West News

University Study Poses Possible Future for Western Wildfires as a Decade-Long Burst, Followed by Gradual Decline

Newswise — In recent years, wildfires on the West Coast have become larger and more damaging. A combination of almost a century of fire suppression and hotter and drier conditions has created a tinderbox ready to ignite, destroying homes and …

Bayer Will Appeal U.S. Court Ruling on PCBs If Necessary

German chemicals maker Bayer said on Wednesday it may appeal an order in a U.S. legal case to pay $185 million to four staff members of a school in the state of Washington over exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, …

Winds Feeding California’s Largest Wildfire

It could be days before officials will be able to assess the damage done to a small town by California’s largest wildfire, one of dozens of blazes scorching lands across the U.S. West. Over the weekend, the massive Dixie Fire …

200 Buildings Added to Avalanche Risk Areas for Alaskan City

Updated maps add 200 homes and other buildings to hazard zones for landslides and avalanches in Alaska’s capital city, bringing to about 550 the total number of structures that would be considered at moderate to severe risk of being damaged …

Viewpoint: Is California Serious About Addressing the Wildfire Risk? Not So Much.

Recent state budget actions by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature make a strong argument that the state is not serious about addressing the state’s immense wildfire risk. Unquestionably, California’s wildfire risk is the second biggest problem facing …

Former California Insurance Agent Sentenced for Embezzling Nearly $200K

Anna Gabriela Garcia, also known as Anna Nuno-Garcia, 48, of Capistrano Beach, Calif., was sentenced in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana after pleading guilty to two felony counts of embezzlement and grand theft for collecting premium payments from …

Oregon Home Manufacturer Sued for Alleged Racism, Discrimination

Two former employees of a home manufacturing company in eastern Oregon have filed a lawsuit saying they endured anti-Black racism and discrimination, and then were fired after reporting the incidents to managers. The lawsuit was filed in federal court by …

Firefighters Injured While Fighting Montana Wildfire

Five firefighters were injured when a thunderstorm and swirling winds in central Montana blew a lightning-caused wildfire back on them, federal officials said. All five remained in medical facilities and were still being evaluated and treated a day after they …

California’s Largest Wildfire Torches Homes as Blazes Lash West

Flames racing through rugged terrain in Northern California destroyed multiple homes over the weeked as the state’s largest wildfire intensified and numerous other blazes battered the U.S. West. The Dixie fire, which started July 14, had already leveled over a …

Fire Crews Making Progress on Massive Oregon Blaze

The nation’s largest wildfire is still raging through southern Oregon but crews were scaling back some night operations as hard work and weaker winds helped reduce the spread of flames even as wildfires continued to threaten homes in neighboring California. …

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