wildfires

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Aussie Arson Suspect Was Volunteer Firefighter

He's accused of lighting a fire that killed 21 people

(Newser) - The first suspect to be charged in one of the Australian blazes that killed as many as 300 people has been identified as a 39-year-old volunteer firefighter, reports the Times of London. He's accused of igniting a fire that killed 21 people 100 miles east of Melbourne. The suspect's identity...

Aussie Police Question 2 Men About Wildfires

(Newser) - Police in Australia said they have questioned two people in connection to the raging wildfires that have killed more than 180 people in the state of Victoria. Police declined to say whether the two had been arrested or even detained, and released a statement that described them as "assisting...

Healing Koalas Steal Hearts
 Healing Koalas Steal Hearts 
Feb 11, 2009 5:25 PM CST

Healing Koalas Steal Hearts

She holds hands with her rescuer in moving video

(Newser) - The survival of two burned koalas is giving Aussies a lift amid the catastrophic wildfires that have killed 180 people and possibly millions of animals, MSNBC reports. The more famous of the two is Sam, who became a YouTube sensation when she took water and offered a singed paw to...

Koala Rescued After Aussie Wildfire

(Newser) - When firefighter David Tree noticed the koala, it was moving gingerly over the blackened landscape, its scorched paws clearly causing pain. "I could see she had sore feet and was in trouble, so I pulled over the fire truck," Tree told the Herald Sun. “It was amazing,...

300 Feared Dead in Australia Fires

Task Force begins investigation

(Newser) - More than 300 people may have died in the devastating bushfires that have torched 850 square miles of southeast Australia, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. While the official death toll stands at 173, an official warned that number would rise “steeply” as rescuers discover more bodies. Several people are...

Aussie Toll Hits 171; PM Cites 'Mass Murder'

Small town declared crime scene as devastation continues

(Newser) - The death toll from angry bushfires in Australia jumped to 171 today, reports Reuters, as the country's prime minister, fighting back tears, accused suspected arsonists of "mass murder." Up to 5,000 people have been left homeless; at one relief center, boards covered with Post-It notes beg for...

108 Dead in Aussie Fires
 108 Dead in Aussie Fires 
Feb 8, 2009 7:50 PM CST

108 Dead in Aussie Fires

Blazes destroy entire towns, continue to burn

(Newser) - More than 100 people are confirmed dead in the wildfires that have savaged southeast Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Entire towns have been wiped out, leaving gutted buildings and scorched cars. "There might only be 15 or 20 houses left in Marysville," a resident said. "There's...

Wildfires Kill 14 in Southeast Australia

Melbourne sees hottest day on record

(Newser) - Australian wildfires have killed 14 people in the southeast, and police fear dozens more could be dead, the Age reports. Some 100 homes have been destroyed in dozens of fires, the worst in the history of the state of Victoria. Police suspect arson is behind some of the fires, which...

Scorched SoCal Hills Ripe for Mudslides

(Newser) - A Southern California recently ravaged by wildfires will now have to contend with its heaviest rainfall in 9 months—and the possibility of destructive mudslides, the Los Angeles Times reports. The denuded hills of Yorba Linda and Montecito are prime spots for mud flows, having lost vegetation that stabilizes the...

Wind Dies Down in SoCal
 Wind Dies Down in SoCal 
Nov 16, 2008 11:54 AM CST

Wind Dies Down in SoCal

As gusts slow, firefighters get reprieve, take preventative measures

(Newser) - The winds have let up in Southern California,  giving some relief to firefighters battling wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of residents to flee. Gusts in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles were down to 39mph, much lower than the roughly 80mph winds that fanned...

Twin Wildfires Ravage LA Area

Over 100 homes ruined in Montecito; 1,500 still at risk

(Newser) - The wildfire in California’s wealthy Montecito area calmed down yesterday, but not before destroying 111 homes, the Los Angeles Times reports; and a new blaze roared overnight in Sylmar, where 5,000 were evacuated, CNN notes. Firefighters warned that 1,500 homes were still endangered by the as-yet-uncontained Montecito...

