Category Archives: Forest Fires

Forest Fires

‘Water’s away’: How Canadian helicopters and waterbombers are helping tame L.A. fires

By Breanna Charlebois and Joe Bongiorno
The Chronicle Journal
January 15, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, United States

Credit: KRWeiss

Coulson Aviation — based in Port Alberni, B.C. — operates three Boeing CH-47 Chinook helitankers with tanks that hold more than 11,000 litres, as well as an “over-watch helicopter that runs intelligence,” including thermal imaging when deployed at night. The “aerial firefight” has been essential as blistering winds have prevented groundcrews from accessing the flames, said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Aviation. Coulson said the company has dropped more than a million gallons — or 4.5 million litres — of water over the fires in the last week, 70 per cent of which was released at night… Quebec’s contribution is expanding with two more water bombers heading to California on Wednesday. Quebec’s two extra CL-415 aircraft bring the province’s total California aid package to four water bombers, 12 pilots and six technicians.

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Insider’s view a unique perspective to ‘Wildfire’ documentary

The Kelowna Daily Courier
April 1, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

A new documentary series on the most destructive wildfire season in B.C. history premieres on the Knowledge Network on April 29. More than 2.8 million hectares of forest was burned in 2023 with the affected areas including West Kelowna and unincorporated areas along Westside Road. ‘Wildfire’ takes viewers behind the scenes of the containment efforts, providing an in-depth and educational exploration of the tactics used by firefighters… Wildfire was created by Optic Nerve Films’ Kevin Eastwood and CK9 Studios’ Simon Shave and Clayton Mitchell, both former woodland firefighters. Although the BC Wildfire Service rarely grants filming access, an exception was made in this case given their firefighting experience.

[Watch a preview of the series on The Knowledge Network here]

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New documentary follows B.C.’s Wildfire Service

Global News
March 27, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West
A new documentary series follows B.C.’s Wildfire Service during their busy summer fighting record fires in the province. Co-director Simon Shave talks about their unprecedented access and the issues faced by firefighters on the front line.

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Alberta prepares as wildfire season begins

By Joey Chini
CBC News
March 1, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

CALGARY — March 1 marks the start of wildfire season in Alberta, which comes days after firefighters brought a fire burning west of Ghost Lake, north of Highway 1A, under control. The cause of the 16.7-hectare fire remains under investigation. The provincial government, along with municipalities and firefighting crews across Alberta, have already been busy with preparation work for this year’s season. Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen talked about the importance of being prepared. …The province has bolstered its wildfire mitigation plans this year, Loewen says. Utilizing controlled burns, creating firebreaks and managing forest vegetation to minimize fuel for fires are all tools at the government’s disposal. As of Friday afternoon, there were 10 active fires in the province; however, none were classified as out of control. Loewen says nearly 60 wildfires were burning at this time last year.

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B.C. Wildfire Service learning from response in California, information officer says

CBC News
January 20, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Members of the B.C. Wildfire Service helping out in California as the fires in Los Angeles continue to burn say they’re learning a lot about fire response and how to apply what they’re seeing to British Columbia.  Earlier this month, B.C. sent more than two dozen personnel, including firefighters and a management team, to California to provide support as the state battles multiple fires.  “We are treating it as an incredible opportunity. It’s an unprecedented situation. We’re learning lots,” B.C. Wildfire Service strategic adviser Carol Loski told CBC News. “We really are just happy to be here to help the people of Los Angeles and the state of California.” At least 27 people have died as a result of the wildfires in L.A., and more than 14,000 structures have been destroyed.

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Oregon deploys more than 2 dozen firefighters to battle North Carolina wildfires

By Isabel Funk
The Register-Guard
March 24, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

Oregon firefighters arrived Sunday in North Carolina to assist in fighting wildfires that have burned thousands of acres in the western part of the state. The Oregon Department of Forestry sent 26 firefighters and two agency representatives for a two-week rotation in North Carolina. Many of the Oregon firefighters were assigned to the Black Cove Fire. The fire was first reported March 19. The Black Cove Fire in North Carolina’s Polk County has forced evacuations and is one of the largest in the western part of the state. Along with the Deep Woods Fire, burning in the Green River Gorge, a combined 4,621 acres were burning with 0% containment as of Sunday evening, according to the North Carolina Forest Service. …The firefighters were sent under a mutual assistance agreement between Oregon and North Carolina.

