Wildfires - News

A wildfire warning that has been in place since Friday, 26 May has been extended across many parts of Scotland until Monday, 5 June. The warning, which has been graded as ‘very high’ as the warm weather forecast continues, covers the majority of East, Central and Southern Scotland. The ongoing wildfire at Cannich near Inverness is entering its fourth day, after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was alerted on Sunday, 28 May at 12.46 pm. Firefighters had previously att...

Security and fire safety specialist, Amthal is proud to announce that it can now offer extended accredited CPD seminars in visual surveillance systems and access control, alongside life safety. The carefully curated, accredited CPD seminars are designed to help professionals keep up-to-date with the latest technology and expectations for compliance with the latest standards, as well as improve their knowledge and skills. Amthal extends CPD Accredited Course Portfolio Essential for maintaining...

At this time of year, there is still a build-up of dead grass and heather left over from last year which can dry very quickly as temperatures increase and pose a heightened risk of fire. People who live, work, or visit rural areas are being urged to exercise caution over the next few days. The very high warning – released in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) – remains in place until Monday, 29 May, 2023. This covers East, Central, and Southern Scotland. High intens...

A fire that started on Marsden Moor is still ongoing as firefighters battle to stop the blaze from spreading.  West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is still in attendance and has sent in relief crew to the site at Wessenden Lodge, Wessenden Road, Marsden. burnt area Currently, the burnt area measures around 2 km square, and crews are tackling hotspots where there are burning embers that could reignite the dry grass. Crews from Rastrick and Hunslet are in attendance with the Tod...

The Big Bear Fire Department has a new way to report illegal fireworks. The new Illegal Firework Reporting System offers an easy and anonymous way to report the use and sale of personal fireworks. Anyone can now go on to the Department’s website or simply scan a QR Code and anonymously report the use or sales of illegal fireworks by completing a simple online reporting form. Fire Department Investigators will respond promptly to the reported location where fireworks are currently in use,...

Mighty Fire Breaker's Retail Store rollout started in Sonoma County in the towns of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, and Ukiah, where the Tubbs Fire of 2017 killed 22 people, destroyed 5,000, and caused billions of dollars in losses. MFB delivering a product to a store in El Dorado County, where the Caldor Wildfire of 2020 destroyed over 1,000 homes in Grizzly Flats. It is also delivering to a store in Murphy, an old Gold Rush town that is close to where the Dixie Fire of 2021 destroyed most of th...

Mighty Fire Breaker's Retail Store rollout started in Sonoma County in the towns of Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sonoma, and Ukiah, where the Tubbs Fire of 2017 killed 22 people, destroyed 5000 and caused billions of dollars in losses. This week, (MFB) delivered products to a store in El Dorado County, where the Caldor Wildfire of 2020 destroyed over 1,000 homes in Grizzly Flats. Also delivering to a store in Murphy, an old Gold Rush town that is close to where the Dixie Fire of 2021 destroyed most of...

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announces the launch of the modernization effort to develop a new, interoperable fire information and analytics platform, known as the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), for the American fire and emergency services. This effort is being carried out as a partnership between USFA and the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T). National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) The goal...

Crowds were given the chance to meet emergency service workers and see the vital work they do to keep the people of Yorkshire safe.  Emergency Services Day at The Piece Hall in Halifax on Sunday saw hundreds of people getting an insight into the work of 999 staff, including firefighters, police, and ambulance crews. Road traffic collision equipment The event saw West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) join forces with West Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambul...

ALCHERA X attended the launch of XPRIZE Wildfire, a 4-year global competition aimed to award $11 million in prize funding to teams that can develop and demonstrate fully autonomous capabilities to detect and extinguish wildfires. The event took place in Washington, DC, during Earth Week 2023. Destructive wildfires have recently been recognized by the United Nations, the White House, and Congress as a major economic, environmental, and safety issue. Extreme wildfire events Extreme wildfire eve...

