Clearing or burning beetle ravaged forests would remove wildfire fuel
Researchers say burning or clearing dead wood from forests killed by the mountain pine beetle would also remove fuel for wildfires.
Will man convicted by questionable science 25 years ago be released
Tennessee man Claude Francis Garrett was convicted of murder based on questionable arson science twenty-five years ago. A report written in 2016 by a group of renowned fire scientists concluded there was no evidence to support the arson conviction.
Firefighter’s suicide “A punch to the gut”
Calling the suicide of an Edmonton firefighter “a punch to the gut”, Fire Chief Ken Block is opening up the dialogue about PTSD and its effects on emergency responders.
Wildfires are getting bigger and more frequent – can anything be done?
While climate change is contributing to more and bigger wildfires, particularly in BC and California, humans also have a lot to do with worsening wildfires. Can anything be done?
Consultation to create national Indigenous Fire Marshal’s office to begin
The Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada will begin hosting consultations across the country this fall and winter with a target of April 1, 2019 to establish a national Indigenous Fire Marshal’s office.
Are Canadian museums vulnerable to fire?
After a devastating fire destroyed Brazil’s National Museum Canadian museums are evaluating their emergency preparedness.
Ford F-150s recalled due to seatbelt fire risk
Two million Ford F-150 pickups, including 340,000 in Canada, have been recalled due to a problem with the seatbelt pretensioners. Some pretensioners can generate excessive sparks when they deploy. There have been seventeen reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. and six in Canada.
When to evacuate residents during a wildfire
A researcher at South Dakota State University has used fire spread modeling in conjunction with traffic simulation modeling to help emergency managers make decisions around evacuating residents during a wildfire.
Acid leak on highway leads to multiple insurance claims
An incident involving two transport trucks leaking sulphuric acid on the main highway through Trail, BC has lead to 2,500 insurance claims for vehicle damage. Among the vehicles damaged were the city’s year-old fire truck and a fire command vehicle.
Regina considers new fees under its fire bylaw
In an effort to improve public safety and align with provincial legislation and the National Fire Code the City of Regina is considering introducing new fees, including charging for false fire alarms, facility inspections and permits for open-air fires and selling fireworks. The fees would also allow the fire department to recover some of its costs.