Wildfires - News

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has conducted a hazard reduction burn in the state's north, with another 40 planned across the state, ahead of what's expected to be a challenging fire season. 20 firefighters, including three FRNSW crews and three NSW Rural Fire Service crews, carried out the burn across 2.2 hectares of Mount Mutton at Uralla. It was focused on an area with a high fuel load and surrounded by homes and critical telecommunications infrastructure. Hazard reduction burn "By conducting...

MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have partnered for the 12th year to help volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed personal protective equipment. Through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway, 13 fire departments will be awarded four new sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear and helmets in 2023. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA. Outdoor recreation accidents The first two recipien...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) partnered with DripDrop Hydration, PBC, an electrolyte rehydration company, for the fourth year to provide dehydration relief to volunteer firefighters. More than 2,700 cases (547,000 servings) of DripDrop’s electrolyte drink mix have been donated to 1,544 volunteer fire departments to help keep their firefighters at their best while serving their community. Dehydration is a serious concern for firefighters and can cause decreased performance as...

Anheuser-Busch, together with its wholesaler partners and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), will provide another one million cans of clean drinking water to volunteer fire departments that respond to wildfires. Through the Emergency Drinking Water for Wildland Firefighters program, 1.5 million cans were allocated to over 600 departments during a previous application period in March. This addition means over 1,000 departments will receive 2.5 million cans of water in 2023. Hydration i...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Newell Road Fire burning in Klickitat County, Washington. The state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Administrator Willie G. Nunn on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at 12:14 a.m. PT. He determined that the Newell Road Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Golden Fire burning in Klamath County, Oregon, USA. The state of Oregon’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Administrator - Willie G. Nunn on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at 4:34 p.m. PT. He determined that the Golden Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. This is the fir...

A fire service technician has said the latest diabetes technology is 'life-changing' as he becomes one of the first in Yorkshire to use it.  Simon Pickering works at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) helping to maintain all the vehicles, which include fire engines, the wildfire 4x4 vehicles, boats, and command units. Simon Pickering Since he’s been two years old, he’s lived with diabetes, which has involved having to control his insulin every day through injectio...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have launched voluntary guidelines for retailers on the sale of disposable barbecues (DBBQs). The guidelines provide retailers with principles to support wildfire risk reduction at both a local and national level. Voluntary guidelines for retailers The guidelines support responsible retailing and outline the steps that retailers can take The guidelines support responsible retailing and outline the steps that reta...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the McEwan Fire burning in Mason County, in the US state of Washington. The state of Washington’s request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was approved by FEMA Region 10 Administrator - Willie G. Nunn on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at 11:28 p.m. PT. He determined that the McEwan Prairie Fire threatened to cause such destruction as would constitute a major...

FireScout and Mighty Fire Breaker will join forces to protect the 20-acre TERI Campus of Life. TERI, a San Diego-based nonprofit, has served people with developmental disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other diseases since 1980. Their Campus of Life is a decades-long vision of the founder, Cheryl Kilmer, to serve those people with developmental disabilities and be an integral part of the community, welcoming everyone to enjoy the recreation, fitness, dining, and en...

It’s the latest pride and joy in the engine bays at the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Station at Inverell – a new $530,000 Bushfire Tanker to protect the state’s north. The Isuzu multi-purpose four-wheel-drive is one of 18 new firefighting appliances being deployed across the state by FRNSW, in line with recommendations arising from the Inquiry into the 2019/20 ‘Black Summer’ bushfire disaster. It features a Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), which combines foam and...

A handful of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters have arrived home in Sydney as part of an Australasian relief team returning from Canada, where they’ve helped battle that nation’s wildfire emergency. Four of the nine FRNSW firefighters, dispatched to the province of Alberta, returned with five more colleagues about to leave Canada. The FRNSW personnel were appointed to a variety of leadership roles, such as Logistics Managers, Safety and Information Officers, Task Force Comma...

As the threat of wildfires increases, Ford Motor Company and the Bronco Wild Fund are donating a Bronco Badlands® SUV with Sasquatch® off-road package to the National Park Service for use in Bandelier National Monument, where it will operate a firefighting command vehicle.    fire response and disaster relief “For more than a century Ford has supported fire response and disaster relief efforts by deploying vehicles to provide emergency transportation and power and deliver es...

Kidde, North America’s major home fire safety brand, recently introduced three new HomeSafe™ enabled devices, adding to its comprehensive suite of fully integrated home health and safety product offerings. Connected to the Kidde app by Kidde HomeSafe technology, these additional smart detection products can provide instant notification of home safety threats such as smoke, carbon monoxide (CO) and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues. New HomeSafe™ enabled devices At a time when...

This summer, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners are once again teaming up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to deliver cans of emergency drinking water to local fire departments nationwide. Now in its fifth year of partnership, Anheuser-Busch is expanding its reach to provide over 2.5 million cans – more than ever before – to help volunteer fire departments as they prepare for and respond to crises, such as wildfires, as well as long incidents at home. The ini...

ALCHERA X’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Michael Plaksin, was recently interviewed by O.P. Almaraz for an episode of his All Things Wildfire podcast 'Safeguarding Lives and Communities: The Game-Changing AI Technology of ALCHERA X'. In the episode, Almaraz and Plaksin discuss how ALCHERA X, with its groundbreaking wildfire prevention AI technology FireScout, is participating in the prestigious Wildfire XPRIZE competition, ALCHERA X’s collaborative work with the Santa Clara...

