Wildfires - News

The Biden-Harris administration’s Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission has released a report outlining a strategy to meet aerial firefighting equipment needs through 2030. As climate change fuels longer and more intense wildfire seasons, aerial assets bring unique response capabilities to wildland fire suppression. The report re-examines existing approaches to aviation fleet procurement, mobilization, composition and quantity to set aviation management on a new trajectory fo...

Following the publication of the annual State of Fire report, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has responded to its findings. Published by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), it looks at the fire and rescue service’s effectiveness, efficiency and how they focus on their staff. In the report, HMICFRS’ Chief Inspector - Andy Cooke said: “I am continually struck by the dedication of firefighters and other staff, and I...

Attacks on firefighters are at their highest since records began – and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) saw the worst attacks it has ever seen over the weekend. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) wants to see stronger sentences handed down by the courts – where restorative justice has not worked. According to the latest Home Office figures, almost one thousand firefighters were attacked while attending incidents. Rise in number of attacks on firefighters To s...

Alchera, a company specializing in Visual AI under CEO Young Hwang, launched SMART VIEWING on January 16th, 2023, releasing related content via the website and online video. ‘SMART VIEWING’ is an umbrella term for Alchera's image recognition AI technology. It is an innovative AI concept that analyzes images in real-time and solves problems by connecting AI with relevant devices. SMART VIEWING, created under Alchera’s mission "Detect & Protect," is a visionary pro...

The blueprint behind the business strategy at MFB is to be the best in proactive, risk-reduction wildfire defense with MFB-31-CitroTech, an accredited chemistry that is listed in the EPA Safer Choice Program.  By adding smoke detection monitoring, MFB offers an even greater value in risk reduction because property owners can be notified sooner of a pending threat. They can then activate systems and programs sooner, well before the wildfire arrives on the property being defended. wildfire...

The blueprint behind the business strategy at MFB is to be the best in proactive, risk-reduction wildfire defense with MFB-31-CitroTech, an accredited chemistry that is listed in the EPA Safer Choice Program. By adding smoke detection monitoring, now offer an even greater value in risk reduction because property owners can be notified sooner of a pending threat. They can then activate the systems and program sooner, well before the wildfire arrives on the property being defended. Author's quot...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) worked with police, local authorities, youth workers, and schools on prevention activities in a bid to tackle the problem of the misuse of fireworks and attacks on firefighters. These partnerships led to a reduction in call-outs for fire crews on November 5 being compared to recent years. In the lead-up to Bonfire Night West Yorkshire Police and WYFRS worked together to hand out consequence cards to youths in areas where there are high levels of...

Fire crews are battling a large grass fire at Boolaroo in the state's Lake Macquarie area. The blaze broke out around 12.45 pm near Milburn Circuit. The flames are being fanned by strong easterly winds. No properties are under threat at present as the fire burns in inaccessible bushland.  Crews from eight Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) trucks are being assisted by the Rural Fire Service and at least one aircraft. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is exhausting all efforts to protect communities from their most significant grass fire risk in more than a decade. Two years of above-average rainfall has increased fuel loads, meaning any grass fire which breaks out over coming weeks has the potential to be larger and more intense than normal. This is particularly the case in the state’s west, which bore the brunt of the most recent floods. opportunity for hazard reduction operations FRNSW is continuing its...

Larger and more increased storms are producing soaring natural disaster costs. The U.S. alone witnessed 16 natural disasters by September 2020, which brought damages to at least $1 billion tying the records set in 2011 and 2017. This increase in disaster severity and costs make it harder for Emergency Managers to do their jobs. In this article, learn more about the issues facing disaster relief efforts and what users can do to prepare for the next disaster. Rising Cost of Disasters In the las...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) will host its inaugural Regional Wildland Symposium on March 17-18 in Box Elder, SD. This wildland fire-focused event will bring together fire and EMS personnel from across the region and country to participate in valuable classroom training and idea exchange. interactive classroom training The symposium will provide an opportunity to learn from interactive classroom training and share ideas and best practices with wildland firefighters and other stak...

2020 was a standout year for the worst possible reasons, including natural disasters. In 2020, 2005's record for tropical storms was surpassed with 30 confirmed storms with winds over 39 mph and 13 hurricanes with top winds of 74 mph or greater. Wildfires that doubled the previous record of approximately 2-million acres of land in 2018 was also withnessed. Larger and more increased storms are producing soaring natural disaster costs. The U.S. alone witnessed 16 natural disasters by September 20...

MSA Safety Incorporated, a global pioneer in firefighter safety equipment and technology, will be introducing a new line of firefighter protective clothing for the Middle East fire market at Intersec 2023. MSA® Bristol X4 The MSA® Bristol X4 uses the very latest fabric and fiber technology alongside modern streamlined styling to provide enhanced comfort, ergonomics, and protection. Originally launched at Interschutz for firefighters on the continent, the Bristol X4 design has been ada...

With the ever-increasing danger of state and national wildfire based on global climate change conditions, Alchera X, an international AI software development company, has launched the most effective, dynamic, and innovative SaaS (Software as a Solution) product that will be incorporated into the wildfire early detection and monitoring program on SJW lands. With a 24/7 capability to detect and alert wildfires within minutes and often before a 911 call comes into first responders, FireScout&...

Bioex and Leader are exhibiting at the HEAT & FIRE Expo 2022, part of the NATURAL DISASTERS EXPO. Meet their team and learn more about their range of fluorine-free foams effective on Class A fires (wildland fires, forest fires, urban fires, structural fires), as well as class B fires (hydrocarbon and polar solvents fires) at the event. Event details include: Date: 7-8 December 2022 Location: Singapore expo Booth: 631 HEAT & FIRE Expo is igniting actions to control wildfires and...

