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Miami Herald
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Miami Herald
Colorado wildfires: Crews bring largest fire under 34% containment as growth slows
DENVER - Fire crews working across western Colorado made more progress containing and slowing the growth of several wildfires Thursday. The largest fire of the bunch - the Turner Gulch Fire near Gateway - is now 34% contained, a sharp improvement from 9% reported Thursday morning. The wildfire's growth also slowed, increasing by 179 acres to 15,179 acres burned. The South Rim fire, near Montrose, increased only slightly, though it remains at 0% containment. The Sowbelly fire near Delta remained at 2,274 acres burned as of Friday morning, though a fire map of the blaze hasn't been updated since Thursday evening. Containment is also unchanged, at 16%. Crews also made progress containing the Utah side of the Deer Creek fire. Collectively, the fires have burned more than 23,000 acres in Colorado since they ignited last week. Another brush fire - the Cottonwood Flat fire - was reported Thursday afternoon, prompting evacuation orders for residents with a mile of 1800 County Road 309. The fire was burning on that county road, south of I-70 between Rulison and Parachute. The nearby Highway 6 was reopened late Thursday night, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office said. Turner Gulch fire and Wright Draw fire near Gateway Firefighters have made more progress in containing the state's largest wildfire, bringing the Turner Gulch blaze to 34% containment as of Friday morning, primarily on the fire's western edge. That's up from 9% Thursday morning. The fire has now burned 15,179 acres, a slower rate of growth than the 1,000 acres reported burned between Wednesday and Thursday. "Today was a good day," fire officials wrote on Facebook on Thursday night, adding that crews would spend the night "removing vegetation along the east side" of the fire. Still, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office on Thursday night issued a pre-evacuation notice for private land within the Uncompahgre National Forest from Forest Road 406 to 409. Officials have also launched an interactive evacuation map for the fires. To the west, the nearby Wright Draw fire held steady at 448 acres for the third consecutive day, albeit with 0% contained. The two fires are still burning around Highway 141, which is still closed between 7.40 Road and 16.10 Road at mile marker 124, according to the state Department of Transportation. Deer Creek fire near Paradox The wildfire burning near the Colorado-Utah border had burned 15,655 acres as of Friday morning, with 11% contained - up from 7% Thursday. The bulk of the blaze has burned in Utah, though more than 1,800 acres of Colorado land has been torched. In a Thursday night update, fire officials said on Facebook that increased cloud cover and humidity, plus light winds, helped calm the fire's behavior and contributed to additional containment on the fire's western edge. Friday's forecast called for "a range of possibilities," the officials wrote, with clouds and rain expected by mid-morning. Fire maps showed Thursday that the Deer Creek fire was burning on a section of Colorado more than 2 miles long and wide. South Rim fire near Montrose The 4,227-acre South Rim fire grew 48 acres Thursday, another day of slow growth for a fire that ignited by lightning strike last weekend. The fire, which is burning the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, is still at 0% containment as of Friday morning, according to fire maps. The national park remains closed to the public. None of the previously issued evacuation orders have been lifted, and several areas west, south and southeast of the fire - including the Bostwick Park area - remain under evacuation orders, according to the evacuation map. -------------- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
20-06-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Should irresponsible hikers be forced to pay for their rescue? This sheriff says yes
The number of rescues in the wilderness areas around Mt. St. Helens keep going up — and the actions of some of those before they call for help have drawn criticism as reckless. One man, 21, kayaked over a waterfall, suffering a spinal injury. A 54-year-old woman glissaded down Mt. St. Helens — sliding down a snow-covered slope — and suffered a head injury when she struck a rock. Each of those rescues in May, in a remote, mountainous county, required six-hour efforts. And one West Coast sheriff is now pondering sending the most egregious victims a bill. The idea would involve a new county ordinance where a person could be cited 'if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond,' according to the Sheriff's Office in Skamania County, the remote, sparsely populated county in Washington that is home to Mt. St. Helens. 'I need to find a creative way to deter the current behavior we are witnessing while attempting to recoup the financial burden placed on our county,' Sheriff Summer Scheyer said in a statement. 'This ordinance is still in the planning phase, but I believe it would be an added deterrent for those who take exceptional risks.' The number of search-and-rescue missions soared in May in Skamania County compared to the same month last year, the Sheriff's Office said, with a number of missions taking four to nine hours to complete the rescue. Skamania County isn't alone. In southern Utah, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced it was requiring permits for some of the most remote and challenging slot canyons, noting 'a significant increase in search and rescue operations.' Nationwide, the number of national park search-and-rescue operations is in the thousands — 3,308 in 2023 — which can entail anything from a child who is separated from their parents to a hiker who is lost in the backcountry. The idea of forcing irresponsible hikers to pay for their rescue has come up before. In New Hampshire, the state says people may be required to pay back the costs to rescue them. One way to avoid such charges is buying 'Hike Safe Cards' — $25 per person and $35 per family — that supports the state's search-and-rescue efforts. One recent rescue that gained attention involved a pair of hikers who had to be rescued after they hiked despite a forecast of rain, sleet and snow in the middle of January, went off a marked trail and feared they were hypothermic. Rescuers had to break a trail — for three-quarters of a mile in steep terrain — to get to the hikers. 