Preserve, according to police.

    Firefighters dispatched aircraft and helicopters to drop water or retardant on a series of wildfires in California.

    In Santa Barbara County, northwest of Los Angeles, the Lake Fire has scorched more than 19 square miles (49 square kilometers) of grass, brush and timber. Firefighters said the blaze was displaying “extreme fire behavior” and had the “potential for large growth” with high temperatures and low humidity.

    At the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, music fans coped by drinking cold water, seeking shade or freshening up under water misters. Organizers of the weekend revelries also advertised free access to air conditioning in a nearby hotel.

    Angela Quiroz, 31, kept her scarf and hat wet and applied sunscreen.

    “Definitely a difference between the shade and the sun,” Quiroz said Friday. “But when you’re in the sun, it feels like you’re cooking.”

    ___

    Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York. Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Sonner reported from Reno, Nevada. Associated Press journalists Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina, John Antczak in Los Angeles, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed.

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  • Firefighters make progress against California wildfire, but heat and fire risks grow in the West

    Firefighters make progress against California wildfire, but heat and fire risks grow in the West

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    OROVILLE, Calif. — Firefighters made progress Friday against a California wildfire that triggered extensive evacuation orders, but damage assessments raised the number of destroyed structures to 25, and forecasters said heat and fire risk were expanding on the West Coast.

    Containment of the Thompson Fire near the Butte County city of Oroville rose overnight from 29% to 46%, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire was measured at just under 6 square miles (15.5 square kilometers) after only slight growth overnight.

    Most evacuation orders covering about 17,000 people were lifted Thursday.

    Firefighters “did a really good job yesterday” enforcing containment lines, and wind hasn’t been a factor, said Cal Fire Capt. Alejandro Cholico, a fire spokesperson.

    A new blaze dubbed the French Fire erupted Thursday evening and triggered evacuations in the small Gold Rush town of Mariposa in the Sierra Nevada foothills along a highway leading to Yosemite National Park.

    Bulldozers and crews built a line across the entire eastern side of Mariposa as flames spread over 1.3 square miles (3.4 square kilometers) before fire activity moderated.

    “Winds have calmed which has helped firefighters make progress overnight,” a Cal Fire status report said.

    In addition to structures destroyed by the Thompson Fire, six others were damaged. There was no immediate information on the types of structures, but several homes were seen ablaze after the fire broke out Tuesday morning about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Sacramento.

    The number of reported firefighter injuries was lowered from four to two, Cholico said. The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.

    The Oroville region is familiar with catastrophic events. The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history nearly wiped out the town of Paradise in Butte County in 2018.

    Forecasters, meanwhile, warned California’s blistering heat wave will continue and spread into the Pacific Northwest and adjacent western states.

    “The duration of this heat is also concerning as scorching above average temperatures are forecast to linger into next week,” the National Weather Service wrote.

    Among extremes, the forecast for Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park calls for daytime highs of 129 degrees (53.89 degrees Celsius) on Sunday and then around 130 (54.44 C) through Wednesday. The official world record for hottest temperature recorded on Earth was 134 degrees (56.67 C) in Death Valley in July 1913, but some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 recorded there in July 2021.

    Numerous wildfires have erupted since the late spring across California, largely feeding on abundant grasses that grew during back-to-back wet winters and have since dried.

    Most have been kept small, but some have grown large. The biggest active fire is the Basin Fire in the Sierra National Forest, where nearly 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) have burned since late June. It was 46% contained Friday.

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  • Northern California heat wave and forecast: What to know about fire danger, how to cool off

    Northern California heat wave and forecast: What to know about fire danger, how to cool off

