Latest news with #wildlandfirefighters
Fox News
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
As US braces for ‘significant' wildfires, Trump's agriculture secretary addresses Forest Service departures
The Trump administration is prepared for what could be a "significant fire season," despite thousands of Forest Service employees departing under Trump's deferred resignation offer, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. "It did not compromise and will not compromise at all, 1%, what needs to be done to make sure that we are ready," Rollins told Fox News Digital Friday. More than 4,000 U.S. Forest Service employees voluntarily resigned under buyouts offered by the Trump administration, according to a POLITICO report. Wildland firefighters were largely exempt from the buyouts and a federal hiring freeze, but blue state leaders say President Donald Trump's slash-and-burn approach cuts key support staff. "The reality is that Trump has decimated the U.S. Forest Service," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a May press conference. "Nearly every single Forest Service employee supports fire operations in some capacity." Many of the workers who departed held Red Cards, meaning they have special training to either fight fires or "provide essential frontline support to the firefighting crews," Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, said. But Rollins said the Biden administration wasted taxpayer funds on unsustainable and irresponsible hiring of people who "really had no job description." "That was in the — not hundreds — in the thousands of hirings that went on just in the Forest Service in the last administration," she said, adding that the service is becoming "more lean" but no less effective. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed a memo on May 20 signaling the Trump administration's wildfire response strategy. It calls for the elimination of barriers and "unnecessary procedures" to ensure a rapid response when wildfires threaten life and property. The memo also directs the Forest Service to examine the impact of "voluntary departures" on the firefighting workforce and propose a plan to "remedy critical vacancies." Non-fire staff should also be deployed to support frontline firefighters as wildfire activity increases, allowing for a "more robust and more intentional and more effective force as we move into this season," Rollins said. "But we are not going to waste taxpayer dollars the way that we've seen happen in the past," she said. Wildfires have already scorched more than one million acres across the country so far this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The center's outlook shows higher temperatures and drier conditions than typical across much of the West this summer. "Our prayer is that it won't actually happen, that it will be lighter than usual, but indicators are showing that it actually may be a heavy fire season," Rollins said. She added she's confident Americans will see "an unprecedented level of coordination" among federal, state and local governments as the summer progresses. "There is zero compromising [on] having the most prepared, most effective [firefighters]," Rollins said. "And we'll do everything possible to ensure that they have every tool they need to be successful this season."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hot, dry, windy WA weather raises wildfire danger concerns
The Brief The Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth has burned 64 acres and is 20% contained, with 200 personnel working to control it. Dry, hot conditions and high winds are raising concerns about an early and potentially severe wildfire season in Washington. Officials urge caution with campfires and outdoor burning, as 90% of wildfires are human-caused. LEAVENWORTH, Wash. - Wildland firefighters and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continue working to extinguish the Second Creek Fire, about eight miles north of Leavenworth. The DNR said the wildfire was first reported on the afternoon of May 26. As of Wednesday afternoon, the wildfire had burned an estimated 64 acres and was approximately 20 percent contained. "Crews have been making significant progress on the Second Creek Fire, and we're ready for what 'Mother Nature' may throw at us," said Ryan Rodruck, wildfire communications manager for DNR. Dry, hot temperatures on Wednesday were felt across Washington, and high winds were forecast for Thursday. The weather conditions raised concerns of wildfire danger on the east side of the state. "We are only at the end of May right now, and we're already seeing some of these extreme hot conditions," said Rodruck. The DNR said at least 200 personnel would be staffed on the ground and in the air for the Second Creek Fire on Wednesday to battle the flames in the hot weather conditions. Washington could see an above-average wildfire season, according to the DNR's early estimates. However, with the Second Creek Fire already burning, Rodruck said firefighters weren't expecting wildfires to spark so soon. "It is early in the season. We are experiencing hot, dry conditions. It is definitely early to see these sorts of fire starts," said Rodruck. "Hot, dry days can certainly exacerbate that fire behavior. We can see increased fire activity. We can see increased fire spread." Though the DNR said crews have resources to safely handle the Second Creek Fire, officials emphasized it is everyone's responsibility to prevent future fires from sparking. "Caution is absolutely warranted at this point. We need to start being careful with those campfires, being aware of what the burn restrictions are in the area you're recreating. And also be aware of what the burn restrictions are when it comes to outdoor burning," said Rodruck. The DNR said about 90 percent of wildfires are human-caused. Since it's an earlier, drier, hotter start to the wildfire season, Rodruck said people should act now by creating defensible space to protect their property from flames. "Make sure that your eaves are clear of pine needles. Make sure that you don't have any low-hanging branches that are over your property that could start a fire. Make sure all that flammable material is moved well away from any structures," said Rodruck. "It's incumbent upon all of us to make it as safe as possible both for our neighbors and for our firefighters." The Source Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. A religious group held a protest outside Seattle City Hall. Here's why LIVE: Updates on Seattle's Tuesday protest, arrests, more Crews battle Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth, WA 2 injured in separate Seattle shootings Teen, child killed in Lacey, WA mobile home fire Crews investigate explosion at Woodinville, WA hardware store College Inn Pub announces closure after 50 years in Seattle Dave's Hot Chicken to open 4 new locations in Seattle area. Here's where To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
CBC
06-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Yukon firefighter urges territory to expand cancer coverage for wildland firefighters
A Yukon wildland firefighter is urging the territory to extend presumptive cancer coverage for those in his industry. Currently, 19 types of cancer are covered for full-time, and part-time, volunteer firefighters under Yukon's Workers' Safety and Compensation Act — but wildland firefighters are not included. Alex MacPhail, a wildland firefighter based in Mayo, Yukon, said both wildland and municipal firefighters are exposed to toxic carcinogens for long periods of time throughout their careers. He also notes that most seasons, wildland firefighters can spend up to 16 hours a day battling fires. Multiply that over a five, 10, or 20-year career and it only makes sense to provide equal cancer coverage across the Yukon's fire service, he says. "You're out there in the woods on the fire line and obviously exposed to burning material pretty much at all times through the course of your job," said MacPhail. "That's not good for your health. We know it's not good for your cardiovascular health. It's not good for your lung health. We're not sure exactly where it lands on the cancer issue, but what we are sure is that we're being exposed continuously to carcinogenic compounds." The territorial government said it wants more information on the link between wildland firefighting in the Yukon and cancer. In the Legislative Assembly last month, Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn said Yukon wildland firefighters typically aren't fighting "urban interface fires" or structure fires involving synthetic materials like wildland firefighters do in other jurisdictions. He said that means they are exposed to different hazards. MacPhail agrees with Mostyn, but argues that in a large wildfire spanning thousands of hectares, it's hard to determine what is actually burning, and that structures could very well be there in the mix. "There is no guarantee that the only things that are burning out there are brush," MacPhail said. "And you can't really know that until you're actually on the fire, and in the fire grounds." CBC News requested an interview with Mostyn but was told he was unavailable to comment at that time. Opposition leaders have weighed in, however. Yukon NDP Leader Kate White put forward a motion in the Legislative Assembly last year to amend the Workers' Safety and Compensation Act to include wildland firefighters when it comes to presumptive cancer coverage. "The amendment itself is actually really easy," White said. "Right now there's a line within the legislation that singles out and excludes wildland firefighters, so you essentially get rid of that." White said there are many other jurisdictions across Canada and the world that have extended presumptive cancer coverage to wildland firefighters. She said it's time the territory follows suit. Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon also put forward a motion similar to White's last month, to amend the act. "The unions have made the case. The wildland firefighters have made their case, and many others have made that case. So I think that it's time this change be made," Dixon said.