'The pair were found to be inadequately prepared for the conditions that were forecasted,' the Fish and Game Department said in a news release, and neither had Hike Safe Cards. In 2013 in California, a massive search-and-rescue operation was launched in Orange County for two hikers, Nicolas Cendoya, 19, and Kyndall Jack, 18. They called for help after going on an Easter Sunday hike in Trabuco Canyon and became lost. The cellphone they used to make the call stopped working before authorities could identify their location. Cendoya was found three days later, shoeless and disoriented half a mile from their car, and Jack, the day after, in shoulder-high brush. After authorities found methamphetamine in the vehicle, which the pair had parked before the hike, some government officials called for the $160,000 rescue bill to be paid back. Cendoya pleaded guilty to one felony count of drug possession but was eligible for a drug-diversion program, which if completed successfully would mean he could have the case against him dismissed. Court records indicated the case was dismissed in 2015. A judge, however, denied the Orange County Fire Authority's request that the agency get back the $55,000 it spent on the search for the pair, saying the fire agency was not a victim of a crime and couldn't seek restitution. In response, California lawmakers changed the law to allow government officials to seek reimbursement for future rescues, with certain conditions. Signed into law in 2015, the law allows a county or city to seek reimbursement for the costs of a rescue if it required 'the use of extraordinary methods,' and 'was caused by an intentional act in knowing violation' of any law 'that resulted in a criminal conviction of that person for that act.' But a county can't collect if the person rescued can't afford to pay. The county also can't collect more than $12,000 unless the person rescued was convicted of a felony. Although Orange County did not recoup its costs, the hikers did face other legal action to hold them financially accountable. Jack was sued by a volunteer rescuer who was injured during the search, falling more than 100 feet, according to the rescuer's attorneys. The volunteer, who accused Jack of negligently putting rescuers in danger, received $100,000 as part of a legal settlement, paid from a homeowner's insurance policy held by Jack's mother. The rescuer's attorney said Cendoya also settled with the rescuer for an undisclosed amount of money. Some search-and-rescue organizations don't support the idea of charging people needing rescue. 'No one should ever be made to feel they must delay in notifying the proper authorities of a search or rescue incident out of fear of possible charges,' the Mountain Rescue Assn. says. In a position paper in 2009, the association said that most services that rescue people in the mountains in the U.S. 'are provided by teams of unpaid professional rescue mountaineers who give up their own time to participate in search and rescue activities.' 'The typical search and rescue mission is over within a matter of a few hours, and with the vast majority of the work performed by unpaid professional volunteers, the costs are generally very low,' Charley Shimanski, then the president of the Mountain Rescue Assn., said in a statement. 'It's true that teams are sometimes over-taxed, and that newcomers to the backcountry call 911 in questionable circumstances,' the Colorado Search and Rescue Assn. said. 'Yet we still don't believe charging for services is the answer. We know from experience that when people think they're going to be charged, they often delay calling, or even intentionally evade, rescuers.' Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cat who survived nearly 400-foot fall adopted by rescue pilot who saved her
A cat who survived a nearly 400-foot fall will live the rest of her nine lives with the woman who came to her rescue. As rescue crews searched a ravine at Bryce Canyon National Park for a couple that had fallen over a railing on April 29 they found something they didn't expect: a soft-sided pet carrier covered in dirt. At first, they thought it was just a backpack. But inside was the couple's 12-year-old tabby cat, who survived the 380-foot fall, according to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the animal rescue organization that took her in. The couple, Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, allegedly climbed over a railing at Inspiration Point, which is situated along a high plateau at the top of the park's Grand Staircase, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. The couple fell and were killed. MORE: 10-year-old rescue cat becomes a model for Target The cat was bruised, shaken and suffered fractured ribs, according to the rescue organization. After veterinarians became concerned, she was sent to a specialty veterinary hospital in Las Vegas, where she received treatment for fluid in her heart, Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX reported. Staff at the rescue organization named her Mirage because it was a miracle she was alive after falling from such a height. Mirage made a full recovery after receiving emergency care from the veterinary team, Judah Battista, chief sanctuary officer of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, told ABC News. MORE: Viral cat dubbed 'largest cat anyone has ever seen' gets adopted Utah Department of Public Safety pilot Chelsea Tugaw was among the search and rescue team that day and "never forgot" Mirage, the animal sanctuary said. "We couldn't believe the cat was alive. I thought she was injured and was uncertain of her future," Tugaw said in a statement. "It gave me a lot of comfort when I found out she was going to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to get the help she needed." Tugaw came to the rescue again and adopted Mirage -- with a blessing from the family of Mirage's late owners, according to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. "I'm so ecstatic to be taking Mirage home," Tugaw said. "I hope I can give her the perfect retirement life and let her be a nice lazy cat in her old age." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Best Friends Animal Society (@bestfriendsanimalsociety) Mirage has been given a "second chance," Battista said. "This reunion offers a glimmer of hope and light to a tragic beginning, and we're thrilled that Mirage will live out her golden years in such a loving home with Chelsea," Battista said. "We couldn't ask for a better ending for this sweet girl." Battista reminded animal lovers that there are still "countless cats" like Mirage still in need of loving homes. "You can be a hero for them," Battista said. Cat who survived nearly 400-foot fall adopted by rescue pilot who saved her originally appeared on
