Latest news with #wildlandfirefighters
CBC
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
More wildland firefighters needed in Manitoba: grand chief
The grand chief of Anisininew Okimawin — a coalition of First Nations from northeastern Manitoba's Island Lake area, which has been largely evacuated due to wildfires — says more wildland firefighters will be needed in future years. But with fire rangers in the province among the lowest-paid in Canada, recruitment could be difficult, a union leader warns.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
New State Laws To Protect People, Pets In Wildfires, Extreme Weather
A brush fire threatens a neighborhood. From Washington to Utah and Florida, several state governors enacted laws this year to better prepare for wildfires and extreme weather to safeguard residents and even their pets amid a changing U.S. climate that is hotter, drier and more volatile. 'Wildfire activity is picking up nationwide,' reported the National Interagency Fire Center on June 24. 'Several geographic areas in the U.S. are seeing hot, dry conditions and dry fuels, increasing the potential for new ignitions and large fire growth. Rapid response remains key to protecting lives, property and natural resources.' That day there were nearly 6,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel dealing with 29 large uncontained and 32 managed fires burning throughout the nation. As of June 24, the center noted fires had burned over 1.64 million acres in the United States this year. The U.S. sustained 64,897 wildfires last year, up 15% from 2023. The number of acres burnt last year by wildfires jumped 231% to 8.92 acres from the 2.69 acres charred in 2023. Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics Annual Report, 2024. (Large fires burn at least 100 acres in ... More timber fuel models and 300 acres in grass fuel models.) 'In 2024, the reported number of wildfires and acres burned nationwide was noticeably higher than the five and 10-year averages. Seven out of the 10 geographic areas saw above average numbers of wildfires and acres burned. The Southern Area had the highest number of wildfires, while the Northwest Area had the most acres burned,' stated the NICC 'Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics Annual Report, 2024.' Wildfires last year destroyed 4,552 buildings (2,406 homes, 2,066 minor structures and 80 commercial/mixed residential buildings). Most buildings (32%) destroyed were in the Southwest. Flames from the Palisades Fire burns a home during a powerful windstorm in the Pacific Palisades ... More neighborhood of Los Angeles. In Colorado on March 31, Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 25-1009 in a vegetative fuel mitigation law. This new law enables a fire department to create a program to remove dead or dry plants that can catch fire on private property . The new law contains numerous details about requirements regarding notices to those who own or occupy the private property with the problematic vegetation. It also addresses compliance and fines for violations. The legislation was introduced this year because Colorado has been experiencing long and severe wildfire seasons that present year-round threats to some communities. Removing problematic dry plant material is to create areas around homes where firefighters can more easily maintain defenses to protect property threatened by fire. The new law cited a Colorado State Forest Service guide to better protect homes from wildfires. It is called 'The Home Ignition Zone'. The guide describes how people can create three rings around buildings to remove/reduce fire hazards such as vegetation that could fuel flames. On April 10 the governor signed Senate Bill 25-015 requiring the state's Wildfire Information Resource Center (under the Colorado Department of Public Safety) to include hyperlinks on its website that connect to other information resources. These hyperlinks are to provide public emergency information and wildfire updates for each the 64 counties in Colorado. In neighboring New Mexico on April 7, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham enacted Senate Bill 33 called the 'Wildfire Prepared Act.' The new law mandates that the state fire planning task force develops standards to create defensible zones around buildings to better withstand wildfires the new law also supports technical assistance training and support for local governments to be better prepared for wildfires. Melanie Kenderdine, state secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, issued a statement in March saying, 'The 2,500-plus structures lost to wildfires between 2022 and 2024 alone underscore the need for this critical legislation. It will give homeowners resources to make their properties safer and maintain insurance coverage, while, at the same time, helping to protect our neighborhoods and communities.' Firefighters prepare to go and fight a wildfire in 2017 outside Panguitch, Utah. To raise Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order in late April to create a wildfire management working group of state agency leaders to improve emergency response coordination with other government stakeholders. Among the group's duties were to identify areas facing the highest risks for wildfires and mitigation recommendations. 