Firefighters battling the massive Creek Fire have added a unique new tool to their arsenal. Flaming ping-pong balls, also known in the firefighting trade as Delayed Aerial Ignition Devices, are being used to clear brush and other "ground fuels" to help bring the fire under control. Balls Dropped by Helicopter in...
Ecologist Says the USFS Needs To Get Out of the Way in Wake of Massive Fires
After nearly three weeks the Creek Fire continues to burn and is now the largest single wildfire in recorded California history at 291,426 Acres according to CAL FIRE. The USFS is still estimating full containment won't be reached until October 15th. Madera County Supervisor Tom Wheeler says he knows why the...
Will Creek Fire Make Home Insurance Even Harder to Get in ‘High Risk’ Areas?
The latest totals from CAL Fire show 855 structures destroyed (identified as residential, commercial and "other"), and another 71 structures damaged by the Creek Fire. Five of the 20 largest wildfires in California history have occurred in 2020, with the Creek Fire now confirmed as the single biggest in terms...
Stanford Report: Smoke From Wildfires Killed 1,200 People, Likely Many More
Stanford researchers say smoke from the recent California wildfires led to 1,200 excess deaths and 4,800 additional ER visits among the elderly - and that's just for people ages 65 and over. Multiple communities in the paths of the fires have been entirely destroyed, and wildfire smoke has blanketed huge...
Volunteers Needed to Walk Dogs and Take Care of Cats Evacuated From the Creek Fire
Do you like taking dogs for a nice long walk? If you are more of a cat person, the Fresno Humane Animal Services team needs your help too. Nearly 130 dogs and 175 cats, evacuated from the Creek Fire, are currently being housed at the Fresno Fairgrounds' Commerce Building. The...
String Musicians Lose Their Home to Creek Fire, Leaving Them Bowed but Unbroken
Dieter Wulfhorst and Susan Doering were spending three to five hours each day over the summer, clearing out the dead wood and forest debris around their Bald Mountain Road home. After all, they had plenty of time on their hands. Wulfhorst, a cellist, and his violinist wife normally would have...
Rain Not Enough to Help Creek Fire Crews. Winds a Concern as Military Team Prepares to Arrive.
A change in weather brought some light drizzle to the area of the Creek Fire, but Cal Fire says it wasn't near enough to dampen the growth of the blaze. Cal Fire information officer Chris Thompson tells GV Wire℠they're expecting 35-45 MPH gusts on the northern part of the fire today...
Post Office Won’t Forward Ballots. Will Thousands Displaced by Creek Fire Still be Able to Vote?
The thousands of people who have been temporarily or permanently uprooted by the Creek Fire already have a lot on their minds and may not be thinking about how they're going to get their mailed ballot for November's general election. One important fact to be aware of: The U.S. Postal...
Ex-Forest Firefighter Says Red Tape for Prevention Work is ‘Daunting’
Adam Hernandez oversaw prescribed fire and fuels management for the Sierra National forest before leaving the U.S. Forest Service last year. He now teaches wildland fire technology at Reedley College and offers a unique perspective into how the USFS was trying to manage the forest before the Creek Fire ravaged...
Did Harris and Newsom Trespass for Political Photo Op?
Were Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom trespassing when they viewed a burned out home during a campaign stop yesterday in Auberry? The son of the owners says so, and does not appreciate his family's misfortune being turned into a political prop. As California senator and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris...