wildfires

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Powerball Winner's Mansion Destroyed in Palisades Fire

Newish billionaire Edwin Castro loses $3.8M luxury home in Malibu

(Newser) - Edwin Castro's good-luck streak has ended. The California man—who won $2.04 billio n in a 2022 Powerball drawing, scooped up tens of millions of dollars' worth of luxury real estate, and won a lawsuit alleging he wasn't the rightful owner of the winning Powerball ticket—has...

Fire Victim's Last Words: 'I'll Be Here Tomorrow'

5 fire victims identified, including man found with hose in his hand

(Newser) - At least 10 people have died in Los Angeles County's raging wildfires—including five who've been identified—and the stories of their last moments are harrowing.
  • Victor Shaw, 66, died defending his family home of 55 years in the Montrose area, where his "charred body" was found
...

LA Mayor's Ill-Timed Trip May Cost Her

Karen Bass was in Ghana when the wildfires broke out, didn't get back until Wednesday

(Newser) - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass flew to Ghana on Saturday, just as forecasts at home grew concerning, reports the Los Angeles Times . And though she cut her trip short and returned on Wednesday, Bass is facing harsh criticism for her absence amid what may be the most destructive fire in...

California's Question: Will Insurance Market Survive This?

Major insurers had been canceling policies in wildfire-prone areas for years

(Newser) - The devastating Los Angeles wildfires have left many Californians wondering about the future of a home insurance industry that was already in crisis. Most of California's major insurers cut coverage after wildfires in 2017 and 2018, when they paid out around twice as much in claims and expenses as...

Thousands of LA Pets Are Now Homeless, Too

Animal shelters, volunteers are struggling to keep up with demand

(Newser) - The wildfire-fueled chaos in Los Angeles extends not just to humans, but also their animals, many of whom were forced out of their homes or left behind as residents evacuated with little time to spare. Jill Tucker of the California Animal Welfare Association, who's been coordinating with more than...

Celebs Flee California Fires
California Fires
Hit A-Listers Hard
Jan 8, 2025 11:36 AM CST

California Fires Hit A-Listers Hard

'I'm watching our house burn down on the security cameras,' says Spencer Pratt

(Newser) - As the California fires rampage through posh communities, a whole lot of celebrities are fleeing and finding themselves homeless courtesy of a blaze that hadn't even started when they awoke Tuesday morning. Many are taking to social media to show footage of the destruction and describe the situation, reports...

LA Fires Bring &#39;Apocalyptic&#39; Scenes
LA Fires 'Like a Horror Movie'
Jan 8, 2025 6:26 AM CST

LA Fires 'Like a Horror Movie'

Scene is 'apocalyptic,' says evacuee as 3 wildfires rage

(Newser) - Worsening conditions Wednesday are expected to fuel three fast-moving wildfires in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, where at least 49,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders and thousands more have been told to prepare to flee. The Palisades Fire , ignited Tuesday morning, had grown to nearly 3,...

Wildfire Nearing, Woman Crams 20 Joeys in Her Living Room

Aussie wildlife rescuer Pam Turner herded the baby roos into her home as a huge blaze neared

(Newser) - A blaze out of Australia's Grampians National Park continues to rage, sending animals scattering—and in one case, straight into Pam Turner's living room. Turner, who runs the Wildwood Wildlife Shelter in Victoria, ended up hosting 20 baby kangaroos, or joeys, in her home on the day after...

14-Year-Old Accused of Starting NJ Wildfire

Boy is being held in blaze that burned through more than 50 acres

(Newser) - Police in New Jersey have arrested a person accused of starting a wildfire amid the state's ongoing drought—and he's all of 14 years old. Evesham Township Police say they arrested the juvenile and charged him with setting a fire on Oct. 30 that burned more than 50...

Also on Fire: The Northeast
Also on Fire: The Northeast
Nov 11, 2024 10:35 AM CST

Also on Fire: The Northeast

As California contends with its blazes, firefighters on East Coast have drought-induced fires of their own

(Newser) - The West is usually the focus of news about US wildfires, but the Northeast is currently waging its own fiery battles as a regional drought continues to leave the land parched and ripe for blazes. Axios reports that an "abnormally dry fall" has firefighters hard at work, with a...

