Tag Archives: Evacuation

Two L.A.-area wildfires threaten to merge after forcing evacuations

Two wildfires converging in front of LA

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Two rapidly growing wildfires burning a few miles apart in parched foothills just northeast of Los Angeles threatened to merge on Tuesday after forcing the evacuation of more than 700 people, officials said.

The blazes came as California and other southwestern U.S. states baked in a heat wave.

The so-called Fish Fire and the Reservoir Fire, which both broke out on Monday in the Angeles National Forest, more than doubled in size overnight and were entirely unconfined, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement. (http://bit.ly/28Lbe6h)

The Fish Fire, whose cause is under investigation, has grown to 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares) while the Reservoir Fire, which fire officials say was sparked by a car crash, stood at about 2,400 acres (971 hectares), according to figures from the U.S. Forest Service.

“It is a possibility that the two fires would merge,” Andrew Mitchell, a spokesman for the team battling the Reservoir Fire, said in a phone interview.

The fires burning more than 20 miles (32 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles have forced at least 700 people to evacuate, Mitchell said. The communities nearest the flames include the suburban towns of Duarte and Azusa.

Overnight, a flank of the Fish Fire crept down a hillside on the east side of Duarte, lapping at brush just beyond some houses before firefighters extinguished the flames, Los Angeles County Fire Chief John Tripp said at a news conference.

“Our big threat today is still that left side of the fire,” Tripp said. “That still is a very uncontrolled flank of the fire.”

Officials warned more evacuations could be ordered.

While the two blazes have not yet merged, they are being handled as one incident called the San Gabriel Complex Fire. Over 600 firefighters are battling those blazes fueled by dry brush and chaparral, officials said.

Meanwhile, a half-dozen other wildfires burned across California.

In the coastal part of the state, firefighters have made steady progress in handling the so-called Sherpa Fire, a seven-day old blaze northwest of Santa Barbara that has burned nearly 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) in an area of ranches and campgrounds. That fire is 70 percent contained, according to tracking website InciWeb.gov.

Two states away, the Dog Head Fire in central New Mexico has charred more than 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares) and was 46 percent contained after destroying 24 homes and 21 minor structures soon after it broke out last week.

(Additional reporting by Laila Kearney in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Cynthia Osterman)

Wildfire destroys homes in Canadian City – delays hit evacuation

Flames rise in Industrial area south Fort McMurray Alberta Canada

(Reuters) – An out-of-control wildfire destroyed much of one neighborhood in the remote Canadian city of Fort McMurray and badly damaged other areas, the local government said on Wednesday, hours after it ordered all 80,000 residents to leave in the biggest evacuation in the area’s history.

Firefighters in the northeastern Alberta city at the heart of Canada’s oil sands were bracing for another tough day. Hot, dry weather has made it difficult to being the fire under control. A forecast for potential fire intensity showed much of the area around at class 6, the highest possible level.

Some 44,000 people had fled the city by late on Tuesday, but evacuations were delayed by gasoline shortages, local officials said. No injuries or deaths were reported.

In a bulletin posted on Twitter in the early morning, the regional government said 80 percent of Beacon Hill, a residential area at the south end of town, had been lost. Two other neighborhoods, Abasand and Waterways, were listed as “serious loss.”

By early Wednesday morning Shell had closed one oil sands mine and was in the process of closing another. Chief Financial Officer Simon Henry said the company’s priority was safety, and to support the community. Henry said upgraders, which process oil sands to produce crude, would operate for a few more days.

Alberta Health Services said in a statement that all patients had been successfully evacuated from Fort McMurray’s hospital.

The fire broke out southwest of the city on Sunday, shifting aggressively with the wind to breach city limits on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Allison Martell; Editing by Frances Kerry)

Wildfires Burning in Oklahoma, Kansas

An aerial photo of the "350 Complex" fire that has hit an area of about 55,000 acres (22,250 hectares) located about 130 miles (210 km) northwest of Oklahoma City i

Reuters) – Wildfires in Oklahoma and Kansas this week have burned thousands of acres, scorched numerous structures and prompted hundreds of people to evacuate their homes, officials said on Wednesday.

