firefighting

Many homes are destroyed in wildfires due to wind-driven embers that get caught in the landscaping. California is now drafting rules that would limit vegetation within five feet of a house.

Environment

With wildfires growing, California writes new rules on where to plant shrubs

4:51pm October 20, 2023

by Lauren Sommer

The plants and mulch within five feet of a home pose a major risk for spreading wildfire. California now has the tricky task of convincing homeowners to get rid of the greenery.

A firefighter sprays down the smoldering remains of a burning home during the Hillside Fire in the North Park neighborhood of San Bernardino, Calif., on Oct. 31, 2019. Some wildland firefighters worry whether they can do their jobs safely during a global

National

Wildland Fire Camps Need Dramatic Change Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

9:46am May 08, 2020

by Kirk Siegler

As the wildfire season is beginning, some wild land firefighters are worried their safety could be at risk since the government has been slow to adopt new COVID-19 protocols.

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A firefighter participates in a controlled burn in a forest outside El Perelló in Catalonia, Spain, on Sept. 27. NPR followed a special unit into the woods in Spain to see how they burn for prevention.

A Forest Expert Team In Spain Fights Fire With Fire — Literally

1:14pm October 23, 2019

by Aaron Labaree

This year, the European Union has had almost triple the average number of wildfires. NPR follows a special unit into the woods in Spain to see how they let them burn for prevention.

Inmate firefighters battle a California wildfire in July. Qualified inmates can volunteer to be trained in firefighting; in exchange, they are paid $2 a day and an extra $1 per hour when fighting fires. The inmate firefighters also receive sentence reduct

National

Serving Time, And Fighting California Wildfires For $2 A Day

7:07pm November 18, 2018

by Lakshmi Singh

Close to 1,500 inmates have been sent to battle the wildfires in Northern California. They are paid less than minimum wage, and some critics have decried the state program slave labor.

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Firefighters dig trenches in an effort to stop the advancement of a forest fire in Concepción, Chile, in January.

What Does 'Containing A Fire' Really Mean?

6:20am December 21, 2017

by Benjamin Purper

As California battles raging wildfires, "containment" is a term used often by firefighters and in media coverage. But how does it work?

The UNL NIMBUS Lab drone team hopes their technology will help ensure safer prescribed burns by keeping firefighters out of dangerous terrain.

National

Drones That Launch Flaming Balls Are Being Tested To Help Fight Wildfires

1:18pm August 03, 2016

by Ariana Brocious

The University of Nebraska is developing a fire-starting drone, adapting a flaming ping pong ball technique already used in wildfire management. They hope to help teams conduct safer prescribed burns.

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A firefighter monitors flames from the Rocky Fire as it approaches a home late last month. The wildfire has consumed thousands of acres in just over a week.

Veteran Firefighter: Rocky Fire Has 'Most Extreme Fire Behavior I've Ever Seen'

3:01pm August 10, 2015

by Kirk Siegler

The California fire is unusually intense and unpredictable. But between climate change and the impact of decades of poor management, such wildfires may be the new normal.

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