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California fires weather forecast: LA remains under extreme dry and windy weather

By Max Golembo
ABC News
January 15, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States

Another day of gusty winds is forecast Wednesday for Southern California, where a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning continues until 3 p.m. for western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County. On Wednesday morning and afternoon, winds will be the strongest west and north of Los Angeles, mostly in the mountains and higher canyons, where gusts could reach 50 mph to 70 mph. In addition to gusty winds, relative humidity will be very low, down to 8%. Such weather conditions are expected to create a perfect setup for explosive fire growth if a new fire is started. But the wind should begin to relax later Wednesday and by Thursday humidity is forecast to increase and there is even a chance for a few sprinkles for southern California. More strong Santa Ana winds are forecast next week on Wednesday through Saturday.

Additional coverage in Associated Press by Jaimie Ding, Julie Watson and John Seewer: Fire-scarred Los Angeles is under another rare warning as winds pick up

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California doubles down to protect communities from wildfire with 25 key deliverables for 2025

By Governor Gavin Newsom
Government of California
March 25, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

SACRAMENTO – Following the devastation of the Los Angeles firestorms and with escalating risks of catastrophic wildfires, the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force today released a list of 25 key deliverables that will protect communities and natural landscapes statewide. The list builds on Governor Gavin Newsom’s emergency proclamation to expedite wildfire prevention projects across the state, and the extensive work of the Task Force to date. A full list of the 2025 Key Deliverables is available here. The deliverables outline the highest priority actions underway this year to achieve the commitments in California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, launched in 2021, and to advance key new initiatives that will be highlighted in the forthcoming update of the Action Plan to be released later this year. Many of the deliverables are already underway.

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What caused the 2020 Santiam wildfires? Investigation sheds light on deadly fires

By Zach Urness
Salem Statesman Journal
March 19, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

One of the most destructive wildfire events in Oregon history, which killed five and burned hundreds of homes, was caused by embers raining down on the Santiam Canyon and not downed power lines sparking new fires, according to a long-awaited report released Wednesday that critics said was incomplete. Four and a half years after the 193,000-acre Santiam-Beachie Fires … the Oregon Department of Forestry released its investigation … into how the fires ignited and spread during a powerful windstorm Labor Day night of 2020. The report’s main conclusion is that power lines, mainly owned by utility giant PacifiCorp, were not to blame for the deadly and destructive fires, and that embers from the Beachie Creek Fire, which had been active for weeks in the Opal Creek Wilderness, caused the majority of destruction. That finding was almost the opposite of a Portland jury ruling in June 2023 that PacifiCorp was not only liable, but grossly negligent for the fires.

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Ohio governor sends forestry crews to California

Newsbreak
January 26, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

OHIO — Governor Mike DeWine announced this week that a nine-person fire management team from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has been deployed to assist in combating the wildfires raging across California. Fire managers in southern California requested additional resources yesterday as dry conditions and strong winds continue to fuel the fires. “We’ve been anticipating that California may call on our skilled ODNR wildfire response team, so we were prepared and ready to answer the call for help,” said Governor DeWine. “I commend the members of our brave crew who are leaving their loved ones in order to support their counterparts on the West Coast.” The ODNR wildfire response team, part of the agency’s Division of Forestry, departed Columbus today for Beaumont, California, where they will receive further assignment details.