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    BUT IT IS GOING TO BRING A LOT OF RAIN TO SOUTHERN TEXAS. OUR WEATHER NOT NEARLY AS ACTIVE. WE JUST ARE DEALING WITH LOTS OF HEAT. TEMPERATURES ARE UP AS HIGH PRESSURE SITS RIGHT OVER TOP OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE TEMPERATURES THAT HAVE BEEN FAIRLY COMFORTABLE THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF THE MARINE LAYER. IT’S BACK ALONG THE COAST AND IT’S BRINGING TEMPERATURES DOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO, 57 DEGREES 64, IN FAIRFIELD, 65. IN SACRAMENTO, IT’S ONLY 69 DEGREES IN STOCKTON. AGAIN, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE COOLER TEMPERATURES. THIS MORNING AND GET OUT AND AND DO SOMETHING. WE’VE GOT TEMPERATURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE HEATING UP THIS AFTERNOON UP TO 100 DEGREES BY 1:00. WE’RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURE AGAIN BETWEEN 4 AND 5:00. THAT SHOULD GET UP TO ABOUT 110 DEGREES TODAY. SO WE COULD END UP BEING A LITTLE BIT WARMER THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY. AND YESTERDAY WAS A VERY HOT DAY INTO THE FOOTHILLS. WE’RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES ARE GETTING UP TO ABOUT 102 TO 105 DEGREES. THAT KIND OF RANGE. AND THAT’S SOME SERIOUS HEAT FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND THROUGH THE SIERRA. ALSO GETTING INTO THE ACT WITH TEMPERATURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE HEATING UP, WE’RE LOOKING AT TEMPERATURES CLIMBING UP TO ABOUT 90 DEGREES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SO THAT’S THE HEAT WE’RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH. AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF THIS DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE. THIS HOT AIR THAT’S IN PLACE. AGAIN, IT’S CENTERING ITSELF TODAY. AND TOMORROW IS WHEN WE EXPECT THE HOTTEST WEATHER HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND THEN IT STARTS TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE MOVE FROM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. IT OPENS UP A LITTLE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT’S GOING TO DEVELOP ALONG THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. AND THAT’S GOING TO HELP IN DROPPING TEMPERATURES AS WE MAKE OUR WAY FROM TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. IN FACT, WE COULD HAVE TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 90S AS WE GO TOWARDS THE END OF THIS COMING WEEK. AND THE MORE MILD AIR LOOKS LIKE IT’S GOING TO SETTLE IN FOR A LITTLE WHILE, SO WE MAY CATCH A BREAK. AN EXTENDED BREAK FROM THE KIND OF WEATHER THAT WE’VE BEEN DEALING WITH. SO IT’S WE STILL HAVE THE SERIOUS HEAT THOUGH. WE HAVE ALERT DAYS FOR TODAY. TOMORROW AT 110, 110, AND WE DROP DOWN TO 105, AND THEN WE’RE DOWN TO 102 BY MONDAY. AND AS YOU CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE TEMPERATURES DROPPING UNTIL WE’RE BACK IN THE UPPER 90S. BUT THAT STILL IS ABOVE AVERAGE. BUT WE’RE DEALING WITH EXTREMELY

    Northern California heat wave and forecast: What to know about fire danger, how to cool off


    Meteorologist/Climate Reporter

    The trend of record heat in Northern California is likely to continue Friday as a heat wave continues to challenge a region already vulnerable to wildfires.KCRA 3 is calling Friday an Alert Day because of both the dangerous heat that could lead to health issues and the high fire risks. Alert Days are issued when safety is a concern due to weather conditions. We have issued Alert Days since Tuesday and expect it to last through Sunday. Here is what to know about the day’s developments. As of Thursday morning, several fires continue to burn across the region.Evacuations remain near Oroville in Butte County for the Thompson Fire. Evacuation orders were reduced to warnings south of Placerville for the Moccasin Fire burning in El Dorado County. Illegal fireworks lit up the sky across Northern California. This led to several fires being sparked and forcing fire crews to have a busy Fourth of July evening.Some cooling centers across the region have extended their hours through Tuesday.What’s the forecast for Friday?Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn said Friday could reach temperatures as high as 110 degrees, which is slightly hotter than Thursday was. The average temperature for this time of year is 94 degrees.Saturday is expected to be just as hot as Friday. Verdoorn said the record temperature for July 6 is 105, so that record is expected to be broken. A high-pressure dome of hot air will remain over California, which will keep temperatures hot in the afternoon but also not allow for much relief overnight. That will last through Sunday, but Verdoorn said by Monday, that dome could start moving away, allowing for a somewhat better Delta breeze to slightly cool off temperatures.Friday and Saturday will be slightly hotter, around 107-110 degrees. Next week will stay hot but it will be less intense. The region is looking at highs in the low 100s for Monday and Tuesday.KCRA 3 is expected to issue Impact Days on Monday and Tuesday next week. Impact Days, which are less severe than Alert Days, are issued when weather conditions may impact outdoor travel and activities. Verdoorn said Wednesday is likely going to mark of this heat wave, with its forecast high temperature of 98 degrees.Read more from Tamara Berg about why this heat wave is happening Read more as Heather Waldman looks back at Northern California’s longest heat wave. Read more about why north winds are dangerous during wildfire seasons here See our Fire Threat Index below. | MORE | A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in CaliforniaHere are more resources for the heat waveFind a list of cooling centers here.Here is where to find public pools to cool off.Want to visit a water park? Here’s a list of locations.Here’s how to know the differences between sunburns, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.How to keep your pets safe amid hot summer temperaturesHere are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season. Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here. Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you’ve lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans’ QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAPClick here to see our interactive traffic map.TRACK INTERACTIVE, DOPPLER RADARClick here to see our interactive radar.DOWNLOAD OUR APP FOR THE LATESTHere is where you can download our app.Follow our KCRA weather team on social mediaMeteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on FacebookMeteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Kelly Curran on X.Watch our forecasts on TV or onlineHere’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