'When it comes to wildfires, the unexpected has become the new normal,' Jamie Barnes, state forester and director of the forestry, fire and state lands division, noted then in a press statement. 'Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our planning efforts can help reduce risks to watersheds and landscapes across the state – and strengthen our overall wildfire preparedness.' A volunteer takes care of pets in a makeshift shelter in a school in St. Augustine, Fla. before a ... More hurricane. On July 27 a new Washington law takes effect to accommodate pets in shelters during an emergencies or extreme weather events. House Bill 1201 noted that one of the most pressing issues in whether a person decides to evacuate from their home is worrying about being able to find shelter for their pets. 'Companion animal owners may refuse evacuation, attempt to reenter evacuated sites to rescue their companion animals, and experience grief, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder due to separation from their companion animal during an emergency,' the bill stated. 'The legislature further finds that gaps in public preparedness and cosheltering opportunities during a disaster or extreme weather event increase the risk to public health and safety.' The bill noted that the state lawmakers created legislation to improve public preparedness and identify shelters for pets so that in a disaster or during extreme weather Washington residents don't have to choose between seeking safety elsewhere or staying with their pets at home. The Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the law April 21. It requires state jurisdictions to identify emergency emergency shelters that can take in pets. It also calls for agencies to have emergency preparedness plans that include shelters for companion animals. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) issued a media statement April 21 commending Ferguson and bill sponsor state Rep. Mari Leavitt (D) for the new law that takes effect July 1. 'Pets are family—and no one should have to leave theirs behind in a crisis,' said Rep. Leavitt. 'This law makes sure our emergency planning reflects the reality that so many people rely on their pets for comfort, protection, and connection,' Leavitt declared in a statement after the bill was signed. She noted the new law requires local emergency planners to identify shelters where people and pets can evacuate together include those shelters in official preparedness documents and publish that information online for people to be better prepared in emergencies. The ASPCA stated that 80% of people who prematurely reenter an evacuation site are trying to rescue their pets. 'Not only does this put the pet owners' life in danger, but it also endangers first responders, who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of the community. A lack of public preparedness, unclear state guidance, and low rate of pet-friendly emergency shelter facilities or co-shelters, where people can take and stay with or near their pets, all enhance these risks,' the ASPCA added. In contrast with the Washington law, Florida took steps to punish those who abandoned their pets during natural disasters an extreme weather events. Two men rescue a dog from floodwaters in North Carolina after a hurricane. In Florida on May 28, Gov. Ron DeSantis enacted legislation to outlaw abandoning a person from abandoning or leaving a dog restrained/or tied up during natural disasters. The law informally was called 'Trooper's Law.' It provides criminal penalties for tying up a dog outside to abandon it during a natural disaster. The legislation arose from a situation last October during Hurricane Milton when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper discovered a dog surrounded by rising storm water and tied to a fence off of Interstate 75. The dog was rescued, named Trooper and taken to the Tallahassee Humane Society where it was adopted. Effective Oct. 1, anyone who restrains a dog outside during a natural disaster and thus abandons it commits a third-degree punishable according to state law or fined up to $10,000, or both. 'Across Florida, we have seen horrifying instances of animal cruelty that demand a stronger response,' DeSantis stated May 28 after signing the Senate Bill 150 and noting he was 'proud' to enact Trooper's Law that day. 'Florida stands by man's best friend.' Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also ordered in late April the formation of the Wildfire An aerial view of homes destroyed by Friday's wildfire March 16, 2025 in Stillwater, Okla. Response Working Group after wildfires that started March 14 spread swiftly through seven counties—killing 4 people, injuring 200 injured and destroying 515 homes and businesses. His request came after a preliminary report identified 'critical failures and urgent areas for improvement in the state's wildfire response,' the governor's office noted. Among the issues raised were: 'Wildfires will come; we can't always stop that. But we can control how we respond,' Stitt noted.