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New wildfire breaks out north of Los Angeles, forces evacuations

By David Swanson and Daniel Trotta
Reuters
January 23, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

CASTAIC, California – A new wildfire that broke out north of Los Angeles on Wednesday rapidly spread to more than 9,400 acres, fueled by strong winds and dry brush, forcing mandatory evacuation orders for more than 31,000 people. The Hughes fire, about 50 miles north of Los Angeles, sent huge flames and plumes of smoke over a hilly area and further taxed firefighters who have managed to bring two major fires in the metropolitan area largely under control. In just a few hours on Wednesday, the new fire grew to two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire. The affected area was not as populated as those blazes, said a spokesperson for the firefighters, Matthew Van Hagen. “It’s more sparsely populated. However, we are dealing with high winds, which we also saw with the other fires, along with … a very receptive fuel bed and steep topography again,” he said.

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Containment of Arizona’s Horton Fire approaches 100%

KTAR News
January 17, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

PHOENIX — Containment of the Horton Fire northeast of Payson is nearing 100%, according to authorities. The Arizona wildfire consumed 8,346 acres of National Forest Service land before progress was stopped. Containment was up to 94% as of Friday’s incident report. Crews completed containment efforts along State Route 260 on Thursday, officials said. The remaining focus is on further securing containment, conducting mop up work and assessing the damage. However, the initial assessment from the Burned Area Emergency Response team indicates minimal damage to the soil structure and fine roots within the soil. …The Horton Fire is classified as human-caused, but the exact source remains under investigation. It started Dec. 14 in the area of Promontory Point in Tonto National Forest, about 17 miles from Payson, and spread into Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest land. The initial activity was within steep and rugged terrain on the Mogollon Rim, making it difficult for firefighters to access.

Additional coverage in Payson Roundup by Peter Aleshire: Dry winter already setting records in Arizona

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Finally ‘a much needed break’ for wildfire weather concerns in LA

By Thao Nguyen, Chris Cann, Trevor Hughes & John Bacon
USA Today
January 16, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

PACIFIC PALISADES, California − Firefighters were progressing in their battle against two massive wildfires as winds eased early Thursday, bringing a respite to frustrated and beleaguered residents across Los Angeles County who have been on edge for over a week. All “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warnings largely expired by Wednesday night without causing any significant fire growth, according to the National Weather Service. But dry conditions and locally gusty winds were forecast to linger into Thursday − particularly in the mountains, the weather service warned. According to the weather services, temperatures were also expected to drop five to 10 degrees below normal for the remainder of the week, and Friday is predicted to be the coldest. “Good news,” the weather service’s Los Angeles office said. “Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected.”

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‘Heartbreaking’: West Kelowna fire chief, Minister of Forestry on L.A. fires

By Jacqueline Gelineau
Victoria News
January 15, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Jason Brolund

Fire crews from the BC Wildfire Service are now on the ground in Los Angeles, helping to battle the blaze that has destroyed thousands of homes and claimed the lives of at least 25 people. “The hearts of all British Columbians are with California. It is heartbreaking to watch,” said Minister of Forests in B.C. Ravi Parmar. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reached out directly to the BC Wildfire Service for aid after the fires, which sparked on Jan. 7, began to burn out of control. …Currently, a team of 12 highly trained technical specialists are working as a senior management team and 22 BCWS ground crew members from across the province in L.A. “We will be watching and are here and ready to support if they need any additional aid. We know too well the challenges of wildfires and when we needed help, California was there for us,” said Minister Parmar.

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‘Water away’: Coulson Aviation releases cockpit video dropping water on Palisades fire

By Laura Brougham
Chek News
January 14, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, United States, US West

CALIFORNIA — Coulson Aviation crews remain in Los Angeles, helping battle the devastating Palisades fire, and a new video offers a unique look behind the scenes of their firefighting operations. The Port Alberni-based company released a video showing three angles as their crew approaches the fire, ready to dump water on the blaze. One angle looks backwards behind the helicopter, one is shot from behind the pilots heads, while the third is mounted below the helicopter and starts pointing forward then turns to face back. …Coulson Aviation was among the first Canadian crews that responded to the Palisades wildfires in Los Angeles. On Jan. 7, the company shared that it was in Los Angeles helping respond to the fire. Crews from B.C. have been sent to help fight the fire, joining crews from across Canada including Quebec and Alberta.

