Persistent drought reduced snowpack levels in Western Canada, and an early onset of wildfires in Alberta have put federal, provincial, and territorial governments on high alert for yet another demanding summer season.
Firefighters combating Texas’ largest wildfire encounter worsening weather conditions this Saturday. Although rain and snow on Thursday aided in containing a portion of the blaze, the National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a red flag warning for the entire Panhandle from late Saturday morning through midnight Sunday.
The wildfire season in Minnesota started earlier than usual, with a national forecasting group predicting that heightened fire danger in the state would persist at least through April.
The province is allocating close to $3 million to aid Barrie Fire, Barrie Police Services, and South Simcoe Police Services in adopting ‘Next Generation’ 911 technology.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Local 5219 members celebrate a groundbreaking arbitration decision that brings substantial and overdue salary increases. Moreover, it transitions firefighters from an outdated eight-hour shift schedule to the prevalent 24-hour shift system observed in fire departments across Atlantic Canada.
After experiencing wildfires impacting three of their properties in 2023, a West Kelowna family now faces a steep rise in insurance costs. Despite making claims, their insurer dropped them, forcing them to seek coverage elsewhere. Only one company agreed to insure them, but at a staggering $28,000 annually for their Traders Cove property alone, which was previously insured for about $6,000 annually.
The US Needs Wildland Firefighters More Than Ever, but the Federal Government Is Losing Them –
Black Butte, an inactive volcano in eastern Oregon, saw a group of United States Forest Service smokejumpers arrive by turboprop plane in May 2022. Among them was Ben Elkind, a seasoned firefighter with 14 years of experience. During a training exercise that spring, he suffered severe injuries to his left leg and pelvis. Despite the uncertain nature of his recovery, Elkind expressed a strong desire to return to jumping.
BC issues the first fire ban of the season. The B.C. Wildfire Service has declared a prohibition on fires in the Cariboo region starting at noon on Thursday, March 28, citing “unusually dry conditions from fall through winter leading to heightened drought levels.”
La Crosse Assistant Chief of Operations Jeff Murphy retires after 28 years of service.
David Pucci has been named as the Chief of Central County Fire Department.