Fox News
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
As US braces for ‘significant' wildfires, Trump's agriculture secretary addresses Forest Service departures
The Trump administration is prepared for what could be a "significant fire season," despite thousands of Forest Service employees departing under Trump's deferred resignation offer, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. "It did not compromise and will not compromise at all, 1%, what needs to be done to make sure that we are ready," Rollins told Fox News Digital Friday. More than 4,000 U.S. Forest Service employees voluntarily resigned under buyouts offered by the Trump administration, according to a POLITICO report. Wildland firefighters were largely exempt from the buyouts and a federal hiring freeze, but blue state leaders say President Donald Trump's slash-and-burn approach cuts key support staff. "The reality is that Trump has decimated the U.S. Forest Service," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a May press conference. "Nearly every single Forest Service employee supports fire operations in some capacity." Many of the workers who departed held Red Cards, meaning they have special training to either fight fires or "provide essential frontline support to the firefighting crews," Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, said. But Rollins said the Biden administration wasted taxpayer funds on unsustainable and irresponsible hiring of people who "really had no job description." "That was in the — not hundreds — in the thousands of hirings that went on just in the Forest Service in the last administration," she said, adding that the service is becoming "more lean" but no less effective. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed a memo on May 20 signaling the Trump administration's wildfire response strategy. It calls for the elimination of barriers and "unnecessary procedures" to ensure a rapid response when wildfires threaten life and property. The memo also directs the Forest Service to examine the impact of "voluntary departures" on the firefighting workforce and propose a plan to "remedy critical vacancies." Non-fire staff should also be deployed to support frontline firefighters as wildfire activity increases, allowing for a "more robust and more intentional and more effective force as we move into this season," Rollins said. "But we are not going to waste taxpayer dollars the way that we've seen happen in the past," she said. Wildfires have already scorched more than one million acres across the country so far this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The center's outlook shows higher temperatures and drier conditions than typical across much of the West this summer. "Our prayer is that it won't actually happen, that it will be lighter than usual, but indicators are showing that it actually may be a heavy fire season," Rollins said. She added she's confident Americans will see "an unprecedented level of coordination" among federal, state and local governments as the summer progresses. "There is zero compromising [on] having the most prepared, most effective [firefighters]," Rollins said. "And we'll do everything possible to ensure that they have every tool they need to be successful this season."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hot, dry, windy WA weather raises wildfire danger concerns
The Brief The Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth has burned 64 acres and is 20% contained, with 200 personnel working to control it. Dry, hot conditions and high winds are raising concerns about an early and potentially severe wildfire season in Washington. Officials urge caution with campfires and outdoor burning, as 90% of wildfires are human-caused. LEAVENWORTH, Wash. - Wildland firefighters and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continue working to extinguish the Second Creek Fire, about eight miles north of Leavenworth. The DNR said the wildfire was first reported on the afternoon of May 26. As of Wednesday afternoon, the wildfire had burned an estimated 64 acres and was approximately 20 percent contained. "Crews have been making significant progress on the Second Creek Fire, and we're ready for what 'Mother Nature' may throw at us," said Ryan Rodruck, wildfire communications manager for DNR. Dry, hot temperatures on Wednesday were felt across Washington, and high winds were forecast for Thursday. The weather conditions raised concerns of wildfire danger on the east side of the state. "We are only at the end of May right now, and we're already seeing some of these extreme hot conditions," said Rodruck. The DNR said at least 200 personnel would be staffed on the ground and in the air for the Second Creek Fire on Wednesday to battle the flames in the hot weather conditions. Washington could see an above-average wildfire season, according to the DNR's early estimates. However, with the Second Creek Fire already burning, Rodruck said firefighters weren't expecting wildfires to spark so soon. "It is early in the season. We are experiencing hot, dry