Photo: Pano AI/Facebook Nikki Davidson – Government Technology May 6—Human perception has its limits against the unpredictability of a wildfire start. But with artificial intelligence beginning to play a key role in response, the question becomes: Could AI outperform humans in determining how best to handle these dangerous situations? The matter is, for now, rhetorical, as AI is still very new to wildland firefighting. Historically, however, the potential for human missteps is well-known. HUMAN LIMITATIONS IN FIRE RESPONSE It can be challenging for humans to make fully informed decisions whe ..read more

FILE – A general view shows the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The wildfires devastated parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui earlier this month. Maui County is suing major cellular carriers for failing to properly inform police of widespread service outages during the height of last summer’s deadly wildfire. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Had emergency responders known about widespread cellphone outages during the height of last summer’s deadly Maui wildfires, they would have used other methods to ..read more

By JAYME LOZANO CARVER, The Texas LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A decayed utility pole that broke, causing power wires to fall on dry grass in the Texas Panhandle, sparked the state’s largest wildfire in history, a Texas House committee confirmed Wednesday. And other poorly maintained power equipment sparked four additional fires across the region earlier this year, the committee said. The committee also found that a lack of readily available air support, ineffective communication from faulty equipment and coordination among agencies inhibited on-the-ground efforts to contain the Smokehouse ..read more

By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers on Wednesday appropriated funds for more firefighting equipment and a state fire marshal after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic Maui town of Lahaina and exposed shortcomings in the state’s readiness for such flames. The House and Senate passed the measures during their first legislative session since the Aug. 8 wildfire killed 101 people. They now go to Gov. Josh Green for his consideration. Climate change has been boosting drought in Hawaii, drying the archipelago ..read more

Firefighters of the 1st Wildfire Special Operation Unit, take part in a drill near Villia village some 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of Athens, Greece, Friday, April 19, 2024. Greece’s fire season officially starts on May 1 but dozens of fires have already been put out over the past month after temperatures began hitting 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in late March. This year, Greece is doubling the number of firefighters in specialized units to some 1,300, adopting tactics from the United States to try and outflank fires with airborne units scrambled to build breaks in the ..read more

By REBECCA BOONE Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Months after a catastrophic fire burned more than 2,200 homes in Hawaii, some property owners are getting more bad news — their property insurance won’t be renewed because their insurance company has deemed the risk too high. It’s a problem that has played out in states across the U.S. as climate change and increasing development has raised the risks of wildfires and other natural disasters damaging communities. Insurance providers, state regulators and researchers are grappling with how to keep the insuranc ..read more

By Chad Costa This job is fantastic, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. Being able to help during someone’s worst day runs deep in all first responders’ blood. However, the past few years have put us all through the wringer. Having been involved with the operations of multiple devastating wildfires, including the Tubbs Fire, Kincade Fire, Mendocino Complex, Wallbridge Fire, August Complex, and others in California, Washington, and New Mexico, I have found a new respect for the civilian evacuees who have been affected by these devastating events. Unfortunately for many of us, these fires ..read more

FILE – Buildings burn in the town of Mati, east of Athens, Greece, Monday, July 23, 2018. A court on Monday, April 29, 2024, has convicted five former Fire Service and disaster response officials over a 2018 wildfire outside Athens that killed more than 100 people. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File) By DEREK GATOPOULOS and COSTAS KANTOURIS Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A Greek court convicted five former firefighting and disaster response officials on Monday over the deadliest wildfire in the country’s history, with more than 100 people killed outside the capital. But some surv ..read more

Edward Booth – The Press Democrat Apr. 25—Napa County’s volunteer fire departments will soon be consolidated under a new plan to create a single chain of command. Beginning in July, the county’s nine individual volunteer departments will be placed into the hierarchy of the Napa County Fire Department, a move that county fire staff say will allow for improved communication, as well as standardized policies and procedures. The change is to ensure the volunteer departments are more supported and prepared, according to county fire staff. Among the organizational changes, the volunteer chief p ..read more

Jessica Schladebeck New York Daily News (TNS) Emergency crews on Wednesday were working to battle back a wildfire ripping through Wharton State Forest, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The blaze, dubbed the County Line Wildfire, was sparked sometime before 10 a.m. and has since spread to the Jackson Road area of Wharton State Forest in Waterford Township, Camden County, and Shamong Township in Burlington County. Both video and photos from the scene show massive plumes of white smoke billowing above the state ..read more