Latest Forestry News
Longtime Forest Service employee killed in California blaze
KLAMATH RIVER, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battling the McKinney Fire in Northern California on Monday remembered long-time U.S. Forest Service employee Kathy Shoopman, the first publicly identified victim of the fire. The fire burning west of Yreka has killed four people, and...
New Mexico forester lifts restrictions as fire danger eases
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s state forester on Monday lifted fire restrictions that had been imposed in the spring due to extreme wildfire danger, saying summer rains were bringing relief. Still, State Forester Laura McCarthy warned that some parts of New Mexico remain dry...
Chinese company eyes Solomon Islands deep-water port
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A Chinese state-owned company is negotiating to buy a forestry planation with a deep-water port and World War II airstrip in Solomon Islands amid persistent concerns that China wants to establish a naval foothold in the South Pacific country. A delegation...
House approves bill to help West fight wildfires, drought
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Friday approved wide-ranging legislation aimed at helping communities in the West cope with increasingly severe wildfires and drought — fueled by climate change — that have caused billions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses in recent years. ...
Witnesses heard 'snap' before fatal Alaska helicopter crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Witnesses heard a loud bang or snap before a helicopter supporting firefighter operations near the community of Anderson separated and then crashed last month, killing the pilot. It was the first fatality related to Alaska wildfires in 22 years, according...
Funding to help Forest Service update some facilities
WINCHESTER, Ky. (AP) — The Daniel Boone National Forest is receiving $540,000 from Great American Outdoors Act to update some of its facilities. A portion of the recently allocated funds will be used at recreation facilities like Barren Fork Horse Camp and Bell Farm Horse Camp in...
EXPLAINER: What's behind Europe's spate of deadly wildfires?
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Major wildfires in Europe are starting earlier in the year, becoming more frequent, doing more damage and getting harder to stop. And, scientists say, they’re probably going to get worse as climate change intensifies unless countermeasures are taken. ...
Vatican cardinal backs fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty
ROME (AP) — A top Vatican cardinal endorsed calls for a fossil fuels nonproliferation treaty and said Thursday that all new exploration and production of oil must be phased out to prevent global temperatures from rising to a “precipice.” Cardinal Michael Czerny, the Canadian...
Wildfire leads to about 20 evacuations in Arizona community
WIKIEUP, Ariz. (AP) — A wildfire has forced the evacuation of about 20 people from the unincorporated Mohave County community of Wikieup in northwestern Arizona, authorities said Sunday. Officials with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said the wildfire was at...
Oregon fire season underway, red flag warnings in effect
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Department of Forestry said Monday that all of its fire districts, which combined cover about 16 million acres (6.47 million hectares), are officially in wildfire season. Heavy rainfall stalled the start of the season for parts of the state. But...
