As fire raged nearby, a tiny town's zoo animals were driven to safety

BIG BEAR, Calif. (AP) — With a major wildfire burning near his mountain town east of Los Angeles, Cowboy the barn owl was unaware of the danger and instead having the adventure of a lifetime. Perched in the front seat of a truck, Cowboy — along with nearly 50 other animals —...

A fire that burned for 4 days after Texas pipeline explosion has finally gone out

DEER PARK, Texas (AP) — A pipeline fire that burned in a Houston suburb for four days finally went out Thursday as authorities announced a criminal investigation into the blaze that had roared into a towering flame, forcing neighborhoods to evacuate and melting parts of nearby cars. ...

A fire that burned for four days after pipeline explosion in a Houston suburb has finally gone out, city officials say

The cause of a fire that injured 2 people at a Louisiana chemical plant remains under investigation

GEISMAR, La. (AP) — Two people were injured Thursday after a fire at a chemical plant in Louisiana, officials said. It happened at the Chevron Renewable Energy Group plant in Geismar, about 66 miles (106 kilometers) west of New Orleans, at around 8:30 a.m., news outlets reported. ...

Report finds a faulty component could have caused 'extensive damage' to Cathay Pacific jet

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s air safety authority said Thursday that a defect in an engine component of a Cathay Pacific Airways Airbus A350 that caused a fire, forcing a Zurich-bound flight to return to Hong Kong, could have caused “extensive damage” to the aircraft. The...

At least 15 dead since July and thousands of hectares scorched as wildfires sweep Peru

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Wildfires in Peru have left at least 15 dead since July and more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of cultivated land and natural areas scorched, authorities said Monday. Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzén told reporters that the fires were started by human...

Portugal declares a state of calamity as wildfires rage out of control

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — More than 100 wildfires stretched thousands of firefighters to the limit in northern Portugal on Wednesday, with seven deaths since the worst spate of fires in recent years spread out of control over the weekend. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro...

What to know about the pipeline fire burning for a third day in Houston's suburbs

DEER PARK, Texas (AP) — A pipeline fire that forced hundreds of people to flee their homes in the Houston suburbs burned for a third day Wednesday, with officials saying they don't expect it to be extinguished until sometime Thursday evening. Officials said residents who had to...

Officials identify 2 men killed in Idaho gas station explosion

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Authorities have identified two people killed when a gas station exploded and started a fire in a remote Idaho town last week. The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office said Brandon Cook, 53, of Orofino and Wesley Lineberry, 62, of Pierce were both killed in the...

3 people found dead after structure fire in unincorporated community near Buckeye, Arizona

BUCKEYE, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the deaths of three people whose bodies were found Wednesday after an early-morning structure fire at an unincorporated community near Buckeye. Maricopa County Sheriff’s officials said the fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. in...