The fire at Manchester Road near Slaithwaite currently covers an estimated 2 km square of land. People are being advised to stay away from the area, and not to walk on the part of the Pennine Way which is close to the fire. Dozens of calls were made to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) at around 1.30 pm and three fire engines were in attendance with four wildfire units. The specialist wildfire Polaris vehicle has also been deployed to help tackle the blaze and prevent it from sprea...

Seek Thermal Inc., a renowned global provider of thermal imaging technology, has announced the launch of its latest firefighting TIC, the AttackPRO+.  Building upon the success of the AttackPRO, which offers an unmatched combination of image quality, durability, and affordability in a decision-making thermal camera, the new AttackPRO+ now provides all the same benefits with the added NFPA 1801:2021 certification. AttackPRO+ - most affordable NFPA-certified TIC The AttackPRO+ stands out i...

The fires that lit up vast areas of Marsden Moor last Thursday are being investigated as arson. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is working with West Yorkshire Police to get to the bottom of these crimes that caused damage to areas of moorland and wildlife. Risk of wildfires Richard Hawley, temporary group manager and WYFRS’s lead wildfire officer said: “We are working with the police to try and identify the people responsible for these horrific fires and bring them t...

Crews were called to fires in Marsden as meters of moorland went up in flames at two different sites.  Fire crews from Slaithwaite, Meltham, Rastrick, Halifax, and Cleckheaton attended along with wildfire crews from Todmorden, Keighley, and Skelmanthorpe to tackle the first blaze off Old Mount Road. moorland fire They were called at around 3.50 pm to the moorland fire which measured around 1.5 km by 500 meters. Firefighters used blowers, beaters, Landrovers, Polaris, and water relays to...

Since 2019, Anheuser-Busch and the NVFC have partnered to provide volunteer fire departments with canned drinking water to keep firefighters hydrated during wildfires and other long incidents. To date, 6.5 million cans of water have been distributed to more than 1,400 departments across nearly all 50 states. Another 1.5 million cans of water will be distributed this year. The 2023 general application period is now closed, but departments in declared wildfire emergencies can still request water...

Specialist wildfire training has been given to a fire officer in West Yorkshire, in a bid to reduce the number of incidents in summer. Richard Hawley from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) went to Spain recently with a team from the UK. intensive training The intensive week of training looked at how burning vegetation in a controlled way can be used as a tool to tackle fast-moving wildfires. Richard, who is the temporary group manager and WYFRS’s lead wildfire officer, spe...

Integrations will enable alerting authorities to disseminate wireless emergency alerts to the public in near real time through vehicle navigation and entertainment systems. The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate concluded a proof-of-concept demonstration of the wildland urban interface (WUI) integration model that integrates next generation technologies with FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and GPS navigation applications and cutting-ed...

ALCHERA X was pleased to participate in the annual Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Conference held at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada, USA, from March 28 to March 30, 2023. training and interactive sessions Each year, several hundred firefighters, outreach specialists, scientists, planners, conservationists, insurance professionals, and others with a stake in wildfire protection from across the nation and even from other countries gather in Reno for this event sponsored by the Internation...

The National Volunteer Fire Council held its inaugural Regional Wildland Symposium on March 17-18 in Box Elder, SD (just outside Rapid City). This new conference featured breakout sessions, panel discussions, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities focused on issues relating to wildland fire response and mitigation in the Plains region. Seventy-five first responders from 24 states gathered for two days of training, education, and idea-sharing. Eighteen of the attendees received a travel...

Wildfires are a persistent threat in many parts of the world, and the ability to suppress them quickly and effectively is crucial for protecting lives and property. While water has long been the primary tool used for fighting fires, advances in technology have led to the development of superior firefighting tools, such as the Intelagard compressed air foam system (CAFS). Enviroshield technology Intelagard manufactures equipment that uses compressed air to create a foam that is more effectiv...

