California Firefighters Contain 40% of Biggest Fire of Year
The Madre Fire was 40% contained after burning through 80,480 acres of a wilderness area in central California, according to a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. The blaze destroyed one structure, injured a firefighter and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for small communities in San Luis Obispo County.
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CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Steamy, but less stormy Tuesday across Maryland
Powerful storms from Monday have moved out to sea. In their wake we'll see a warm and muggy day ahead. Enjoy the break while it lasts, more storms are possible Wednesday. Steamy, but less stormy in Maryland Tuesday Humidity levels will remain at the top of the scale today, but we're looking at drier weather compared to Monday. Any storms this afternoon should be rather sparse and they won't have the momentum of Monday's storms. Most of us will see a partly sunny sky along with plenty of heat and humidity. High temperatures will reach in the middle to upper 80s, but feels like temperatures will top out in the middle to upper 90s. The UV index today will be a 10, so apply sunscreen generously and wear sun protection. Heavy thunderstorms return to Maryland Wednesday Wednesday will also feature a good deal of heat and humidity. High temperatures will climb close to 90°. Feels like temperatures will climb close to 100°. The weather looks quiet Wednesday morning, so if you have any outdoor work or activities, you'll want to get them done earlier in the day. Wednesday afternoon and evening could turn busy as clusters of showers and heavy thunderstorms form as a disturbance approaches from the west. Similar to Monday, multiple batches of storms may form along the Bay breeze boundary combined with the disturbance approaching from the west. Since the air will be so muggy, any storm could bring torrential downpours and pockets of flooding. Right now the WJZ First Alert Weather Team has not issued an Alert Day for Wednesday, but if new information trends stormier, we'll potentially need to issue one. Intense heat and humidity across Maryland Thursday Thursday will be the hottest day of the upcoming week with high temperatures climbing into the middle 90s. Factor in the very high levels of humidity and heat index values will climb to values between 100° and 105°. The city of Baltimore will likely need to open some cooling centers due to this extreme heat. Unlike Wednesday, thunderstorms will be the exception and not the rule. Thursday looks mainly dry. Heat then strong storms Friday afternoon and evening Friday will be another hot day with high temperatures climbing close to 90°. A slow-moving cold front will approach Friday afternoon and evening sparking off clusters of strong to possibly severe storms. The weather team has tagged Friday as a possible First Alert Weather Day for the potential of severe storms with damaging winds and flooding downpours. The timeline of the strongest storms looks like 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. Sun and storms this weekend across Maryland Saturday will be the better outdoor weather day this weekend across Maryland. Humidity levels will be slightly lower with dry weather expected. Most of the state should see partly to mostly sunny skies with highs in the upper 80s. The only exception may be southern Maryland with a few isolated storms. Sunday will also be hot and muggy, but thunderstorms become a concern later in the day into the evening. Given the tropical humidity, we'll need to monitor these storms for the threat of torrential downpours, lightning, and gusty winds.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
National Park Service's handling of wildfire that destroyed historic Grand Canyon Lodge questioned
Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. — A wildfire that tore through a historic Grand Canyon lodge and raged out of control Monday had been allowed to burn for days before erupting over the weekend, raising scrutiny over the National Park Service's decision not to aggressively attack the fire right away. The wildfire along the canyon's more isolated North Rim, where most visitors don't venture, was burning quickly with no containment, fire officials said. No injuries had been reported, but more than 70 structures were lost, including a visitors center and several cabins. At first, the fire didn't raise alarms after igniting from a lightning strike on July 4. Four days later, the Park Service said the fire was being allowed to burn to benefit the land and fire crews who were keeping close watch. "There are no threats to infrastructure or public safety at this time," the park said on Facebook. Then three days later, on Friday, fire officials and the park service sent out warnings to "evacuate immediately" as the fire grew by nearly eight times within a day to more than 1.4 square miles. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs called for a federal investigation into the park service's handling of the fire. "The federal government chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer," the governor said in a social media post Sunday. She will be meeting with leadership in the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior soon to learn more about the decisions made in managing the wildfire, Hobbs' spokesperson Christian Slater said in an email. Authorities first used a "confine and contain" strategy but shifted to aggressive suppression as the fire - one of two that firefighters are dealing with on the North Rim - rapidly grew because of hot temperatures, low humidity and strong wind gusts, fire officials said. The Associated Press left phone and email messages Monday with a park service spokesperson seeking comment about how the fire was managed. The fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging inside the park's North Rim, along with employee housing and a wastewater treatment plant, park Superintendent Ed Keable said Sunday. Park officials have closed access for the rest of the year to the North Rim, a less popular area that draws only about 10% of the Grand Canyon's millions of annual visitors. Hikers in the area were evacuated and rafters on the Colorado River, which snakes through the canyon, were told to bypass Phantom Ranch, an outpost of cabins and dormitories. Trails to the area from the canyon's North and South rims also were closed. From the air, plumes of black smoke could be seen rising above the canyon walls and haze filled parts of the park. From the park's South Rim, visitors took pictures on Monday of the smoke blanketing the canyon in the distance. The fire flared up Saturday night, fueled by high winds. Firefighters managed to make progress, using aerial fire retardant drops near the lodge before they had to pull back because of a chlorine gas leak at the water treatment plant, the park service said. Hikers also were evacuated over concern that the poisonous, heavier-than-air gas could sink downhill, into the canyon. "Arizona lost more than a historic lodge, it lost a piece of our state history," said Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego in a message posted on social media. Gallego and fellow Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly ben Gallego sent a letter Monday to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum asking among other things how the administration planned to track wildfire decision-making under a recent executive order to consolidate federal firefighting forces into a single program. Across the West, about three dozen fires were burning uncontained and another 80 fires were being managed to clear out vegetation that has clogged the landscape, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. So far this year, nearly 2.5 million acres have burned. That's slightly below the 10-year average, the center said Monday. Along the Grand Canyon's North Rim, the Dragon Bravo Fire that destroyed the lodge and other buildings spread to nearly 9 square miles Monday. The White Sage Fire also grew significantly and have charred 77 square miles of terrain with no containment. Officials reported progress in battling the fire. The fires came three years after two errant prescribed fires conducted by the U.S. Forest Service sparked the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, which burned more than 530 square miles of the Rocky Mountain foothills and destroyed hundreds of homes. The Grand Canyon Lodge, known for its huge ponderosa beams, massive limestone facade and a bronze statue of a donkey named "Brighty the Burro," was perched on the edge of the North Rim and offered sweeping views of the canyon. "It was like you're looking at this movie all the time," said Erik Ammerlann, who lived in Arizona for most of his adult life and stayed at the lodge nearly 10 years ago. "You're really just one with nature." Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said all employees and guests were safely evacuated. An original lodge burned down from a kitchen fire in 1932, four years after construction was completed, according to the Grand Canyon Historical Society. The redesigned lodge using the original stonework opened in 1937. Wildfire
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Three wildfires burn in single evening in London
More than 200 firefighters tackled three separate grass fires in east London on Monday evening. Some residents in Dagenham were asked to temporarily leave their homes after eight hectares (20 acres) of grass, shrubland and trees, fences and garden furniture caught alight near Beam Parklands. Wildfire beaters were later used to tackle flames that destroyed an area of grassland near Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, while firefighters brought a third fire under control at Walthamstow Marshes. The flames have been put out and the cause of the fires is under investigation, as London Fire Brigade (LFB) warns it could be a "challenging summer" due to warm and dry weather conditions. About 125 firefighters tackled the largest blaze in Dagenham, which came close to reaching neighbouring houses. Station commander Matt Hayward said: "Firefighters worked extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby properties. "The fire had reached some garden fences, sheds and garden furniture." Jets and wildfire beaters were used to stop flames reaching the properties, Mr Hayward said. LFB added that fire breaks installed by the local authority had been important in preventing the fire spreading to residential areas. The brigade said that while three such fires in one evening had been "a lot" for firefighters, it was not unheard of and that crews were preparing for more blazes like these. "All of our firefighters have been undergoing enhanced wildfire response training in preparation for what could be another challenging summer," LFB said. It has urged Londoners to act "responsibly" to prevent further fires. "As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly," an LFB spokesperson said. "In London, this is can be dangerous because so many of our green spaces lie close to homes and other properties." In particular, people are being reminded not to use disposable barbecues in parks or fields nor to use them on wooden decking in private areas. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Homes evacuated as grassfire tackled in Dagenham London Fire Brigade