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How big are the L.A. fires? Putting the devastation in visual context

By Graeme Bruce
CBC News
January 14, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Foreboding weather forecasts keep tensions high in Los Angeles as one of North America’s largest cities battles wildfires that have already claimed at least two dozen lives and thousands of homes. Here are some data points that put into context the peril the city is in. The most destructive fires in California history — and how they compare to Canada’s largest wildfire: Palisades and Eaton fires are already among the most destructive in California’s history, scorching more than 10,000 structures in just a matter of days. With persistent winds in the forecast, those numbers could climb even higher. For context, Canada’s most devastating wildfire — in Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2016—destroyed an estimated 2,400 structures.

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What to know about the devastation from the Los Angeles-area fires

AP News
January 14, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US West

Fires burning homes and businesses in Los Angeles for a week have killed at least 24 people, displaced thousands of others and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings in what might be the most expensive conflagrations in the nation’s history. The blazes started Jan. 7, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds that have posed problems for the large forces of firefighters deployed across several areas of the sprawling city. Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have consumed about 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fires. They could be the nation’s costliest ever.

Related coverage:

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Teen charged with arson over huge New Jersey wildfire

By Marina Dunbar
The Guardian
April 24, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

A New Jersey teenager is being charged with arson following a fast-moving fire in the Pine Barrens that has grown to more than 20 sq miles and is expected to continue for several more days. Ocean county prosecutors announced on Thursday that Joseph Kling, 19, of Ocean Township has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with the wildfire. The blaze began in Waretown on Tuesday and has continued to spread throughout the southern Ocean county area in New Jersey. An investigation conducted by the Ocean county prosecutor’s arson squad, along with the state’s forest fire service and county fire marshal’s office traced the origin of the fire by using global positioning system (GPS). The fire was determined to have been caused by an improperly extinguished bonfire, according to a press release from the prosecutor’s office.

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Evacuation orders lifted and portion of Garden State Parkway reopens as crews battle New Jersey wildfire

By Taylor Romine, Taylor Ward and Mary Gilbert
CNN
April 23, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East

Weather conditions are improving Wednesday as firefighters continue to battle a still-growing wildfire that has burned at least 13,250 acres in southern New Jersey since it ignited on Tuesday, prompting about 5,000 evacuations and briefly shut down part of the Garden State Parkway. The fire started inside the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County Tuesday morning and was 50% contained as of Wednesday evening, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The cause is under investigation and a damage assessment is underway. …The fire is expected to grow even as firefighters make progress on containment. “This could very well end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years,” LaTourette said. Despite its large size, the fire destroyed a single commercial building in Ocean County and torched some nearby outbuildings and vehicles, but no homes were harmed, according to LaTourette.

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New Jersey Cut Back on Prescribed Burns in the Pine Barrens—and Faces a Wildfire That Charred Thousands of Acres

By Anna Mattson
Inside Climate News
April 23, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: US East

New Jersey has a million acres filled with towering pitch pines. …This week, a swath of the Pine Barrens went up in flames, a stark warning of what might be a treacherous fire season. About 11,500 acres were affected by a fire that started Tuesday morning in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area of Ocean County, New Jersey Forest Fire Service said midday Wednesday. The Garden State Parkway was shut down for miles as thick smoke wafted into neighborhoods and thousands of households and businesses were evacuated for hours and had power cuts. Social media updates from fire officials indicated 30 percent of the blaze was contained by Wednesday afternoon. Foresters had warned in March that New Jersey was particularly vulnerable to wildfires this year because of below average rains, near-drought conditions-–and a delay in prescribed burns by authorities that have typically helped to reduce risk.