    The trend of record heat in Northern California is likely to continue Friday as a heat wave continues to challenge a region already vulnerable to wildfires.

    KCRA 3 is calling Friday an Alert Day because of both the dangerous heat that could lead to health issues and the high fire risks. Alert Days are issued when safety is a concern due to weather conditions. We have issued Alert Days since Tuesday and expect it to last through Sunday.

    Here is what to know about the day’s developments.

    As of Thursday morning, several fires continue to burn across the region.

    What’s the forecast for Friday?

    Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn said Friday could reach temperatures as high as 110 degrees, which is slightly hotter than Thursday was. The average temperature for this time of year is 94 degrees.

    Saturday is expected to be just as hot as Friday. Verdoorn said the record temperature for July 6 is 105, so that record is expected to be broken.

    A high-pressure dome of hot air will remain over California, which will keep temperatures hot in the afternoon but also not allow for much relief overnight. That will last through Sunday, but Verdoorn said by Monday, that dome could start moving away, allowing for a somewhat better Delta breeze to slightly cool off temperatures.

    Friday and Saturday will be slightly hotter, around 107-110 degrees.

    Next week will stay hot but it will be less intense. The region is looking at highs in the low 100s for Monday and Tuesday.

    KCRA 3 is expected to issue Impact Days on Monday and Tuesday next week. Impact Days, which are less severe than Alert Days, are issued when weather conditions may impact outdoor travel and activities.

    Verdoorn said Wednesday is likely going to mark of this heat wave, with its forecast high temperature of 98 degrees.

    7-day forecast July 5, 2024

    See our Fire Threat Index below.

    | MORE | A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California

    Here are more resources for the heat wave

    Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.

    REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAP

    Click here to see our interactive traffic map.

    TRACK INTERACTIVE, DOPPLER RADAR

    Click here to see our interactive radar.

    DOWNLOAD OUR APP FOR THE LATEST

    Here is where you can download our app.

    Follow our KCRA weather team on social media

    • Meteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and X.
    • Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on Facebook
    • Meteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and X.
    • Meteorologist Kelly Curran on X.

    Watch our forecasts on TV or online

    Here’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.

    We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

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  • Ipswich brush fire extinguished near home

    Ipswich brush fire extinguished near home

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    IPSWICH — The Fire Department extinguished a brush fire near a home on Wednesday and no injuries were reported, officials said.

    About 4:41 p.m., the Fire Department was called to the area of 19 James Road, near Dix Road and the Ipswich Country Club, for a report of a brush fire, Fire Chief Paul Parisi reported in a news release.

    Engine 4, under the command of Lt. Gus McInnis, was the first company to arrive and found an estimated 75-foot-by-75-foot section of brush burning about 100 yards from a home.