conditions. It is definitely early to see these sorts of fire starts," said Rodruck. "Hot, dry days can certainly exacerbate that fire behavior. We can see increased fire activity. We can see increased fire spread." Though the DNR said crews have resources to safely handle the Second Creek Fire, officials emphasized it is everyone's responsibility to prevent future fires from sparking. "Caution is absolutely warranted at this point. We need to start being careful with those campfires, being aware of what the burn restrictions are in the area you're recreating. And also be aware of what the burn restrictions are when it comes to outdoor burning," said Rodruck. The DNR said about 90 percent of wildfires are human-caused. Since it's an earlier, drier, hotter start to the wildfire season, Rodruck said people should act now by creating defensible space to protect their property from flames. "Make sure that your eaves are clear of pine needles. Make sure that you don't have any low-hanging branches that are over your property that could start a fire. Make sure all that flammable material is moved well away from any structures," said Rodruck. "It's incumbent upon all of us to make it as safe as possible both for our neighbors and for our firefighters." The Source Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. A religious group held a protest outside Seattle City Hall. Here's why LIVE: Updates on Seattle's Tuesday protest, arrests, more Crews battle Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth, WA 2 injured in separate Seattle shootings Teen, child killed in Lacey, WA mobile home fire Crews investigate explosion at Woodinville, WA hardware store College Inn Pub announces closure after 50 years in Seattle Dave's Hot Chicken to open 4 new locations in Seattle area. Here's where To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
CBC
06-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Yukon firefighter urges territory to expand cancer coverage for wildland firefighters
A Yukon wildland firefighter is urging the territory to extend presumptive cancer coverage for those in his industry. Currently, 19 types of cancer are covered for full-time, and part-time, volunteer firefighters under Yukon's Workers' Safety and Compensation Act — but wildland firefighters are not included. Alex MacPhail, a wildland firefighter based in Mayo, Yukon, said both wildland and municipal firefighters are exposed to toxic carcinogens for long periods of time throughout their careers. He also notes that most seasons, wildland firefighters can spend up to 16 hours a day battling fires. Multiply that over a five, 10, or 20-year career and it only makes sense to provide equal cancer coverage across the Yukon's fire service, he says. "You're out there in the woods on the fire line and obviously exposed to burning material pretty much at all times through the course of your job," said MacPhail. "That's not good for your health. We know it's not good for your cardiovascular health. It's not good for your lung health. We're not sure exactly where it lands on the cancer issue, but what we are sure is that we're being exposed continuously to carcinogenic compounds." The territorial government said it wants more information on the link between wildland firefighting in the Yukon and cancer. In the Legislative Assembly last month, Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn said Yukon wildland firefighters typically aren't fighting "urban interface fires" or structure fires involving synthetic materials like wildland firefighters do in other jurisdictions. He said that means they are exposed to different hazards. MacPhail agrees with Mostyn, but argues that in a large wildfire spanning thousands of hectares, it's hard to determine what is actually burning, and that structures could very well be there in the mix. "There is no guarantee that the only things that are burning out there are brush," MacPhail said. "And you can't really know that until you're actually on the fire, and in the fire grounds." CBC News requested an interview with Mostyn but was told he was unavailable to comment at that time. Opposition leaders have weighed in, however. Yukon NDP Leader Kate White put forward a motion in the Legislative Assembly last year to amend the Workers' Safety and Compensation Act to include wildland firefighters when it comes to presumptive cancer coverage. "The amendment itself is actually really easy," White said. "Right now there's a line within the legislation that singles out and excludes wildland firefighters, so you essentially get rid of that." White said there are many other jurisdictions across Canada and the world that have extended presumptive cancer coverage to wildland firefighters. She said it's time the territory follows suit. Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon also put forward a motion similar to White's last month, to amend the act. "The unions have made the case. The wildland firefighters have made their case, and many others have made that case. So I think that it's time this change be made," Dixon said.