North Coast Opportunities, Inc. (NCO), located in Lake County, received a $22.2 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to create defensible space and harden 500 homes over a three-year period, which will save lives and reduce the severity of property damage from wildfires. Defensible space helps keep the area around a home free of excess or dead vegetation like grasses, shrubs, trees, leaves and fallen pine needles. When defensible space is maintained, there is less f...

The #BeMoorAware campaign aims to prevent wildfires and reduce the impact on communities, businesses, and the environment. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) teamed up with West Yorkshire Police, Bradford City Council, and Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) Officers for the event on Wednesday last week. WYFRS’ Wildfire team from Keighley spoke with the public at the event on Ilkley Moor, asking them about their awareness of PSPOs and advising them on how to prevent wild...

Mighty Fire Breaker (MFB) is now shipping samples of its MFB-31-CitroTech® fire retardant, along with marketing and technical information to retailers all around the U.S. MFB has great confidence that this roll-out will succeed due to the reaction it has received thus far from the first set of home improvement and garden stores where the product has already been made available, and how well the company's displays appear with its 5 gallons pails of MFB-31-CitroTech®. ASTM Class A fire p...

The recent atmospheric rivers that hit California are an excellent reminder to prepare homes and families for the next wildfire. The abundant Spring rains will bring a bloom of greenery that, come, Summer, will likely die and become the kind of flammable material wildfires thrive on. free wildfire home hardening assessments Calabasas nonprofit EPIC-FSC has helped 100 neighbors get prepared through free wildfire home hardening assessments. The fire safe council hopes to help all Calabasas resid...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has partnered with Anheuser-Busch for the fifth year to provide canned drinking water to volunteer fire departments that respond to wildfires. The emergency drinking water for Wildland Firefighters program will provide 1.5 million cans of clean drinking water to departments in 2023 to help them be ready for wildfires and other long incidents. water donation program Emergency drinking water for Wildland Firefighters program will provide 1.5 million c...

ALCHERA's new logo emphasizes ALCHERA's versatile AI technology-which can be applied to areas such as environment, security, healthcare, and fintech-with a harmonious mix of straight lines and curves. In addition, by omitting the former horizontal line from the letter "A" in “ALCHERA,” the logo reflects a forward movement toward a future-oriented goal. ALCHERA has also unveiled a new motto, "AI-Prevention Is Better," underlining that prevention is key to a quick and effective respon...

Residents in Rossington, Stocksbridge, Askern, Penistone, Dearne, and Birley are being challenged to step up and join their local fire crew, as the county’s fire service launches another on-call firefighter recruitment drive. New vacancies have arisen at the stations in each of these areas with more staff needed to keep the fire engines’ wheels turning and respond to fires, floods, road traffic collisions, and other emergency incidents. Fire officers say there has never been a bette...

Madrid Fire Department has selected Allison-equipped Renault Trucks vehicles as part of a fleet renewal process. The order for 13 vehicles includes seven light urban fire trucks, two automatic aerial ladder trucks, and four heavy-duty wildland fire trucks, all equipped with Allison fully automatic transmissions.   seven light urban fire trucks The seven light urban fire trucks, with Iturri bodywork mounted on the D 2.1 240.12 4x2 FPTL chassis, are fitted with Allison 2000TM Series transm...

Proper hydration is critical to help firefighters perform at their best and avoid health consequences that the combination of intense heat, physical exertion, and loss of fluids can cause. However, with so many demands on budget and resources, many volunteer fire departments struggle to obtain the water they need to keep their firefighters hydrated during long incidents or disasters such as wildfires. Anheuser-Busch and NVFC partnership To help departments meet this need, Anheuser-Busch partn...

Korean Minister Lee traveled to the United States with a group of 16 delegates to visit Alchera X, an international AI software development company in California, whose international corporate headquarters is based in Korea. Minister Lee, head of the Ministry of Interior and Safety, and his delegates are desperately trying to resolve the wildfire issue that is plaguing their country. “While the Korean government researched a number of other companies that also attempt to address the issue...