    An additional engine was called. Mutual aid firefighters from Rowley responded, while firefighters from Essex and Topsfield covered Ipswich stations. Off-duty and call members of the Ipswich Fire Department responded as well.

    Through a spokesman, Parisi said the fire was under control within an hour. First responders cleared the scene in less than two hours.

    The cause of the brush fire is under investigation and it would be unusual for such a fire to spontaneously ignite, he said.

    While the brush fire was being extinguished, Ipswich Police and Action EMS responded to a motor vehicle crash in the area of 80 Linebrook Road, and to medical calls on County Road and Water Street.

    “The three-tiered response system we operate under here in Ipswich with police, fire and EMS, as well as our mutual aid partners, were critical in handling these simultaneous emergencies today,” Parisi said in the release. “We thank our partners for helping us when we needed them.”

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  • Crews battle vegetation fires in San Jose on Fourth of July

    Crews battle vegetation fires in San Jose on Fourth of July

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    SAN JOSE – Firefighters were dispatched to a pair of vegetation fires Thursday night in San Jose.

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    Jim Harrington

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  • Most evacuation orders lifted as crews continue battling Northern California wildfire

    Most evacuation orders lifted as crews continue battling Northern California wildfire

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    OROVILLE, Calif. — Thousands of people evacuated during a Northern California wildfire were allowed to return home Thursday afternoon as crews continued battling flames amid scorching heat, officials said.

    Containment of the Thompson Fire near the city of Oroville in Butte County also increased to 29% from 7%.

    The “vast majority” of the 17,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings were able to go home, said Kristi Olio, public information officer for Butte County. Previous reports of 26,000 people being under orders or warnings were inaccurate, she said, adding that the fire has unfolded so quickly that it has been difficult to get firm figures.

    The Thompson Fire broke out before noon Tuesday about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Sacramento, sending up a huge plume of smoke that could be seen from space. The fire had burned 5.9 square miles (15 square kilometers), up from 5.5 square miles (14 square kilometers) earlier Thursday.

    But officials warned of hot temperatures that could hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius) with even hotter weather expected Friday and Saturday.

    “The winds are slowly picking up,” said Chris Peterson, information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. “You add that with the heat and low humidity,” and the potential for volatile fire behavior grows.

    Four structures were destroyed, and more than 12,000 were threatened. Cal Fire did not specify if the structures were homes, but an Associated Press photographer saw fire burn three adjacent suburban-style homes in Oroville.

    Four firefighters reported injuries, all from heat. The cause of the blaze was being investigated.

    The region is familiar with catastrophic events. The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history nearly wiped out the town of Paradise in Butte County in 2018. And in 2017, both spillways of the Oroville Dam — the nation’s tallest — failed, mandating the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people.

    “We do it ‘well,’ I guess, is the word to say,” said Oroville Mayor David Pittman.

    He said the 20,000 residents of Oroville have heeded evacuation warnings and stepped up to offer a place to stay and home-cooked meals for evacuees.

    Millions of people across the U.S. are baking in a heat wave including in California, which is seeing “significantly more wildfire activity at this point” than in recent years, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said in a statement.

    More than a dozen other blazes, most of them small, are active across the state, according to Cal Fire. The largest of those, the Basin Fire in Fresno County, was nearly 50% contained with 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) burned.

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  • Moccasin Fire evacuation order downgraded to warning in El Dorado County

