Tag: wildfire
News in photos: Fast-moving wildfires tearing through California’s wine country
More than a dozen fast-moving wildfires tearing through California’s wine country have killed at least 10 people, destroying hundreds of homes, authorities said Monday. Fanned by winds of over 50 miles (80 kilometers) an hour, the blazes have forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate in the country’s heaviest populated state since they began Sunday night. California’s fire service said about 73,000 acres (30,000 hectares) have been ravaged by the major infernos. At least […]
Fire department stops wildfire spread in Los Angeles, continues to contain it
LOS ANGELES, USA (Reuters) — Fire officials said that they had effectively stopped the uncontrolled spread of a massive brush fire on the northern edge of Los Angeles on Monday, but were still working to contain it, according to local news sources. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the fire, dubbed the La Tuna Fire, which started in Los Angeles County on Friday and has rapidly burned thousands of acres of land. California Governor Jerry […]
Man arrested for causing wildfire in Northern California
BUTTE COUNTY, California (Reuters) — Authorities have arrested a 29-year-old man for causing a fast-moving wildfire that has destroyed 10 homes and forced the evacuation of some residents in Northern California, fire officials said on Wednesday (August 30). John Ballenger of the town of Oroville is accused of “recklessly” starting a campfire outside a designated area and allowing it to spread out of control, Cal Fire Butte County Chief Darren Read said in a statement. […]
Greek authorities battle massive wildfire in southern Athens
ATHENS, Greece (CCTV) — A wildfire broke out in the southern suburb of the Greek capital of Athens on Monday afternoon, prompting local authorities to dispatch dozens of firefighters to the scene. The blaze reportedly occurred around 18:00, about 13 kilometers from the Athens International Airport, and quickly spread through tinder-dry vegetation due to strong winds, which are blowing plumes of thick black smoke into the air. Around 70 firefighters, 30 fire trucks and five helicopters […]
Climate change will feed wildfires: experts
by Dominique Schroeder and Mariëtte Le Roux Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Out-of-control wildfires like the ones that brought destruction to southern Europe, North America and parts of South Africa in recent weeks will likely become more frequent as global temperatures soar under climate change, experts say. More than 10,000 people had to flee raging fires in southern France this week, and several villages were evacuated in Portugal just weeks after another blaze […]
Canada announces aid for evacuees as fires continue to blaze
KAMLOOPS, Canada (AFP) – As forest fires raged Wednesday in western Canada, the provincial government extended a state of emergency and announced aid for tens of thousands of people evacuated because of the disaster. Around 140 fires were burning in British Columbia on the Pacific coast, and more than half of them remained out of control, firefighting officials said. Four of those 140 — down from an earlier figure of 150 — are newly declared […]
Forest fires rage in sweltering California
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – Wildfires raged Sunday across much of California forcing hundreds to evacuate homes as the most populous US state sweltered in record heat. About 5,000 fire crew members were battling 14 large wildfires around the state, according to Cal Fire. Among the largest was the Alamo fire in San Luis Obispo county, about midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Fire there has burned 23,867 acres (96.59 square […]
Battling grass fires in California
CALIFORNIA, United States (Reuters) – Fire crews are battling a large grass fire on Thursday (July 6) in Solano County near Winters, California, NBC News reported. Roads in the area have been closed as authorities are trying to contain the flames. There are no early reports of injuries.
Firefighters battle Colorado mountain fire
COLORADO, United States (Reuters) – On Wednesday (July 5), Colorado firefighters battled a wildland fire between the towns of Breckenridge and Frisco. According to KUSA, authorities have begun to evacuate residents in Summit County. The fast-moving fire sent a large plume of smoke into the sky. Known for its winter ski resort and as the site of the National Repertory Orchestra, Breckenridge is home to many part-year residents who enjoy the area’s nature sites and […]
Major forest fire in southern Spain, over 1500 evacuated
MOGUER, Spain (Reuters) – Hundreds of firefighters worked through the night from Sunday (June 25) to Monday (June 26) to contain major forest fires in southern Spain that forced the evacuation of more than 1,500 people from homes, campsites and hotels. The blaze was spotted on Saturday night in the Moguer region near Huelva and was being treated as a level 1 – or maximum threat – by emergency services. Authorities on Monday said the […]
1,200 firefighters remain alert as wildfire contained in Portugal
LISBON, Portugal (Reuters) – Some 1,200 firefighters were mobilized on Thursday in the post-control and containment phase of firefighting operations in central Portugal, to avoid a repeat of the deadly forest fires that recently swept across the region, which killed 64 people and injured some 240 others. The devastating forest fires in Pedrogao Granda, some 150 kilometers northeast of the Portuguese capital city of Lisbon, that started on June 17 has now mostly been extinguished. […]
