Shenandoah National Park is officially announcing a park-wide fire ban. The announcement comes during a wildfire and an ongoing drought.

Could space-age technology save the West from catastrophic wildfires? A handful of leading aerospace and tech companies think so — and they’re devoting serious research dollars into new artificial intelligence programs to prove it.  For the past few decades, wildfires have been getting bigger and more destructive all across the Western United States. Traditionally, strategies [...]

In 2018, Arizona hiker Phil Powers was lost in the woods, suffering from dehydration and kidney failure, when he lit a signal fire to call for help. His actions resulted in a timely rescue—and a 230-acre wildfire and a criminal sentence.   The sentence, handed down on February 14, includes nearly $300,000 in fines and a [...]

While California skiers are rejoicing over the state’s record-breaking snowfall this year, many wildland firefighters are starting to get nervous. Winter precipitation means spring plant growth—and to a wildfire, plants are nothing more than fuel.  Of course, California’s record-breaking precipitation does have some benefits. It’s helped alleviate the state’s longstanding drought. Plentiful rainfall also encourages [...]