    Moccasin Fire evacuation order downgraded to warning in El Dorado County

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    Moccasin Fire evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings in El Dorado County as crews continue mopping up a wildfire that has been mostly extinguished. The Moccasin Fire began on July 2 as a structure fire in the 1500 block of Moccasin Trail before it spread to nearby vegetation, according to Cal Fire.As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the number of acres burned remained at 51, the same acreage reported Tuesday evening. Containment has grown to 35%. Containment is measured in percentages to describe a break or line where combustible material around the fire has been achieved, helping prevent the fire from spreading further. Containment is measured in percentages to describe the extent to which a break or fire line has been established around the fire, preventing further spread.The El Dorado County Sheriff’s office said on Thursday that a mandatory evacuation order has been downgraded to a warning for neighborhoods around Moccasin Trail and people are being allowed to return home.An overnight shelter at the Cameron Park Community Services District has been closed, along with a large animal shelter at Saureel Vinyard Winery. See which areas are under the evacuation warning below. You are lawfully required to leave immediately under evacuation orders because of the threat to safety. You are not required to leave when warnings are issued but are recommended to do so in case conditions become dangerous. This fire burned amid dangerous heat and north winds that increased the risk of wildfires rapidly spreading across the region. KCRA 3 issued Alert Days through Sunday because of those dangerous conditions. | MORE | A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in CaliforniaHere are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you’ve lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans’ QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAPClick here to see our interactive traffic map.TRACK INTERACTIVE, DOPPLER RADARClick here to see our interactive radar.DOWNLOAD OUR APP FOR THE LATESTHere is where you can download our app.Follow our KCRA weather team on social mediaMeteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on FacebookMeteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and X.Meteorologist Kelly Curran on X.Watch our forecasts on TV or onlineHere’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

    Moccasin Fire evacuation orders have been downgraded to warnings in El Dorado County as crews continue mopping up a wildfire that has been mostly extinguished.

    The Moccasin Fire began on July 2 as a structure fire in the 1500 block of Moccasin Trail before it spread to nearby vegetation, according to Cal Fire.

    As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the number of acres burned remained at 51, the same acreage reported Tuesday evening.

    Containment has grown to 35%. Containment is measured in percentages to describe a break or line where combustible material around the fire has been achieved, helping prevent the fire from spreading further.

    Containment is measured in percentages to describe the extent to which a break or fire line has been established around the fire, preventing further spread.

    The El Dorado County Sheriff’s office said on Thursday that a mandatory evacuation order has been downgraded to a warning for neighborhoods around Moccasin Trail and people are being allowed to return home.

    An overnight shelter at the Cameron Park Community Services District has been closed, along with a large animal shelter at Saureel Vinyard Winery.

    See which areas are under the evacuation warning below.

    You are lawfully required to leave immediately under evacuation orders because of the threat to safety. You are not required to leave when warnings are issued but are recommended to do so in case conditions become dangerous.

    This fire burned amid dangerous heat and north winds that increased the risk of wildfires rapidly spreading across the region. KCRA 3 issued Alert Days through Sunday because of those dangerous conditions.

    | MORE | A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California

    Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.

    REAL-TIME TRAFFIC MAP

    Click here to see our interactive traffic map.

    TRACK INTERACTIVE, DOPPLER RADAR

    Click here to see our interactive radar.

    DOWNLOAD OUR APP FOR THE LATEST

    Here is where you can download our app.

    Follow our KCRA weather team on social media

    • Meteorologist Tamara Berg on Facebook and X.
    • Meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn on Facebook
    • Meteorologist/Climate Reporter Heather Waldman on Facebook and X.
    • Meteorologist Kelly Curran on X.

    Watch our forecasts on TV or online

    Here’s where to find our latest video forecast. You can also watch a livestream of our latest newscast here. The banner on our website turns red when we’re live.

    We’re also streaming on the Very Local app for Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

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  • Lightning strike blamed for wildfire that killed 2 people in New Mexico, damaged 1,400 structures

    Lightning strike blamed for wildfire that killed 2 people in New Mexico, damaged 1,400 structures

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    RUIDOSO, N.M. — A lightning strike caused the larger of two wildfires that has killed at least two people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,400 structures in New Mexico, authorities said Wednesday.

    The South Fork Fire was first reported June 17 on the Mescalero Apache Reservation and forced the evacuation of the Village of Ruidoso.

    The wildfire now is 87% contained after burning more than 27 square miles. Parts of the village have been evacuated again because of recent flash floods.

    The fire was investigated by eight agencies including the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    The fire’s point of origin plus evidence and data supported the cause being a lightning strike, investigators said.

    Meanwhile, authorities said the cause of the nearby Salt Fire remains under investigation. It has burned more than 12 square miles and was 84% contained as of Wednesday.

    The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting that wildfire.

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  • Sierra Fire in Fontana grows to 400 acres heading into Sunday night

    Sierra Fire in Fontana grows to 400 acres heading into Sunday night

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    Firefighters were battling a vegetation fire that began Sunday afternoon in Fontana.

