Category Archives: US wildfires

Los Angeles hit by double whammy of wildfires and earthquake

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Residents were rattled by a 4.7 magnitude quake while firefighters are trying to put out blazes east of the city

Millions of residents in the Los Angeles area were rattled by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that hit early on Thursday morning and came as the region continues to battle multiple wildfires that yet to be brought under control.

The quake’s epicenter was 4 miles north of Malibu, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor unleashed boulders on to a Malibu road, visibly shook Santa Monica’s historic 1909 wooden pier and jolted people from bed. No injuries or damages were immediately reported.

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Fast-spreading wildfire east of LA forces thousands to flee amid fierce heatwave

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California’s Line fire, only 3% contained, has charred more than 21,000 acres as temperatures soar into triple digits

Thousands of people east of Los Angeles have been ordered to flee their homes from an out-of-control wildfire that has burned through a large area of forest.

In southern California, currently in the grip of a ferocious heatwave, the so-called Line fire has burned areas around San Bernardino national forest, about 65 miles (105km) east of Los Angeles.

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Cooler weather helps fire crews corral a third of California’s largest blaze of year

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Firefighters make advances on wildfire that has burned 627 sq miles, but return of high temperatures may help it grow

Fire crews battling California’s largest wildfire this year have corralled a third of the blaze aided in part by cooler weather, but a return of triple-digit temperatures could allow it to grow, fire officials said Sunday.

Cooler temperatures and increased humidity gave firefighters “a great opportunity to make some good advances” on the fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills, said Chris Vestal, a spokesperson for the California department of forestry and fire protection.

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One person killed and national guard deployed as Colorado battles wildfires

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Governor says national guard will support first responders as state becomes latest in west to battle several major fires

One person has died and at least five homes were destroyed as Colorado becomes the latest western state to battle several major wildfires.

The Boulder county sheriff, Curtis Johnson, reported the death was discovered in one of the five homes burned by the Stone Canyon fire near the town of Lyon, but did not provide further details. The fire has burned more than 1,500 acres (607 hectares) and was reported 20% contained on Wednesday evening.

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Largest wildfire in US grows to cover area bigger than Los Angeles

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Park fire scorches 386,000 acres as firefighters battle blazes across US west, including historic mining town of Havilah

The largest wildfire in the US swelled to more than 380,000 acres (154,000 hectares) on Tuesday morning, an area bigger than the city of Los Angeles and three times the surface area of Lake Tahoe, as thousands of firefighters battled the blaze in a remote wilderness area in northern California.

Meanwhile, the destruction caused by wildfires raging across the US west came into sharp focus as photographers documented the destruction left by the Borel fire in southern California. The fast-growing fire tore through the historic mining town of Havilah, leaving burnt buildings, cars and forests.

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California’s largest wildfire of year whips through community of Forest Ranch: ‘The sky was dark with smoke’

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Park fire has burned 239,000 acres, with an official telling CBS it was spreading at a rate of 4,000 to 5,000 acres an hour

A massive and explosive wildfire whipped through the small rural community of Forest Ranch, California, on Thursday, bringing back dark memories in a region that has withstood several devastating wildfires in recent years.

The Park fire has grown into the state’s largest this year, destroying buildings and forcing the evacuations of thousands in one of the state’s most wildfire-hardened regions.

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Head of Maui emergency agency resigns after defending not sounding sirens

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Herman Andaya’s resignation comes after the deadly blaze in Maui killed at least 111 people and razed thousands of buildings

The head of the Maui emergency management agency, who has been under fire for not activating disaster sirens during last week’s wildfire response, resigned Thursday, citing health reasons.

Richard Bissen, the Maui mayor, accepted the resignation of Herman Andaya, the county of Maui announced on Facebook.

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