The largest fire was the “350 Complex” fire, about 130 miles (210 km) northwest of Oklahoma City, that has hit an area of about 55,000 acres (22,250 hectares) and is mostly uncontained, Oklahoma Forestry Services said.

The fire has burned numerous structures. The state has deployed about 115 personnel and several firefighting aircraft to extinguish the blaze, the service said, adding that other areas of the state were also at risk.

“As fire weather conditions deteriorate, with dry and extremely gusty winds, new fires have started in multiple counties across Oklahoma,” it said.

There have been multiple wildfires in Kansas, which borders Oklahoma to the north, with the largest in Geary County, about 60 miles (100 km) west of Topeka.

A fire that burned about 500 acres (200 hectares) in Riley County, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Geary, has been contained, the Kansas Forest Service said.

No major injuries have been reported in either state.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Additional reporting by Heide Brandes; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)

Families of U.S. personnel ordered to leave parts of Turkey amid security concerns

USA Military Turkey Security

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration ordered the families of U.S. military, diplomatic and other government personnel to leave parts of southern Turkey on Tuesday and warned U.S. citizens against travel to the region amid mounting concerns over security.

The U.S. military’s European Command said it had ordered the departure of families of personnel stationed in Adana, including Incirlik air base, which is used heavily in the fight against Islamic State militants. It said families of U.S. military personnel also had been told to leave Izmir and Mugla provinces.

The decision was authorized by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, a statement from European Command said.

“We understand this is disruptive to our military families, but we must keep them safe and ensure the combat effectiveness of our forces to support our strong ally Turkey in the fight against terrorism,” General Philip M. Breedlove, commander of the U.S. European Command, said in the statement.

The departures do not indicate a decision to permanently end U.S. families’ presence at military facilities in southern Turkey, the statement said.

The U.S. State Department said later it had ordered the departure of family members of government workers at the U.S. Consulate in Adana, and that families of U.S. government workers in Izmir and Mugla provinces were also asked to leave.

The State Department issued a statement cautioning U.S. citizens more broadly against traveling to southeastern Turkey.

It also warned of “increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey.”

The U.S. moves come a day after Secretary of State John Kerry met in Washington with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss bilateral issues, including efforts to defeat Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was due to visit Washington this week to attend a Nuclear Security Summit with other world leaders.

(Reporting by Washington newsroom; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Brazilian Dam Breaks, Flooding Village with Mud; 2 Dead, Dozens Missing

Two dams at a Brazilian iron ore mine collapsed on Friday, resulting in a devastating mudslide that has killed at least 2 people, injured 30, and left dozens missing.

A spokesman representing the firefighters said that the numbers of deaths, injured, and missing will likely rise due to the mudslide knocking over cell towers and blocking roads. Time Magazine reports that union officials believe the casualties could be as high as 15.

“In reality there are a lot more, but we can’t confirm any more than that. We don’t even know that we’ll find everybody,” firefighter Adão Severino Junior in the nearby city of Mariana told Reuters.

Hundreds of families were evacuated from the area after the initial escape to higher ground. Television footage of the incident showed a car perched on top of a wall, trees being leveled, and roofs being ripped off of houses due to the waste waters that were unleashed from the dams, according to Reuters.

Rescue teams are still looking for trapped survivors.

Wyoming Wildfire Forces Hundreds of Evacuations

A fast-moving grass fire that started at a landfill Saturday has at least a dozen families that have lost their homes and caused over 500 homes to be evacuated in Central Wyoming. 

Winds gusting up to 50 mph on Sunday pushed the blaze to the east and forced evacuations in the Evansville area. The fire started Saturday in a composting area at a regional landfill near Casper. On Sunday, the fire covered about 7,000 acres and destroyed about 15 homes.

The strong winds in the region for this time of year may have helped to ignite the fire.

About 120 people and 50 fire engines are fighting the blaze. Numerous fire departments from around the state are helping.

The Wyoming State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire, which remained 50 percent contained on Monday evening.

“A Different Kind of Bad” 2nd Wave of Flooding to Hit South Carolina Coast

Predictions for more rain in South Carolina are throwing more concerns on an already battered state as the low areas of the coast brace for the water heading their way.

