Latest news with #controlledburn
CBS News
06-08-2025
- CBS News
Controlled burn in Beaver County deemed out of control, authorities say
A controlled burn in Beaver County was deemed out of control on Wednesday morning, authorities say. County dispatch told KDKA-TV that the burn was taking place at a scrap metal facility on Woodlawn Road in Center Township. Crews remain on scene and are working to regain control. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
CTV News
31-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Lytton First Nation in B.C. orders wildfire evacuation
B.C. Wildfire Service firefighters take a brief break while conducting a controlled burn to help prevent the Finlay Creek wildfire from spreading near Peachland, B.C., on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck The Lytton First Nation in British Columbia that was devastated four years ago by a wildfire has ordered that residents on some of its reserves be evacuated again. The First Nation has issued an evacuation order for two reserves due to immediate danger caused by an uncontrolled wildfire burning nearby. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
CBS News
18-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Hand sanitizer fire in South LA burns through the night
Amid concerns that water would only worsen the situation, Los Angeles firefighters allowed pallets full of hand sanitizers to burn throughout Thursday night. The fire started at about 5 p.m. in a storage lot along the 5400 block of South Avalon Boulevard. The Los Angeles Fire Department opted for a controlled burn because of the high-alcohol content of the hand sanitizer. "Water cannot be used safely in these conditions, as alcohol can float on water and spread flames. Crews are instead focused on protecting nearby structures and limiting environmental impact from runoff," an LAFD spokesperson said. Firefighters built sand dams to protect storm drains and requested large quantities of foam to suppress flames. The LAFD believes the fire will continue to burn throughout most of the night. It will rotate about 40 firefighters to monitor the flames. No one was injured in the fire, according to LAFD. Investigators have not determined what caused the fire.
Al Arabiya
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Grand Canyon blaze shows how managing a fire can go suddenly sideways
US land managers are racing against time as hotter, drier weather increases wildfire risk in overgrown forests. They're using flames from lightning-sparked wildfires when possible, and planning controlled burns to clear vegetation and limit future dangers. Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona has been a leader in using fire to enhance ecosystem resilience. A fire started by lightning on July 4 along the North Rim presented such an opportunity. However, after a week, conditions worsened, and wind-driven flames damaged the Grand Canyon Lodge and historic cabins. Despite this setback, experts argue that fire remains a crucial land management tool. Scott Stephens, a fire science professor at the University of California Berkeley, noted that most fires do great work. He emphasized that unless forests are made more resilient and fire hazards are lowered, the cycle of chasing fires will continue. Following the Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim, managers reported that crews had established containment lines, but unexpectedly strong winds pushed flames past these lines, leading to evacuations. Similarly, in New Mexico, crews battling a blaze in the Santa Fe National Forest had to change their strategy after a spot fire crossed containment lines. Ranchers criticized officials for not extinguishing the flames sooner, sharing images of dead cattle. Experts agree that there's room for improvement in wildfire management and controlled burn planning, especially with advancing technology. Derek Mallia, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah, is developing new forecasting tools and tracking fires in Utah and Arizona for a project focusing on pyrocumulonimbus clouds. He noted that fire forecasting hasn't progressed as much as tools for events like tornados and hurricanes, partly because fires occur on a smaller scale. Managers also need to consider built-up fuels and climate change, which is causing fires to burn hotter at night. Researchers are also working to understand how fires affect weather patterns. Mallia explained that fires are part of a complex feedback loop that complicates forecasting. However, Stephens and Andi Thode, a fire ecology professor at Northern Arizona University, emphasized that the biggest problem is the condition of the forests. Thode described the decision to use lightning-sparked fires or planned burns as a matter of deferred risk, asking whether managers want to take the risk now or later. For Native Americans, fire has long been essential for forest health. This perspective shifted policymaker attitudes, leading to the establishment of the first wilderness fire management program in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks over a half-century ago. Other parks followed suit, allowing thousands of