A fire is burning one of the world's tallest trees near the Oregon coast
The Doerner Fir, a coastal Douglas Fir tree over 325 feet (99 meters) tall and estimated to be over 450 years old, has been burning since Saturday in Coos County in Oregon's Coast Range. An infrared drone flight on Tuesday showed no active flames or smoke at the top of the tree, but it detected heat within a cavity in the tree trunk some 280 feet high, federal Bureau of Land Management spokesperson Megan Harper said.
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Toronto Star
7 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Summer celebrations meet closed beaches and warnings on US East Coast due to Hurricane Erin
RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — From Florida to New England, people trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast were met with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and in some cases already treacherous waves as Hurricane Erin inched closer Wednesday. While forecasters remain confident that the center of the monster storm will stay far offshore, the outer edges are expected to bring high winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents into Friday. But the biggest swells along the East Coast could come as early as Wednesday.
Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Summer celebrations meet closed beaches and warnings on US East Coast due to Hurricane Erin
RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — From Florida to New England, people trying to enjoy the last hurrahs of summer along the coast were met with rip-current warnings, closed beaches and in some cases already treacherous waves as Hurricane Erin inched closer Wednesday. While forecasters remain confident that the center of the monster storm will stay far offshore, the outer edges are expected to bring high winds, large swells and life-threatening rip currents into Friday. But the biggest swells along the East Coast could come as early as Wednesday. New York City closed its beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered three state beaches on Long Island to prohibit swimming through Thursday. Several New Jersey beaches also will be temporarily off-limits, while some towns in Delaware have cut off ocean access. Off Massachusetts, Nantucket Island could see waves of more than 10 feet (3 meters) later this week. But the biggest threat is along the barrier islands of North Carolina's Outer Banks, where evacuations have been ordered. Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome storm, with its tropical storm winds stretching 230 miles (370 kilometers) from its core. Forecasters expect it will grow larger in size as it moves through the Atlantic and curls north. On Tuesday it lashed the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended and residents were ordered to stay home, along with parts of the Bahamas before its expected turn toward Bermuda. Tropical storm watches were issued for Virginia and North Carolina as well as Bermuda. Erin lost some strength from previous days and was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (161 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was about 540 miles (870 kilometers) south-southeast of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras. On the Outer Banks, Erin's storm surge could swamp roads with waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters). Mandatory evacuations were ordered on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. More than 1,800 people had left Ocracoke by ferry since Monday. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein warned coastal residents to be prepared to evacuate and declared a state of emergency Tuesday. Bulldozers shored up the dunes, and trucks from the local power company on Ocracoke were on hand to respond to downed wires. Some side roads already saw some flooding on Hatteras, and the owners of a pier removed a few planks, hoping the storm surge would pass through without tearing it up. Most residents decided to stay even though memories are still fresh of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, when 7 feet (2.1 meters) of water swamped Ocracoke, county commissioner Randal Mathews said. Tom Newsom, who runs fishing charters on Hatteras, said has lived there almost 40 years and never evacuated. He was not going to this time either. Comparing this hurricane to others he has seen, he called this one a 'nor'easter on steroids.' The Outer Banks' thin stretch of low-lying barrier islands jutting into the Atlantic are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges. There are concerns that parts of the main highway could be washed out, leaving some routes impassible for days. And dozens of beach homes already worn down from chronic beach erosion and the loss of protective dunes could be at risk, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Farther south, no evacuations were ordered but some beach access points were closed with water levels up to 3 feet (1 meter) over normal high tides expected for several days. Climate scientists say Atlantic hurricanes are now much more likely to rapidly intensify into powerful and catastrophic storms fueled by warmer oceans. Two years ago Hurricane Lee grew with surprising speed while barreling offshore through the Atlantic, unleashing violent storms and rip currents. ___ Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press journalists Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina; Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia; Hallie Golden in Seattle; Leah Willingham in Boston; Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama; and Julie Walker in New York contributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dangerous heat descends on California and the Southwest, raising wildfire risk
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A dangerous heat wave descended on much of California and the U.S. Southwest, with triple-digit temperatures expected along with a higher risk of wildfires. Officials opened cooling centers this week in Los Angeles, where residents are warned to avoid strenuous outdoor activities. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered state firefighting resources deployed in areas where blazes could ignite. Here's what you need to know. Sizzling hot The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for Southern California starting Wednesday into the weekend. If outdoor activities can't be avoided, forecasters say, they should be moved to early morning hours. And everyone should hydrate. Downtown Los Angeles was forecast to reach 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius), while valleys to the north braced for temperatures as high as 108 F (42 C). It will be several degrees hotter in desert areas. Candice Catlett, who uses a wheelchair, rolled herself toward some shade as temperatures started spiking Tuesday in downtown LA. 'It's sizzling hot out here,' Catlett said. 'I have sunblock. Hopefully, I can find some cold water. I'm trying to stay out of the direct sun.' Further north, nearly-always-hot Death Valley could see a severe 120 F (49 C), the weather service said. In Arizona, the peak of the heat wave will hit Thursday and Friday, with the mercury possibly reaching 110 F (43 C) in the southern and western parts of the state. Similar temperatures were likely in Las Vegas. Fire risk Red flag warnings, signaling elevated wildfire danger, have been issued across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties until Saturday. 'If you live in a high fire danger area in the mountains or foothills, review your evacuation plans and route and stay tuned to your local emergency officials,' the weather service said in a statement. The state has sent 10 fire engines and multiple firefighting teams to LA County to assist local agencies if blazes break out. 'By prepositioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed,' said Nancy Ward, director of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. In the Sierra Nevada, higher than normal temperatures, low humidity and the possibility of lightning storms will contribute to the fire risk. California's largest blaze this year, the Gifford Fire, reached 95% containment Tuesday after charring nearly 206 square miles (534 square kilometers) of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties since erupting on Aug. 1. The cause is under investigation.