Emergency responders looking for the perfect technical rescue glove can end their search. Fire-Dex, the manufacturer of PPE for first responders, introduces the Dex-Rescue Glove, which is a cut above when it comes to technical rescue responses. Dex-Rescue Glove Designed to be a first responder’s best friend, the Dex-Rescue Glove is the industry’s first non-structural glove certified to NFPA 1951 (“Standard on Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue...

Johnson Controls, the pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, announces the Johnson Controls Foundation’s $500,000 donation to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) to support future disaster responses across the U.S. Since 2012, the Johnson Controls Foundation’s support of the Red Cross ADGP has helped the Red Cross pre-emptively prepare to meet the rapid needs of those impacted by disasters. Annual ADGP donations help to improve the organizatio...

Media and the public are advised that TOTAL FIRE BANS have been declared for 26 November 2022 in the following Fire Ban Districts: Eastern Eyre Peninsula - Extreme Mid-North - Extreme Yorke Peninsula - Extreme Where Total Fire Bans have been declared, very hazardous fire weather conditions are predicted. The Total Fire Ban will apply for 24 hours from midnight tonight to midnight tomorrow. The CFS recommends implementing Bushfire Survival Plan. Fire Danger Rating If users don...

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is delivering an early Christmas gift to the Kingdom of Bhutan by donating 2,000 firefighter uniforms. In 2019, a pilot project was created to donate decommissioned ‘structural’ firefighting uniforms to the Fire Services Division of the Royal Bhutan Police Force. Number of protective kits FRNSW is dramatically increasing the number of protective kits about to be de-badged and transported Three years later, FRNSW is dramatically increasing the number of...

For the first time since the 1970s, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is now recruiting to increase its firefighter headcount. This £1.5m investment is a direct result of the increase in the council tax precept last year. The service, like all public sector bodies, has experienced significant cuts to its budget since 2010, when austerity measures began. As a result, firefighter numbers have reduced over the last 12 years from 1,490 to 900. This was through not replacing firefighters...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS), and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) joined together to release a new operational training guide for firefighters. The new operational training guide – ‘Training Volunteer Firefighters to Be Combat Ready’ is designed to help fire departments develop a training program that meets the needs of the community an...

Firefighters and staff have been praised for keeping communities across Tyne and Wear safe this Bonfire Night. Senior officers at Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service (TWFRS) have revealed the busy Bonfire weekend passed without serious incident. TWFRS saw a 1.1% decrease of total incidents from the 1st to the 6th November (Bonfire reporting period) across Tyne & Wear, when compared with the same time last year. Pockets of anti-social behavior, and calls about illegal bonfires, meant it...

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board’s (CSB) safety video released on October 27, 2022 has reached one million views in just over a week, passing the one million mark on Friday, November 4, 2022. The video titled ‘Wake Up Call: Refinery Disaster in Philadelphia,’ details a fire, explosions, and toxic hydrofluoric acid (HF) release that occurred at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on June 21, 2019. CSB&rsq...

At 02h28PM on Sunday afternoon, 6 November 2022, SACFS crews were alerted to a truck fire on the Eyre Highway approximately 105 kilometers west of Ceduna, South Australia. Upon arrival, the SACFS firefighters found a prime mover engulfed in flames. Damage due to fire Eight SACFS firefighters in 4 fire trucks managed to save the second trailer on the prime mover, however, the prime mover and the first trailer were destroyed by the fire which caused more than $400,000 in damage. Farm Fire Unit...

Fire crews were called to fewer incidents over the Bonfire weekend than in previous years, despite videos of attacks on emergency service workers circulating. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has reported that the number of call-out crews attended on November 5, 2022, was down compared to recent years. Bonfire Night's anti-social behavior Attacks on emergency workers, including on police, have been shared across media channels highlighting Bonfire Night's anti-social behav...

The service dispatched a number of firefighters after fire control received a call from the site confirming that multiple explosions were coming from inside a shipping container. On arrival, fire crews found that there were two shipping containers that required careful monitoring. Firefighters were forced to remain at a safe distance as the large explosions continued, and they set a 1 km cordon around the two containers, which was later reduced to 600 m. A police drone was used to assist with v...

Fire officers say that thousands of hours a year are wasted on calls about small bonfires in gardens, building sites, and farmland across West Yorkshire.  Area Manager, Scott Donegan at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) says that if people call them to inform them a fire is being lit, it will stop firefighters attending false alarms where they are not required. Recent findings Recent figures show that hundreds of calls are being made about bonfires and controlled burning, wa...

Despite recent major fire events and media coverage, about 1 in 5 South Australians living in bushfire-risk areas do not have a decision or plan for bushfires. Reducing complacency and increasing preparedness is the objective of the Be Bushfire Ready campaign, being launched by the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS). Bushfire Survival Plan CFS Chief Officer - Brett Loughlin said South Australians should not underestimate the importance of having a Bushfire Survival Plan, with current...

Media and the public are advised that Total Fire Bans have been declared for 31 October 2022 in the following Fire Ban Districts: Northeast Pastoral – Extreme Total Fire Ban Where Total Fire Bans have been declared, very hazardous fire weather conditions are predicted. The Total Fire Ban will apply for 24 hours. The CFS recommends implementing Bushfire Survival Plan. Fire Danger Rating Where fire ban districts have an Extreme forecast fire danger rating, only well prepared,...

South Yorkshire’s police and fire services are urging people to be fire-safe and 999-wise around Halloween and Bonfire Night this autumn. This comes after the county’s firefighters saw an increase in call-outs on Bonfire Night last year, compared to previous ‘Dark Night’ periods. Crews were called to 96 incidents on Friday 5 November last year, compared to 80 on the same date in 2020–an increase of 20 percent. Many of these callouts involved bonfires that...