A giant sequoia has been found smoldering and smoking in an area of Sequoia National Park burned by one of the huge wildfires that scorched California last year, the National Park Service said Wednesday. The cause of the tree fire appears to be the 2020 Castle Fire, the service said...
Fierce California Winds Fan Fires, Topple Trees and Trucks
SANTA CRUZ — Months-old embers from a deadly California fire were blown back to life Tuesday by powerful winds that raked the state and prompted safety blackouts to tens of thousands of people. Firefighters chased wind-driven blazes up and down the state, trees and trucks were toppled, Yosemite National Park...
No Emergency Training for Crew on Boat Where Fire Killed 34
LOS ANGELES — Crew members of a Southern California dive boat told investigators they were not trained on emergency procedures before a fire broke out last year and killed 34 people, according to federal documents released Wednesday. Investigators say the cause of the predawn blaze aboard the Conception remains undetermined...
Huge Fire Breaks Out at Beirut Port a Month After Explosion
BEIRUT — A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, sending up a thick column of black smoke and raising new panic among traumatized residents after last month's catastrophic blast at the same site killed nearly 200 people. It was unclear what caused the blaze at the...
New Fire Breaks Out in Crowded Refugee Camp on Greek Island
ATHENS, Greece — Fire struck again Wednesday night in Greece's notoriously overcrowded refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, a day after a blaze swept through it and left thousands in need of emergency shelter. The fires caused no injuries, but they renewed criticism of Europe’s migration policy. Wednesday night's...
Massive Smoke Clouds, Thick Air Darken Western US Skies
SAN FRANCISCO — People from San Francisco to Seattle woke Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West. “It's after 9 a.m. and there's still no sign of...
Crews Battle 5-Alarm Fire at Central Cal Tomato Plant
STOCKTON — Fire crews are battling a large fire at a tomato processing plant in Stockton. Stockton Fire said on social media that roughly 1.5 acres of plastic pallets were burning Tuesday and drivers are asked to avoid the area. Fire officials say it is a 5-alarm blaze. No one has...
Two Teenagers Arrested in Fatal Porterville Library Fire
PORTERVILLE — Two teenage boys have been arrested for allegedly started a blaze at a public library in Porterville that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said. Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil said Wednesday the two 13-year-old boys were arrested Tuesday in the fire that left a 35-year-old...
Wildfire Creates State of Emergency in Australian Capital
CANBERRA, Australia — The Australian capital region declared a state of emergency on Friday because of an out-of-control forest fire burning erratically to its south. It's the first fire emergency for the Australian Capital Territory area since 2003 when wildfires killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a...
Australians Leave Homes as Heat, Winds Escalate Fire Danger
EDEN, Australia — Thousands of people fled their homes and helicopters dropped supplies to towns at risk of nearby wildfires as hot, windy conditions Friday threatened already fire-ravaged southeastern Australian communities. The danger is centered on New South Wales and Victoria, Australia’s most populous states, where temperatures and winds spiked...