lightning-sparked fires to burn under monitored conditions across the US. However, there have been costly lessons, such as the Cerro Grande Fire at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico in 2000, which destroyed homes and forced the closure of Los Alamos National Laboratory due to strong winds and insufficient resources. The circumstances are now more dire due to a drier landscape across much of the US West. In 2022, the US Forest Service proceeded with prescribed burns in New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which resulted in the largest blaze in New Mexico's recorded history. The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire wasn't contained for four months, leading to evacuations and billions in recovery dollars. A 2024 report by the US Government Accountability Office noted that out of 50,000 prescribed fire projects between 2012 and 2021, 43 had escaped. The Forest Service ignites about 4,500 prescribed fires annually, with most being successful, but support decreases when fires escape. Thode stated that fire managers consider many variables when making decisions, emphasizing the extensive science behind managing these ecosystems.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A wildfire has devastated the Grand Canyon's North Rim. What to know
The National Park Service initially decided to manage the Dragon Bravo Fire on the Grand Canyon's North Rim as a controlled burn, ultimately leading to the destruction of the area's hub for visitors, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. Park officials opted to monitor the fire rather than actively extinguish it after it sparked on July 4 from a lightning strike. They changed course after high winds on July 11 allowed the fire to jump multiple "containment features." Park officials announced on July 14 that the North Rim would remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season. Gov. Katie Hobbs and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., have since called for an investigation into the agency's early response to the wildfire. The fire's rapid growth prompted mandatory evacuations for North Rim residents and visitors. By July 13, an estimated 70 structures were gone, park officials said. Rachel Pawlitz, a National Park Service spokesperson, defended the fire management strategy in a statement to The Arizona Republic on July 14. 'The National Park Service and our interagency partners actively fought the Dragon Bravo fire employing tactics that met the suppression objectives and mitigated risk," Pawlitz said. "Firefighters had constructed containment lines and were prepared to conduct a defensive firing operation before conditions rapidly changed." Pawlitz said the agency's response to the fire prioritized saving human lives and mitigating risk to firefighter safety. "We've lost buildings, but hundreds of lives were saved due to the fact this fire was expertly handled. The park was quickly and effectively evacuated before any impacts," Pawlitz said. "The firefighters did not put themselves or others at risk when they managed the initial response to this fire. The winds shifted unexpectedly during the firefight, pushing historic wind gusts that caused the fire to jump multiple containment features and move toward facilities instead." No one died, and buildings can be rebuilt, Pawlick said. "The safety of the public and firefighters come first," Pawlick said. "We may be saddened by the loss of buildings, but those can be re-built. Firefighters are continuing to respond to this fire in the safest way possible putting their lives and the lives of the community, park visitors, and park employees ahead of buildings." Here's what to know about the devastating wildfire. Fire crews implemented a 'confine/contain' strategy, allowing the fire to burn while also limiting its spread when necessary, according to the Grand Canyon National Park's Facebook page. Officials reasoned that allowing the fire to burn would reduce the accumulation of organic fire fuels and allow nutrient-rich ash to support new plant growth. Developments in fire science have led to firefighting tactics where firefighters sometimes allow a wildfire to burn in a controlled way rather than allowing fuels to accumulate, which can create even riskier wildfire scenarios. On July 14, the fire reached 5,716 acres and was still 0% contained, according to InciWeb. Park officials said 295 fire personnel were assigned to the fire. Do you have photos or video of the Grand Canyon Lodge to share on We'd love to see them and share with readers. Send it to us at our video-photo upload site. By July 10, the Dragon Bravo Fire had grown to about 120 acres. Fire crews lost control of the fire the next day after strong northwest wind gusts, uncommon to the area, allowed it to jump multiple 'containment features," according to fire officials. By 8:45 p.m. on July 11, the fire was 1,500 acres. The fire grew more on July 12, when it 'exhibited extreme and volatile fire behavior," with winds between 20 and 40 mph continuing to fuel the fire. On July 12, fire damage to a water treatment facility caused the release of chlorine gas. Fire personnel evacuated the area due to the gas, which also prevented the deployment of aerial retardant. Curt Stanley, an air traffic controller fighting the fire, said that two helicopters were initially able to fight the fire near the chlorine leak but eventually had to withdraw due to safety concerns for pilots who could breathe toxic fumes. On July 13, a hazmat response was underway to mitigate the impacts of the chlorine leak. While Hobbs thanked firefighters and first responders for their efforts to contain the blaze, she questioned the National Park Service's decision to allow the Dragon Bravo Fire to continue as a controlled burn "during the driest and hottest part of the Arizona summer." 'An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government's emergency response," Hobbs said in a July 13 statement. "They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage. But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park." Hobbs called for an independent investigation into the fire's management and a report on the decisions that were made that led to the Grand Canyon Lodge and other structures burning. Gallego said Hobbs was right to call for an investigation. "I will do my part on the federal level to get answers," he said. As of July 14, the Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed an estimated 70 structures, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, along with National Park Service administrative buildings, visitor facilities and historic cabins, according to Stefan La-Sky, public information officer for Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team. La-Sky said the Grand Canyon Lodge burned overnight on July 12. Aramark operated the Grand Canyon Lodge for the National Park Service. "We are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge and numerous other historic buildings at the Grand Canyon's North Rim," said Debbie Albert, an Aramark spokesperson. "We are grateful that all of our employees and guests have been safely evacuated, and we join the National Park Service in mourning the loss of these iconic and beloved structures." No human deaths or injuries were reported, and all staff and North Rim residents were evacuated before the wildfire's rapid escalation, according to the park officials. The entire North Rim of the Grand Canyon remained closed as of July 13, along with all inner Canyon corridor trails, campgrounds and associated areas until further notice. Closed trails include North Kaibab Trail, South Kaibab Trail, Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens. Park officials recommended that people planning to visit the South Rim check the air quality by visiting The White Sage Fire, roughly 30 miles north of the Dragon Bravo Fire, has burned 49,286 acres after it was ignited due to a lightning strike, according to InciWeb, a federal government wildfire tracker. Smoke was first reported on the evening of July 9, after a thunderstorm. It burned through grass, shrubs, and native pinyon-juniper trees, according to the Bureau of Land Management. A vast area, the Kaibab Plateau from the Utah-Arizona line down to the Grand Canyon, had been put under evacuation orders. Fire crews urged the public to avoid the area. Highway 89A was closed at Fredonia and Bitter Springs. On the evening of July 13, the fire crossed over Highway 89A and headed southeast. "Extreme fire behavior" was seen on July 13, according to an official on InciWeb. Air tankers dropped nearly 180,000 gallons of fire retardant on July 13 alone. Strong northerly winds pushed the fire further south, with fire embers spreading through the wilderness, aggravated by dry, hot weather with low humidity. There was a slight chance of storms, according to InciWeb. Crews worked overnight to try to establish a containment line, according to InciWeb. Curt Stanley fought the Dragon Bravo Fire as an air traffic controller called in to be part of an aircraft crew for a plane through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A resident of Weiser, Idaho, Stanley was in Show Low along with his plane, which was being swapped out for another in Mesa, he said in a phone interview July 13. "The lodge and all the historic cabins, and employee housing, all that was our number one area for protection," Stanley said. Battling the fire overnight before it burned the Lodge in the early morning hours of July 13, Stanley said there were not enough crews or resources to fight the fire effectively. He described an image of the destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge that was seen by infrared cameras mapping the fire overnight. "I can't see it with the naked eye from the air, so I have a screen up in front of me that I can see what my camera operator is looking at," Stanley said. "There were multiple buildings destroyed," he added. Stanley said he would continue suppression efforts on the fire on July 14, working as part of a three-man aerial attack crew, flying other federally managed aircraft. Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell. (This story has been updated to add more information.) This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: A wildfire has devastated the Grand Canyon's North Rim. What to know