Teenage Employee Killed Fighting New York Wildfire

Tree fell on 18-year-old as he helped battle a blaze on New Jersey border

(Newser) - An 18-year-old New York parks employee killed while fighting a wildfire in the state Saturday was being mourned by his family as well as state officials. Dariel Vasquez, an aide with the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department, was helping to combat a wildfire in Orange County'...

Amid Devastation of California's Mountain Fire, 'Fantastic' News

Firefighters gain ground on the blaze in Ventura County that has destroyed 130-plus homes

(Newser) - Southern California firefighters gained ground Friday against a wildfire that has destroyed at least 132 structures , mostly houses, as favorable conditions were expected to continue through the weekend after two days of dangerous gusty winds. Forecasters expect light winds over the weekend that will continue to aid firefighters. Meteorologists are...

Family Moved Into Inherited Home 2 Weeks Ago, Lost It in Wildfire

So-called Mountain Fire in Ventura County, California, has burned 130-plus homes, injured 10

(Newser) - Thousands are under evacuation orders as the ferocious Mountain Fire continues to rage across California's Ventura County—a most unwelcome welcome for Brittanie Bibby and her family, who just saw the home in Camarillo she recently inherited from her dad go up in flames. "We lost everything,"...

California Wildfire Explodes to Nearly 15K Acres in Hours

3.5K structures threatened, thousands under evacuation orders

(Newser) - California was lashed by powerful winds Wednesday that fed a fast-moving wildfire, which destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands of residents to flee as forecasters warned of the potential for "extreme and life-threatening" blazes, the AP reports. Northwest of Los Angeles, the Mountain Fire exploded in size and...

Guy Loses Dog, Sparks Wildfire in Cremation Attempt: Cops

It was allegedly a rough few days for Brent Garber, now charged with arson

(Newser) - One of Colorado's largest wildfires of the year was started by a man whose attempt at cremating his dog went horribly wrong, authorities say. Investigators probing how the Bucktail fire erupted Aug. 1 discovered the partially burned remains of the dog named Rocket on private property that had suffered...

6 Firefighters Critically Injured in California Crash

They had just finished 12-hour shift battling Airport Fire

(Newser) - Six firefighters were critically injured Thursday night in a rollover crash on a freeway in Orange County, California. The two other firefighters in the fire truck had minor injuries, KTLA reports. The California Highway Patrol says the Orange County Fire Authority truck hit a guardrail and rolled over after it...

Man Pleads Not Guilty to Starting Massive California Fire

Delivery driver Justin Halstenberg allegedly used incendiary device

(Newser) - A California man has pleaded not guilty to starting a fire that authorities said ballooned into a massive wildfire and forced the evacuation of thousands of homes. Online court records show Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, entered the plea from jail in a video arraignment Tuesday in the San Bernardino city...

Suspect Accused of Starting Massive California Fire

Sheriff believes FedEx driver Justin Halstenberg may be responsible for more wildfires

(Newser) - A California man has been arrested for allegedly starting a wildfire that has put more than 65,000 structures at risk. Riverside County resident Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of arson, KCAL reports. Investigators believe he started the Line Fire , which has burned more than 54...

Firefighters Can't Get a Grip on Blaze Raging Near Athens

Evacuations triggered for suburbs of Greek capital, as blaze rips through dry pine forests

(Newser) - A major forest fire was raging out of control on the northern fringes of the Greek capital on Monday, triggering numerous evacuation orders for Athens suburbs and outlying areas as strong winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes. Authorities were faced with "an...

Older Firefighter Pilots Often Just Keep on Flying

Fatal crash of 73-year-old draws attention to the issue

(Newser) - Pilot Jim Maxwell logged nearly 25,000 flight hours over five decades flying small planes in dangerous situations, from spraying to kill illegal drug crops in Central America to navigating smoky skies to drop fire retardant as wildfires scorched the Western United States. Once in the 1980s, his plane went...

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