It is with profound sadness that I write to announce the passing of a beloved community staple, coworker, friend, partner and father, Mark Gomez, 67. He passed away after a brief, yet fierce, battle with a respiratory illness. A light to all those who knew him, Mark “GoGo” Gomez was fittingly born in Los Alamos, … The post Retired La Grande hotshot dies appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

First responders showed up within minutes of the first reports to dispatch, on the huge wildfire last summer that nearly destroyed Lahaina, the historic Hawaiian town on the island of Maui. The first emergency calls came in to dispatch at 2:55 p.m. on August 8, according to the new report by the State Attorney General. … The post Timeline of response to 2023 Lahaina wildfires appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

Jaiden Stansberry, a senior in the forestry program at the University of Montana in Missoula, is one of just 60 Truman Scholars this year — chosen from 709 candidates. Stansberry is in the Davidson Honors College and is  also completing a Fire Science and Management minor. Stansberry’s application focused on wildland fire. She is studying … The post Forestry student receives Truman scholarship appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

ALASKA FIRE SERVICE CREWS ARE HOSTING A REUNION CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF TYPE 1 STATUS! May 10-11, 2024 We are celebrating the 40 years of Type 1 status, but we recognize that the Alaska crews existed long before then — and that the program was built up over time. It’s an important part of our … The post Calling all Alaska Hotshots! appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

Groundbreaking research last year found around 37 percent of burned land across North America can be traced directly back to carbon emissions from 88 major fossil fuel producers and cement manufacturers. Now, environmentalists in Canada are using the research to push for change. The study, published last May in the journal Environmental Research Letters, used … The post Canadian conservationists push emission limits for wildfire reduction appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

Wildfires present an increasing challenge to humans and to the ecosystems and atmosphere we depend on. Our response to larger and more destructive wildfires and ability to prepare for a changing climate is increasingly challenged. Understanding fire behavior and human response is ever more important.  The 7th International Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference offers a forum at … The post Fuels, Fire and Smoke: Evolving to meet our climate challenge appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

There’s only one way in and out of the Canadian municipality of Whistler. The Coast Mountains surround the forested British Columbia town north of Vancouver, giving Whistler its world-renowned trait of being North America’s largest ski resort community. The rocky slopes, however, occasionally cause transportation problems for Whistler’s residents. Highway 99, the only passage through … The post North America’s largest ski town prepares for wildfires appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

A fire-focused NPR article had a concise central theme: Trees are not always good, fire is not always bad, and prescribed burning can bring a community together. The article, written and beautifully photographed in 2022 by journalist Andria Hautamaki, told the story of the Loess Canyon Rangeland Alliance to paint a larger picture of the … The post The Great Plains: Where prescribed burns are a community collaboration rather than a federal effort appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

The post ON THIS DAY 05. April 2020 appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more

 ~ Memories from Greg Greenhoe, from 30 years ago: It was the fall of 1994 and the adult leaders and several fire explorers walked into the Angeles National Forest Supervisor’s Office and inquired whether we would consider sponsoring their Fire Explorer Post. Their sponsor at the time was the City of South Pasadena Fire Department, … The post Fire Explorers memories: Greg Greenhoe appeared first on Wildfire Today ..read more