ALCHERA X’s AI technology FireScout revolutionizes the fight against wildfires and curbs greenhouse gases. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a groundbreaking technology, promising tremendous advancements across various sectors. However, it can also spark concerns and fear. Artificial Intelligence While some are concerned with the possibility of job displacement or a fictional Skynet taking over the world, AI technology also offers many advantages. Big data analysis, video sur...

Fire protection for the community of Kurri Kurri, in the Hunter Valley, has been significantly bolstered by the arrival of a state-of-the-art Fire and Rescue NSW Bushfire Tanker. The Isuzu multi-purpose four-wheel-drive is one of 18 new firefighting appliances, each valued at $530,000, being deployed across the state by FRNSW, in line with recommendations arising from the Inquiry into the 2019/20 ‘Black Summer’ bushfire disaster. Compressed Air Foam System It features a Compresse...

Tarro Fire Station has received another fleet upgrade with the arrival of a new, state-of-the-art light Bushfire Tanker. The truck is one of 18 new firefighting appliances being deployed across NSW to help better protect communities during bushfires and other emergencies.   The multi-purpose vehicle is an Isuzu four-wheel drive and is equipped with a water spray system to protect the crew, a compressed air foam system (CAFS), and a 3500-liter water tank. The tanker complements anothe...

The Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) station at Ballina is boasting an impressive addition to its fleet, a $530-thousand-dollar Bushfire Tanker, designed to extinguish blazes safely and more efficiently. The Isuzu four-wheel-drive is designed to operate in rugged conditions, allowing firefighters to tackle everything from a truck blaze on the highways to bushfires threatening life and property. One of 18 new firefighting appliances in the field following the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, the tanke...

Fire and Rescue NSW's station at Picton, in Sydney's south-west, has received another upgrade with the arrival of a new state-of-the-art, light Bushfire Tanker. The new Tanker, built on an Isuzu chassis by Macarthur company, Alphatex Industries, replaces the older Mitsubishi Canter light vehicle. It features a Cabin Protection System (CPS), which improves safety for Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews operating at bushfire incidents, along with wheel water protection sprayers and another water no...

Northwest Highland has been given a ‘very high’ warning, while all other areas of Scotland face an ‘extreme’ rating. An increased risk of wildfires begins today (Thursday, 15 June) and runs until Saturday, 17 June – however could be extended further as the warm weather continues. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) warns that many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant environmental and economic damage. R...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has partnered with DripDrop Hydration, PBC, an electrolyte rehydration company, for the fourth year to provide dehydration relief to volunteer firefighters. In 2023, a total of 2,500 boxes (500,000 servings) of DripDrop’s electrolyte drink mix will be given away to 1,250 volunteer fire departments. Each department will receive two 100-count cases. Wildfire season and summer weather put firefighters at risk of dehydration and heat-related injuries...

Mighty Fire Breaker is pleased to announce that its Independent Advisory Board has been joined by Several Retired Fire Officials: Southern California Fire Chief Jeff Bowman, San Bernardino Fire Chief/Marshall Peter Brierty, and Northern California Fire Chief/Marshal Jim Thomson.  These decorated, Retired Fire Officials see the need to add new, second lines of defense in wildfire defense, and MFB's DIY wildfire defense systems to all homes in wildfire regions as well as endorsing the use of...

The bravery and dedication of 57 firefighters from the lower Hunter region during the Black Summer bushfire crisis have been recognized during a special Fire and Rescue NSW award function last night. FRNSW firefighters, from a range of fire stations across the Metropolitan North 3 region, have been awarded National Emergency Medals during the function at the Cessnock Leagues Club. They have been honored for their efforts in battling fires across the state and protecting communities dur...

A ‘very high’ warning for an increased risk of wildfires begins today (Wednesday, 7 June, 2023) and runs until Saturday, 10 June, 2023. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) warns that many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant environmental and economic damage. risk awareness Station Commander - John Harvey, said, "We know that many people will be hoping to enjoy the outdoors when the weather is good, but we urge everyone...

Mighty Fire Breaker's Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Wildfire Defense System (WFDS), if added to more of the homes at risk in mapped wildfire regions of the U.S., could have a significant and positive impact on the Homeowner's Insurance Industry Crisis. In fact, this positive impact could help bring Allstate and State Farm back to California. In recent days, both Allstate and State Farm announced they will no longer issue new homeowner's insurance coverage anywhere in California, creating an insurance cr...

Mighty Fire Breaker's Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Wildfire Defense System (WFDS), if added to more of the homes at risk in mapped wildfire regions of the U.S., could have a significant and positive impact on the Homeowner's Insurance Industry Crisis. In fact, this positive impact could help bring Allstate and State Farm back to California. In recent days, both Allstate and State Farm announced they will no longer issue new homeowner's insurance coverage anywhere in California, creating an insurance cr...

May has been declared National Wildfire Awareness Month in 10 western states to increase prevention and preparedness for wildfires throughout the country. Ready campaign In 2003, the Federal Emergency Management Agency launched the Ready campaign to provide resources on wildfires, including information on recognizing warnings and alerts, making an emergency plan, strengthening home protection, and gathering supplies.   ALCHERA X, a global pioneer in AI software to detect wildfires, suppo...

Crews are working to dampen down the area and will remain at Cannich, near Inverness until the area is made safe. The burn area covers approximately fifteen square kilometers (approx. 1,500 hectares). At its height, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) mobilized nine appliances and a number of other resources to bring the fire under control. The emergency response included the use of helicopters to water bomb the affected area. Impacted on the rural community SFRS Group Commander - Nia...