    The fire was reported just after 2 p.m. along Sierra Avenue with winds pushing the flame Southeast toward Riverside.

    Homes in the area were threatened but no evacuations were issued.

    No structures were damaged and Sierra Avenue re-opened by 10 p.m.

    A smoke advisory was issued in parts of San Bernardino County and Riverside County due to the fire affecting air quality.

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    Missael Soto

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  • Oak Ridge fire grows to 787 acres, closing part of Pike-San Isabel National Forests

    Oak Ridge fire grows to 787 acres, closing part of Pike-San Isabel National Forests

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    The lighting-sparked Oak Ridge fire burning in Pueblo County grew to 787 acres Wednesday and is still uncontained, fire officials said in an update.

    The fire was reported Saturday morning in southwest Pueblo County, 3 miles northwest of Beulah, and burned relatively slowly before growing by 270 acres over several hours Monday.

    Homes along Middle Creek Canyon Road are still under mandatory evacuation orders, and homes on Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue and Beulah Highlands Road are on pre-evacuation, fire officials said Wednesday. 

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    Katie Langford

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  • Maui ponders its future as leaders consider restricting vacation rentals loved by tourists

    Maui ponders its future as leaders consider restricting vacation rentals loved by tourists

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    HONOLULU — Alicia Humiston bought her condo in Lahaina after she visited Maui and fell for its rainforests, lava fields and the whales that gather offshore. She travels there about three times a year and rents out her unit for short periods when she’s not in Hawaii.

    “Maui was my dream place,” she said in a phone interview from her home in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

    But now Maui’s mayor wants to make it impossible for Humiston and thousands of other condo owners to rent their properties to tourists. Instead, he wants them rented long-term to Maui locals to address a chronic housing shortage that reached a new crisis point after last August’s deadly wildfire burned the homes of 12,000 residents.

    The mayor’s proposal faces multiple legislative and bureaucratic hurdles, starting Tuesday with a Maui Planning Commission meeting. Yet it has inflamed an already-heated debate about the future of one of the world’s best-known travel destinations: Will Maui continue to cater to tourists, who power the local economy? Or will it curb tourism to address persistent complaints that visitors are overwhelming the island’s beaches and roads and making housing unaffordable?

    About one-third of Maui’s visitors use vacation rentals. They tend to cost less than hotels and are easy to reserve on websites like Airbnb and VRBO. Many have kitchens, so families can prepare their own food.

    They have also become a source of strife, particularly after last year’s conflagration in Lahaina — the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. The fire tore through the historic town, killing at least 101 people and leaving nothing but rubble and ash for blocks. Thousands of displaced locals were temporarily housed in hotels usually reserved for tourists, and most survivors still lack stable housing.

    Even before the fire, University of Hawaii researchers say so many property owners were renting to tourists — and so few new dwellings were being built — that Maui County suffered a net loss of housing since 2019.

    An analysis of property tax records shows 85% of Maui County’s condos are owned by out-of-state residents, said Justin Tyndall, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Transitioning them would boost Maui’s residential housing stock by 13%, which Tyndall said would almost certainly lead to lower buying prices and rents.

    Maui Mayor Richard Bissen believes that under his proposal, those lower rents would keep locals on Maui because absentee landlords would be forced to either sell their units or convert them to long-term rentals.

    There are 7,000 condo units in apartment zones, including 2,200 in West Maui near the Lahaina burn zone, and they account for about half of Maui’s legally operated short-term rentals. If enacted, the change would take effect in West Maui no later than July 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026 elsewhere.

    “We understand that there’s going to be a give and take. So the question is, what is most important?” Bissen said at a news conference last month. “My priority is housing our local residents – especially now.”

    Humiston, president of the Hawaii Rental By Owner Awareness Association, which opposes the bill, won’t sell her one-bedroom, oceanfront condo that she bought two decades ago if the bill became law. She also doesn’t plan to rent it long-term.

    “It would take my ability to use my property. And I bought it for my use,” she said. “I love it there.”

    Some warn that reducing the supply of lodging for visitors will ruin the tourism industry Maui’s economy depends on, though backers of the mayor’s bill say many vacation rentals will remain and hotels will have empty rooms visitors can stay in.