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State of emergency declared as New Jersey wildfire explodes to 8,500 acres

By Jon Haworth and Mill Hutchinson
ABC News
April 23, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

A wildfire in New Jersey has exploded to over 8,500 acres after igniting Tuesday near Toms River and threatening more than 1,000 structures, shutting down a major highway and causing thousands of people to flee the flames. The Jones Road Wildfire was just 10% contained on Wednesday morning, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. “Smoke and everything was right in my backyard. Everything was covered in black ashes,” said Kelly Mendoza, one of the evacuees. Fanned by wind gusts and dry vegetation, the fire started in Ocean County around 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday and exploded overnight from a few hundred acres to 8,500, according to the Forest Fire. New Jersey Lt. Gov. Gov. Tahesha Way, who is serving as acting governor while Gov. Phil Murphy is out of the country, declared a state of emergency in Ocean County on Wednesday morning, freeing up resources to battle the blaze. 

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Wildfires rage on in North and South Carolina as more firefighters arrive

The Guardian
March 27, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

At least a half-dozen large wildfires continued to burn in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina and North Carolina on Thursday, leading to states of emergency and evacuations as firefighters deployed from other parts of the US to help bring the blazes under control. In North Carolina, progress was being made in containing two of the largest wildfires burning in the mountains, but officials warned that fire danger remained from dry and windy conditions. The news was worse in South Carolina, where two fires nearly doubled in size on Wednesday. Hundreds of people have been asked to leave their homes in the two states. Wednesday’s dry weather led to several new fires in western North Carolina and prompted the state’s governor, Josh Stein, to declare a state of emergency in 34 western counties. At least nine fires were active in that part of the state, officials said.

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Wildfires prompt evacuation in the Carolinas as New Jersey crews battle their own blaze

The Associated Press
March 23, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Wildfires forced a mandatory evacuation Sunday in a North Carolina county still recovering from Hurricane Helene, and South Carolina’s governor declared an emergency in response to a growing wildfire in that state. Hundreds of miles north, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was battling a blaze in the Wharton State Forest. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety announced a mandatory evacuation starting at 8:20 p.m. Saturday for parts of Polk County in western North Carolina about 80 miles west of Charlotte. A shelter had been established in Columbus, North Carolina. …Also this weekend, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been battling a wildfire that broke out in the Wharton State Forest on Saturday. The fire had consumed about 2.7 square miles as of early Sunday morning and was about 50% contained, according to an 8 a.m. update.

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Texas wildfire prompts evacuations as Arkansas and Florida also battle blazes

By Jim Vertuno, Freida Frisaro and Andrew Demillo
Associated Press
March 20, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

AUSTIN, Texas — Wildfires fueled by dry conditions and gusting winds burned in a few Southern states Thursday, forcing evacuations in Texas and prompting Florida officials to close part of a major highway with spring break in high gear. A wildfire in Sam Houston National Forest near Houston prompted the evacuation of about 900 homes and closed schools. The National Weather Service issued elevated fire warnings around the nation’s fourth-largest city. The fire burned about 3.7 square miles (9.6 square kilometers) and was only about 20% contained Thursday afternoon as firefighters used water-carrying helicopters to douse hot spots and bulldozers to dig containment lines, the Texas A&M Forest Service said. Investigators believed the fire was started Wednesday by what was supposed to be a controlled burn on private property, said Josh Mizrany, assistant chief law enforcement officer with the Texas A&M Forest Service.

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Dozens of wildfires burn across Missouri, Kansas as fire danger continues this week

By Delaney Eyermann
Fox News 4
March 17, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An extreme fire danger continues to affect all counties across Kansas this week, and Missouri is also under a high fire danger this week. In Missouri, there were more than 40 wildfires burning across the state as of Monday morning. In Kansas, there were four — one burning across 1,500 acres east of Winfield and another spanning 1,200 acres west of Dover. “This week brings continued high fire danger across the state,” the Forest Service said. “Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of fire season.” In preparation for the fire danger this week, the Forest Service said it’s coordinated with the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact to bring in reinforcements from out of state — including Wyoming and Utah.