Gov. Nikki Haley said at a news conference that people in flood-prone parts of four counties should “strongly consider evacuating,” including the 10,000 residents of Georgetown.

“If you’re in the area of Georgetown you’re going to see people knocking on your door telling you to get out,” she said.

The Governor is concerned that residents who have already gone through the historic rainfall and have been through hurricanes, will be complacent about this new wave of flooding heading their way.  “This is a different kind of bad.”

Churches have risen to provide essential support for those affected, according to Vocativ, an online publisher that used geo-location technology to assess social media posts from areas hardest hit by the flooding,

NewSpring Church, which has 10 locations throughout the state, has launched a massive effort tagged #FloodSCWithLove to provide aid to families affected by the disaster.

The church has delivered truckloads of supplies, including water, non-perishable food items and blankets, to local shelters.  Other churches have manned together to volunteer and also help distribute these much needed items.  

California Fires Force Declarations of Emergency

Lake and Napa Counties in California are in a state of emergency because of the Valley Fire.

At least one person has been confirmed dead because of the out of control blaze and several firefighters were severely burned.  Cal Fire officials say the wounded were being treated at a Sacramento-area burn center with 2nd degree burns.

The fire passed 50,000 acres on Sunday and has been declared to be zero percent contained.

“I’m looking in all directions, and all I see is fire,” Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman told The Press Democrat. “This is unreal. … This thing just blew up on us.”

Over 10,000 residents were forced to flee the flames and officials confirmed over 400 homes and businesses.  Over 5,000 homes are without power in the region because of melted power lines.

The town of Middletown has entire blocks destroyed with homes reduced to a pile of smoking ash.

“It looked like hell everywhere,” Maddie Ross, who fled with her grandparents from their Hidden Valley Lake home, told the New York Times. “It was terrifying, truly terrifying. I’ve never been in a situation like that. We all felt like the world was coming to an end.”

“Losing everything you own and having to replace everything is a scary thought,” Alexis Woodruff said to CNN.

Three Deaths in Japan Flooding

Japanese officials reported that three people have been confirmed dead in massive flooding that drove over 170,000 people from their homes.

Officials say that one woman was found dead in her floating car in Miyagi Prefecture.  Two deaths took place in Tochigi Prefecture, one from a landslide and the other from drowning.

The flooding caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Etau has caused nearly 30 injuries and 22 people are still listed as missing.  At least 180 people were still waiting for rescue from the stricken city of Joso, inundated with flood waters after the Kinugawa River jumped its banks.

The storm dumped more than 2 feet of rain in some areas.  Residents have reported over 6,500 homes have been flooded.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has raised the flood warning level for both the Yoshida river in Miyagi Prefecture and the Mogamiogumi River in Yamagata Prefecture to “level 5”, the highest possible.  Residents have been told to flee the area.

The city of Sendai, with more than 400,000 residents, has been told to prepare for evacuation.

The areas hit by the flood waters are in the path of another storm that could bring another four inches of rain over the next 36 hours.

Military Troops Brought in to Fight Western Wildfires

With over 100 wildfires burning in Western states, the U.S. military is now training troops to join the fight against them and provide relief to some of the 25,000 firefighters on scene.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported that 200 active duty troops will be split into 10 units of 20 men and all deployed to the same fire.  The move marks the first time that active duty military has been called out to fight domestic fires.  The troops will come from 17th Field Artillery Brigade of the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington.

National Guard troops have already been on the scene at several fires to help firefighters.

Officials in Idaho reported that an elderly woman died and 50 homes were destroyed in a cluster of fires along the Clearwater River.  The “Clearwater Complex” fire has burned more than 50,000 acres of timber & brush.

A spokesman for Clearwater fire command said that they are facing significant shortages and have had requests for reinforcements for ground forces and aircraft returned “UTF” or “unable to fill.”

Currently fourteen major wildfires are impacting Idaho.  Oregon and Washington have more than 30 large fires and have totaled the highest property losses from the flames.

At least 32 homes were destroyed in fires burning in north-central Washington near the resort town of Chelan.