    Hawaii economist Paul Brewbaker calculates that changing the rules for the affected units, which account for one-third of Maui’s visitor accommodations, would result in 33% fewer tourists and cost Maui 14,000 jobs. He called it a “slow-motion train-wreck” that would lead to an “economic crash and burn.”

    Maui County Chair Alice Lee said that while housing for residents is a real concern, the council must also consider legal challenges from property owners and the potential hit on tax revenue.

    The county collects $500 million in real property taxes annually and more than 40% comes from short-term rentals, which are taxed at a higher rate than owner-occupied residences, she said.

    “We are being sued by over 600 people regarding the fire. We have that many lawsuits pending. Do we really want to put ourselves in a position to invite thousands more?” Lee said. “I really don’t think so, because my main concern right now, at this very moment, is to pay the bills and keep the lights on.”

    The county has budgeted $300,000 to study the bill’s impact on tax revenue and businesses like landscaping and cleaning services.

    Jeremy Stice, a real estate agent who was born and raised on Maui, and his wife have spent 12 years building a company that today manages more than 40 vacation rental properties, mostly for other owners. About half of them would be affected by the measure, said Stice, who is also president of the Maui Vacation Rental Association.

    Stice isn’t sure local residents would buy — or could afford — short-term rental units even if they do become available for permanent housing.

    For example, a studio in Papakea, one of the targeted condo complexes, would sell for about $600,000, he said. A 30-year-fixed mortgage at current interest rates, plus the homeowner association fees, would total about $5,000 a month for a small space, he said.

    If locals don’t buy them, and tourists don’t rent them, it’s possible the units would sit mostly empty as second homes for wealthy absentee owners — an even worse outcome.

    To prevent that, the county should raise taxes on second homes, create incentives to promote long-term rentals and prioritize new housing construction, said Matt Jachowski, a Maui housing data consultant.

    “The only way out of this housing crisis is to do everything — to do everything in our power to add more resident housing,” he said.

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  • 6/19: The Daily Report with John Dickerson

    6/19: The Daily Report with John Dickerson

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    6/19: The Daily Report with John Dickerson – CBS News


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    Jeff Glor reports on severe weather threatening the south, what’s behind an app used to track migrants in the U.S., and what’s next for the markets and A.I. as Nvidia becomes the world’s most valuable company.

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  • 6/19: CBS Evening News

    6/19: CBS Evening News

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    6/19: CBS Evening News – CBS News


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    Raging New Mexico wildfires burn hundreds of structures; Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth, leads annual Walk for Freedom

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  • 6/18: CBS Evening News

    6/18: CBS Evening News

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    6/18: CBS Evening News – CBS News


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    Fast-spreading wildfires force evacuation of New Mexico town; How the lineage of one African-American family was traced back to 1789

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  • Point Fire in Sonoma County burns more than 1,200 acres; containment up to 40%

    Point Fire in Sonoma County burns more than 1,200 acres; containment up to 40%

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    Firefighters continued to attack the Point Fire in Sonoma County, doubling containment overnight Tuesday while the size of the blaze remained at just over 1,200 acres, according to Cal Fire.

    The wildfire just outside Healdsburg also has destroyed two structures and left at least one firefighter hurt.

    Cal Fire posted on X Tuesday morning that the fire was 40% contained, with the acreage holding at 1,207.

    Cal Fire’s relentless aerial assault has been nonstop since the fire started Sunday afternoon.

    “We are hoping that with this reduction of wind strength today, we’re able to control it a little quicker,” Cal Fire spokesperson Mari Ochoa said Monday.

    One firefighter had to be airlifted from the front line after suffering a non-life-threatening injury.

    The evacuation order zone in the Dry Creek Valley is dotted with private vineyards, ranches and farms. Some property owners have decided to defy the evacuation order.

    “When you have crops, there’s nothing to catch fire,” Alex Zabala said.

    Zabala said he has a huge defensible space at the vineyard his wife’s family has owned since 1928.

    “It’s all green,” he said. “There’s some weeds and such, but otherwise there’s no grasses to catch fire. That’s usually how it spreads. Embers come over and they’ll catch a field on fire.”