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Lighter winds help crews fighting wildfires in South and North Carolina

By Erik Verduzco
Associated Press in The Times and Democrat
March 3, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.  — Lighter winds Monday helped crews in South Carolina and North Carolina battle wildfires that caused evacuations and threatened hundreds of homes over the weekend. Hundreds of firefighters from across South Carolina managed to keep a large blaze in Horry County near Myrtle Beach from destroying any homes despite social media videos of orange skies at night and flames engulfing pine trees just yards away. Volunteers distributed cases of water and food to firefighters working long hours protecting homes and other structures. …The fire burned 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers) and was about 30% contained as of Monday evening, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. The department deployed drones as well as ground crews to respond to flare-up fires, reinforce break lines and set up portable sprinkler systems.

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Georgia Forestry Commission responded to 137 wildfires across almost 2,400 acres Saturday

By Jonathan Raymond
11Alive.com
March 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

ATLANTA — The Georgia Forestry Commission said Sunday that a day earlier, amid high-risk conditions across much of the state, that it responded to more than 130 wildfires burning across nearly 2,400 acres. There was a Red Flag Warning in place on Saturday, as dry air and high winds combined for dangerous wildfire conditions. The Georgia Forestry Commission meanwhile said it responded to 137 wildfires, which collectively burned 2,390 acres. “Conditions for today are better than yesterday, but we still need you to please be cautious with anything that may start fires outdoors,” the commission said. A special weather statement from the National Weather Service — not rising to the level of a warning, but still notable — also said there were high fire danger conditions on Sunday.

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Wildfires ravage forests in North and South Carolina

The Associated Press in the Altoona Mirror
March 3, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty winds and evacuations were ordered in some areas. The National Weather Service warned of increased fire danger in the region due to a combination of critically dry fuels and very low relative humidity. In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency on Sunday to support the wildfire response effort, and a statewide burning ban remained in effect. Crews worked to contain a fire in the Carolina Forest area west of the coastal resort city of Myrtle Beach, where residents were ordered to evacuate several neighborhoods, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. The South Carolina Forestry Commission estimated Sunday afternoon that the blaze was burning about 1.9 square miles with zero percent containment. No structures had succumbed to the blaze and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday morning, officials said.

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Evacuations lifted for western N.C. community as wildfires burn

By Charles Duncan
Spectrum Local News
January 30, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: United States, US East

OLD FORT, N.C. — Evacuations lifted Thursday morning for residents in a McDowell County community as firefighters make progress to contain a wildfire. The fire spread quickly in Crooked Creek Wednesday with high winds and dry conditions, officials said. The evacuation order that went into place Wednesday lifted at 8 a.m. Thursday, and officials said residents may safely return to their homes. As of Thursday morning, the Crooked Creek Fire burned more than 250 acres and was 55% contained. …Two other wildfires broke out in the county Wednesday afternoon. …”Gusty winds are pushing this fire making it difficult to control,” county officials said in an alert to residents Wednesday. “Do not risk  your life. Evacuate now and move to safety.”

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North Gyeongsang wildfire damage total doubles initial estimates, authorities say

By Jung Si-Nae
Korea JoongAng Daily
April 17, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

The scale of forest damage caused by recent wildfires in North Gyeongsang is nearly double the amount initially estimated by the Korea Forest Service, according to multiple local governments and authorities on Thursday. A joint investigation conducted by government agencies, including the Korea Forest Service, found that the wildfires that swept across five cities and counties in North Gyeongsang burned close to 90,000 hectares (222,395 acres) of forest. This is a significant increase from the 45,157 hectares that the Korea Forest Service previously announced as the affected area after fire suppression efforts concluded. The actual damage is twice the originally reported figure and nearly four times greater than the forest damage caused by the East Coast wildfires in 2000, which had been considered the worst in the country’s history until the recent disaster.