80 Homes Burn in Hills Over Santa Barbara

Blaze overwhelms firefighters in enclave of the rich and famous

(Newser) - A wildfire ripped through the wealthy enclave of Montecito in Santa Barbara County last night, destroying some 80 homes, the Los Angeles Times reports. Firefighters were overwhelmed as the wind-driven brushfire spread out of control. Much of the area, home to dozens of celebrities, was evacuated as the blazes spread...

LA Wildfire Threatens Getty
 LA Wildfire Threatens Getty 
Oct 23, 2008 9:27 AM CDT

LA Wildfire Threatens Getty

Winds could move blaze unpredictably: officials

(Newser) - A wildfire raging in Los Angeles this morning threatens the Getty Center’s priceless paintings and sculptures, and homes in swanky Brentwood's hills, the Times reports. Firefighters temporarily closed an interstate as more than 500 of them deployed an air assault to battle the early-morning blaze. Officials worry winds picking...

Light Winds Aid LA Firefighters

But season for conflagration-fueling winds has just begun

(Newser) - Firefighters made progress early today in containing two Los Angeles-area fires, as calm winds prevented the flames from blazing a path to the Pacific Ocean, the Los Angeles Times reports. The older of the two fires, the Marek blaze, was 80% contained, and firefighters have begun to cut containment lines...

Emergency Declared as Fires Lash LA Homes

2 killed, dozens of homes destroyed as flames roar into northern LA

(Newser) - California's governor has declared a state of emergency as twin wind-driven wildfires  tear through north Los Angeles. Unpredictable 60 mph Santa Ana winds are shooting roaring flames up canyons, and firefighters fear that one blaze—which has already jumped an eight-lane freeway—could burn all the way to the Pacific...

Hundreds Flee Calif. Wildfire
 Hundreds Flee Calif. Wildfire 
Oct 12, 2008 6:38 PM CDT

Hundreds Flee Calif. Wildfire

Blaze burns homes 20 miles north of Los Angeles

(Newser) - A wildfire engulfed 750 acres north of Los Angeles today and forced 1,200 people to flee, the Los Angeles Times reports. It also razed two houses and three motor homes. As helicopters water-bombed the blaze, officials said firefighters had “a really good handle” on it—but admitted the...

Cowboys Ride With Satphones at Their Side

Government gives 7 ranchers phones to warn of wildfires

(Newser) - Cowboys are men of spurs and solitude—and satellite phones, too. Federal and state agencies have equipped seven Idaho ranchers with satellite technology so they can make clear, quick calls if a wildfire breaks out, the AP reports. "Minutes count in that country," one cowboy said. "Right...

Forest Fire Rages by Yosemite
 Forest Fire Rages by Yosemite
Jul 28, 2008 4:42 AM CDT

Forest Fire Rages by Yosemite

Hundreds evacuated, homes destroyed in blaze

(Newser) - Hundreds of people have been evacuated and 12 homes destroyed as a forest fire rages out of control near Yosemite National Park, the Sacramento Bee reports. The fire, which began Friday, has burned 26,000 acres of forest, including the Mariposa County foothills that serve as the gateway to the...

California Fires Set Destruction Record

1,312 square miles destroyed

(Newser) - California wildfires over the last three weeks have set a record for widespread destruction, reports the Los Angeles Times. Some 840,000 acres—1,300 square miles—have been scorched by 1,700 fires, sparked by lightning strikes. Firefighters are bringing the remaining 300 blazes under control, but officials worry...

Calif. Firefighters Battle 2 Huge Blazes

Predicted heat wave will magnify 1,700 fires in Calif.

(Newser) - Thousands of California firefighters battled a huge blaze today that threatened homes in Santa Barbara County, but lost ground to another fire near Big Sur, the Los Angeles Times reports. And weather likely will not help: Winds, lightning strikes, and fierce heat are expected to hit the state this week....

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