    Zabala said he watched the fire take two of his neighbors’ homes overnight.

    Firefighters on Monday continued to attack the Point Fire in Sonoma County, a wildfire that’s scorched roughly 1,200 acres and left at least one firefighter hurt. Thom Jensen, Jeff Ranieri and Vianey Arana reports.

    Cal Fire says the Point Fire isn’t actively threatening any other structures at this time, but there’s still a lot of work to do. 

    “The big thing is when we can get those areas where we might have flare ups, those are the areas of concern just because those increases in fire activity could possibly jump the line, things like that,” Robert Foxworthy of Cal Fire said. 

    The smoke led to a Spare the Air alert due to unhealthy air quality with the Bay Area Air Quality District also issuing air quality advisory for Tuesday.

    Healdsburg residents will have to adjust to the conditions they’ve come to expect this time of year.

    “You feel it in your eyes a little bit, always smells like a campfire in the air when you’re walking around but it hasn’t been the worst,”Mike Strykowski of Healdsburg said.

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    NBC Bay Area staff

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  • Southern New Mexico wildfire leads to evacuation of village of 7,000

    Southern New Mexico wildfire leads to evacuation of village of 7,000

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    RUIDOSO, N.M. — Residents of a village in southern New Mexico were ordered to flee their homes Monday without taking time to grab any belongings due to a fast-moving wildfire.

    “GO NOW: Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home. Evacuate immediately,” officials with Ruidoso, a village home to 7,000 people, said on its website and in social media posts at about 7 p.m.

    Public Service Company of New Mexico shut off power to part of the village due to the fire, which had grown to at least 2 square miles (5.1 square kilometers) at the time the evacuation was ordered, KOAT-TV reported.

    The glow from the fire could be seen Monday night from a webcam in the downtown area, where lights were still on.

    The South Fork Fire started Monday on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

    The Village of Ruidoso is about 75 miles (121 kilometers) west of Roswell, where several evacuation centers were set up.

    An air quality alert was issued for very unhealthy air in Ruidoso and surrounding areas due to smoke.

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  • Wildfire north of Los Angeles spreads as authorities issue evacuation orders

    Wildfire north of Los Angeles spreads as authorities issue evacuation orders

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    GORMAN, Calif. — Authorities issued evacuation orders Saturday as a wildfire in Los Angeles County spread thousands of acres close to a major highway and threatened nearby structures, officials said.

    The blaze that is being called the Post Fire burned more than 3,600 acres (5.6 square miles or 14.5 square kilometers) near the Interstate 5 freeway in Gorman, which is about 62 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The flames broke out at around 1:45 p.m., authorities said.

    The Los Angeles County Fire Department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the evacuations, whether there were injuries reported and the latest size of the blaze. An investigation is ongoing.

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  • Crews halt progress of 15-acre fire burning Saturday in East San Jose hills

    Crews halt progress of 15-acre fire burning Saturday in East San Jose hills

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    SAN JOSE — Firefighters from Cal Fire and the San Jose Fire Department battled a wildfire in Santa Clara County west of Henry W. Coe State Park that had grown to 15 acres as of 10 a.m. Saturday.

    Cal Fire said forward progress was stopped as of about 10 a.m.

    Firefighters from Cal Fire and the San Jose Fire Department battled a wildfire near Meadowlands Lane and Wild Meadow Way on June 15, 2024.

    SJFD via Bay City News


    The fire was first reported by the San Jose Fire Department at 8:24 a.m., according to a post on X that said that firefighters had been deployed to the area of Meadowlands Lane and Wild Meadow Way.

    Cal Fire said in a social media post that its Santa Clara Unit was fighting the fire in a unified command with SJFD and said its crews were responding to the area of San Felipe Road at Las Animas Road, which is in an unincorporated area southeast of the city of San Jose. The department’s post referred to the fire as the Felipe Fire.

    The public was asked to avoid the area.

    No structures had been burned and no injuries were reported as of the San Jose Fire Department’s last update at 9:16 a.m.

    Fire Smoke Plume East San Jose

    PG&E Wildfire Camera


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