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How South Korea’s largest and deadliest wildfire spread

By Heejung Jung and Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa
Reuters
April 9, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

The wildfires in North Gyeongsang province began in Uiseong county before spreading 70 km (44 miles) east, to devastate an area equivalent to about two-thirds of the island of Singapore and much larger than the Los Angeles fires in January. “Strong, dry winds blew from the west. The wind had the biggest impact,” said Lim Sang-seop, the minister of the Korea Forest Service, adding that smoke and fog reduced visibility this week, presenting a bigger challenge to helicopters seeking to douse the flames. Experts have said the spread of the Uiseong fire was extremely unusual in terms of scale and speed, while climate change is expected to make wildfires more frequent and deadly globally.

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Crews ‘on their knees’ as fire rages for third day

By Charlie Buckland
BBC News
April 8, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Firefighters have spent a third day battling a mountain blaze that has spread across an area the size of 4,000 football pitches. The cause of the wildfire in Cwm Rheidol, Ceredigion, remains unknown but the fire service in Aberystwyth said it was dealing with a high volume of calls. Emyr Jones, station commander at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said crews had been called to three different fire fronts on Tuesday afternoon, with a helicopter and drones being used to tackle the flames. Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Rhodri Davies, councillor for Rheidol Valley, said the fire crew were “on their knees” and it was “very scary”. …Mr Jones said the situation with the mountain fires above Strata Florida near Tregaron was changing all the time and was challenging for crews due to the environment, travel and water supply.

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Firefighters tackle wildfire spreading over large forest area in Scotland

By Nadeem Badshah
The Guardian
April 5, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Firefighters are dealing with a wild blaze that has spread over a large area of forest in Scotland with police urging people to stay away from the area. Emergency services were called to Glentrool in Galloway, southern Scotland, at about 11.50pm on Friday with fire crews still on the scene on Saturday afternoon. …Helicopters are being used in efforts to extinguish the flames which have also affected Merrick Hill, Ben Yellary and Loch Dee, police said. One appliance from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is at the scene. Another wildfire had been reported in around the same area on Thursday and covered about 1.5 miles (2.4km). …This year has seen 286 wildfires hit the UK, according to the NFCC, more than 100 above the number recorded in the same period in 2022, a year that had record-breaking temperatures and unprecedented wildfire activity.

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Ecosystem could take century to recover from devastation of wildfires

By Lee Si-jin
The Korea Herald
March 31, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

The deadly wildfires in southeastern South Korea have been brought under control, but it could take 100 years for the ecosystem in the area affected by the wildfires to recover, according to forestry researchers. Multiple reports on large wildfires — including a March 2025 report by the National Institute of Forest Science — emphasize that it requires over 30 years for structural recovery and up to 100 years for full ecological stabilization. While the recovery varies by the type of living organisms — ranging from fish, marine invertebrates to insects, trees require decades to regrow and forest animals depend on sufficient habitat recovery. Soil restoration takes longer due to complex ecological processes… Meanwhile, the North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency conducted its first on-site joint investigation in a wooded area in Goesan-ri, Anpyeong-myeon, Uiseong-gun.

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Wildfires extinguished after 213 hours, at least 30 killed

By Jung Da-hyun
The Korea Times
March 30, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Police began investigating a 56-year-old man on suspicion of igniting the wildfires that ravaged southeastern Korea over the past 10 days, leaving 30 dead and burning up vast stretches of land. According to the police on Sunday, the suspect allegedly started the fire around 11:24 a.m. on March 22 while conducting an ancestral rite at a family grave on a hill in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province. He has been accused of violating the Forest Protection Act. The flames quickly spread from Uiseong to nearby areas including Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok in the province. The fire continued to rage for days, making it the most destructive in the country’s history. The suspect denied the allegations against him, according to police.

