wildfires

Firefighters battle the Maria Fire in California's Ventura County, which authorities said late Friday was 70% contained.

Southern California Utility Says Wildfire Started Near A Re-Energized Power Line

10:51pm November 01, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

About 10,800 residents are under evacuation orders because of the Maria Fire, one of two wildfires threatening Ventura County. Farther north, the Kincade Fire is 70% contained.

A firefighter battles a wildfire near a ranch in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday. The large new wildfire erupted in wind-whipped Southern California, forcing the evacuation of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and nearby homes.

'Extreme Red Flag Warning' In California, Where A New Fire Burns Near Reagan Library

4:16pm October 30, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

Firefighters now have Sonoma County's Kincade Fire 30% contained. But high winds are threatening to spread flames in both northern and southern parts of the state.

Firefighters surveyed the Soda Rock Winery as it burned during the Kincade Fire and flames raced through Healdsburg, Calif., on Sunday.

Wind-Fueled Wildfires Push California Governor To Declare State Of Emergency

11:15pm October 27, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

Gov. Gavin Newsom is freeing up state aid as high winds fuel two major fires across the state. The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County has burned 30,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders for some 180,000.

Vehicles pass through a roadway as the Kincade Fire burns through Sonoma County, Calif., on Thursday.

PG&E Warns Of Power Cuts To More Than 2.5 Million People As Wildfires Rage

8:00pm October 25, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

The utility says widespread dry northeast winds reaching 45 to 60 mph with gusts of 60 to 70 mph at higher elevations raise the potential for a massive outages to prevent more wildfires.

A home burns at a vineyard during the Kincade fire near Geyserville, Calif., on Thursday.

Wildfires Burn Thousands Of Acres In Northern And Southern California

10:31pm October 24, 2019

by Laurel Wamsley

In Sonoma County, 16,000 acres have been consumed by the Kincade Fire. In Los Angeles County, a fire near Agua Dulce has burned 5,000 acres. No cause has been announced for either blaze.

Vicki Christiansen, the chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, stands outside of her office in Washington, D.C.

1 Billion Acres At Risk For Catastrophic Wildfires, U.S. Forest Service Warns

10:09am June 05, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

Chief Vicki Christiansen says the danger is now year-round, thanks to hazardous conditions in forests, rampant home development and the changing climate.

National

To Control Wildfires, Western Officials Are Urged To Follow South's Lead

5:45pm May 27, 2019

by Grant Blankenship

The South is the nation's leader in setting small wildfires on purpose, to prevent massive ones like those out West. One big reason is that so much land in the South is privately owned, not public.

Queue Listen Now

A forest fire is seen raging near buildings in Sokcho, South Korea. South Korea mobilized troops and helicopters to deal with the massive blaze that roared through forests and cities along the eastern coast.

World News

Wildfire Rips Along South Korea's Eastern Coast, Prompting National Emergency

11:30am April 05, 2019

by Bill Chappell

"I escaped from the burning house right after I brought out my dog. I couldn't bring anything else with me," one man says of the rush to flee the fire.

Daniel Gorham is a fire engineer and former firefighter who helped design and carry out the embers test.

Step 1: Build A House. Step 2: Set It On Fire

6:18am April 02, 2019

After back-to-back hurricanes and wildfires, insurers are looking for more-resilient construction materials. That means building model homes and then blowing off their roofs or setting them on fire.

Bob Wilson, a San Diego real estate developer and restaurant owner, hands out $1,000 checks to students and staff from Paradise High School on Tuesday evening in Chico, Calif. The town of Paradise was largely destroyed by a wildfire this month.

Businessman Gives $1,000 Checks To Every Student At Paradise High School

2:24pm November 28, 2018

by Laurel Wamsley

The California town was largely destroyed by fire earlier this month. High school "was the first, last and only truly carefree time," said Bob Wilson, who gave $1.1 million to students and staff.