Miami Herald
02-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
12-year-old cat survives 380-foot fall in Utah national park. ‘Little miracle'
As first responders recovered the bodies of two people who plunged 380 feet to their deaths in Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park, they discovered a cat carrier covered in mud nearby. Inside was a 12-year-old cat, who appeared to have survived the nearly 400-foot fall, officials told McClatchy News over the phone Friday, May 2. The soft-sided carrier was dirty and torn, and the cat herself was 'matted and a bit sore,' but both were ultimately intact despite the dramatic plunge. 'She is a little miracle,' Judah Battista told McClatchy News. Battista is the chief sanctuary officer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which took the cat in for care. A staff member from the sanctuary in Kanab drove about an hour north to pick up the cat and bring her to their clinic for a full examination, where staff discovered she's about 12 years old, 'so she's a senior kitty,' Battista said. Her bloodwork was normal, especially for an animal that had experienced trauma, he said. X-Rays showed she had a couple fractured ribs and canine teeth, but the injuries don't require surgery. 'She's doing very well, drinking and eating on her own and primarily receiving love and care while she recuperates,' Battista said. 'She was definitely a bit overwhelmed by her experience, but she is remarkably sweet and is doing very well.' A video shows staff examining the cat and discussing what she had been through. 'You are one lucky nugget,' someone says as they administer a syringe. Staff have started calling her Mirage, because 'the idea that she survived is like you're seeing things — the unbelievableness of the circumstances,' Battista said. The sanctuary is working with the Garfield County Sheriff's Office to reach out to relatives of the cat's previous owners to see whether they have interest or are capable of bringing her into their home. If not, the sanctuary will handle her care and find an adoptive home for her. 'While her survival is really a silver lining in the whole story, we don't want it to be lost that our hearts go out to their families,' Battista said. 'We're happy to be able to provide the care she needs while those other realities are true.' Battista said he doesn't know how the cat survived the fall. He said he's never seen a case like this before. 'You can Google it and see that cats fall out of high rises and we have gotten cats in the past that were thrown out of a 3rd story window or were thrown from a car in a car accident, but absolutely nothing as dramatic as this and never where the animal was contained in a carrier,' he said. 'I don't know how it happened. It's definitely a miracle.'
Global News
02-05-2025
- General
- Global News
2 people plunge to their deaths from scenic point at Utah national park
Two people have died after a 116-metre fall from a viewing area in southern Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park. Tourists spotted the bodies on Tuesday below Inspiration Point after the two hikers fell late Monday or early Tuesday, according to the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. According to the National Park Service's website, Inspiration Point is an area that 'provides a birds-eye view of the world's largest collection of rock spires called 'hoodoos' found within the Bryce Amphitheater.' Police say it is unknown how the man and woman fell but noted that they had crossed over safety railings and that they had their cat with them, who survived the fall. Park rangers, search and rescue teams and a helicopter crew helped recover the bodies. The cat 'was found in a black soft-sided carrier that was dirty and torn, but seemed to have weathered the fall fairly well,' according to the Best Friends Animal Society. Story continues below advertisement Officials identified the two people as Matthew Nannen, 45, and Bailee Crane, 58, according to the New York Times. The two had been living in a U-Haul truck and their last known address was in Florida, according to the outlet. 1:02 Fan in critical condition after falling onto field at Pittsburgh Pirates game The Best Friends Animal Society estimated that the cat is 12 years old. She was found next to Nannen and Crane's bodies. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The cat, who is now named Mirage, was taken to the Pawz Dogs boarding facility on Tuesday but the following day, Best Friends was contacted by the sheriff's office and transported the cat to its Kanab location, according to CBS affiliate KUTV. 'She was matted and a bit sore, but friendly upon examination, as well as drinking and eating on her own,' the Best Friends Animal Society said. Story continues below advertisement It added that the cat's bloodwork showed no signs of abnormality but staff were waiting on X-rays to determine whether she had any other injuries. Bryce Canyon is a colourful maze of spires, cliffs and ravines eroded in soft rock and soil at the edge of a plateau. More than two million people visit the park every year. 3:06 Student dies after slipping and falling at Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver This isn't the first time someone has died due to injuries sustained at Bryce Canyon National Park. In June 2024, Tom Lorig, a 78-year-old park ranger, died due to injuries he sustained after he tripped and fell while on duty. Lorig was directing park visitors to a shuttle bus at Bryce Canyon's Astronomy Festival when he fell and struck his head on a large rock. Story continues below advertisement A visitor found Lorig unresponsive and alerted a law enforcement ranger, who contacted local EMS personnel, who tried to provide him with life-saving care but were unable to revive him. — With files from The Associated Press