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Rain and cooler weather help South Korean fire crews battle devastating wildfires

By Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung
Associated Press
March 27, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

SEOUL, South Korea — Rain and cooler temperatures are helping South Korean fire crews as they battle the country’s worst-ever wildfires on Friday, as the governor of the hardest-hit region called for overhauling response strategies to respond to the climate crisis that he says worsened the disaster. The wildfires, which have killed 28 people and razed vast swaths of land in the southeast in the last week, were 85% contained as of Friday morning, Korea Forest Service chief Lim Sang-seop told a televised briefing. He said authorities will launch “all-out efforts” to extinguish the remaining blazes by bringing more helicopters and fire fighters to the areas. The raging inferno has also destroyed thousands of houses, factories, vehicles and other structures, while mountains and hills were stripped of anything but a carpet of smoldering ashes. …The wildfires have burned 47,860 hectares (118,265 acres) of land, forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes and injured 37 others since last Friday. 

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At least 24 dead as wildfires ravage southern South Korea and force 27,000 to evacuate

By Kim Tong-hyung & Hyung-jin Kim
Asociated Press in the Canadian Press
March 26, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

SEOUL, South Korea — Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever have ravaged the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 residents to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.  The death toll included a pilot who died after a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a blaze in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the hardest-hit areas. The aircraft had no other crew members. Police said that most of the dead are those in their 60s and 70s. …In a televised address, South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo said the wildfires that began last Friday were worse than many previous ones.  Han said crews struggled to extinguish the wildfires because strong winds swept the areas overnight. He also said about 4,650 firefighters, soldiers and other personnel were working Wednesday with the help of about 130 helicopters, adding that “a small amount” of 5-10 millimeters (0.1-0.3 inches) of rain was expected Thursday.

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Four dead and thousands under evacuation as wildfires engulf southeastern Korea

By Kim Gyu-hyun
Hankyoreh Media Group
March 24, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Forestry officials are struggling to put out large-scale wildfires that erupted throughout southeastern Korea over the weekend. The South Korean government declared states of disaster in South Gyeongsang and North Gyeongsang provinces and Ulsan in response. As of 8 pm on Sunday, the casualties from the wildfires stood at four deaths and six injuries. Over 2,000 residents were evacuated, with damage to 39 residences. A Level 3 wildfire response was in effect for the three regions of Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang, Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang, and Ulju County in Ulsan. …a total of 6,328 hectares of land had been burnt by the wildfires as of 4 pm on Sunday — the equivalent of 8,864 soccer pitches. …Three firefighters were trapped and lost their lives while attempting to extinguish the Sancheong fire, along with one guidance official. Another six were reportedly undergoing treatment for burns.

The Korea Times: Korea faces growing need to prepare for wildfires amid climate crisis

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Largest wildfire in decades rages in Japan as authorities warn it could spread

By Justin McCurry
The Guardian
March 4, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

Authorities in Japan have warned that the country’s biggest wildfire in decades is likely to spread, after it damaged dozens of homes and forced more than 1,000 people to flee. Fires continued to rage a week after they broke out in the city of Ofunato, on the north-east coast, with weather officials speculating that this year’s unusually dry winter and strong winds were to blame. As of Monday, the fire had spread through about 2,100 hectares of land, damaged 84 homes and forced 1,200 residents to take refuge in school gymnasiums and other shelters. A further 2,000 are staying with friends or relatives. …More than 2,000 self-defence force [SDF] troops and firefighters have struggled to control the flames as they spread through heavily forested mountainous areas bordering Ofunato, which was among communities destroyed in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

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1 dead, over 80 homes lost as wildfire spreads in northeast Japan

Kyodo News
February 27, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: International

MORIOKA, JAPAN — One person has died, and more than 80 homes appear to have burned down after a wildfire broke out in a northeastern Japan city, local authorities said Thursday, as the region faced its third fire in about a week. Since Wednesday, the blaze has scorched more than 600 hectares in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, the municipal government said. With the fire still spreading, about 3,300 residents have been ordered to evacuate. Firefighters battled the blaze through the night, while helicopters were deployed in the morning to contain it from the air. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency requested emergency support from firefighting departments in eight nearby prefectures, and they sent about 690 personnel combined. …Efforts to contain the blaze Wednesday were carried out at ground level as the strong winds precluded waterbombing by helicopters. When the latest fire broke out, strong wind and dry air warnings were in place in the area.

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