As fires rage in Mad River, Happy Camp, Gasquet and along State Route 36, state and federal agencies are scrambling to get boots on the ground. Firefighters and support personnel arrive at the local airport every day, to spend the night in Eureka before heading out to the fireline. The problem? Many haven’t been able […]
Fire
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Homeowners Allege Firefighters in Saddle Fire Endangered Lives, Property
A backburn lit by an incident team on the Saddle Fire reversed direction on June 12, jumping the county road to burn 150 acres of private land and threaten the lives of three Hyampom residents. “We asked them not to light the backburn,” said Jennifer Lance, whose husband, Richard Collins, beat the blaze away from […]
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Who’s Going to Put Out the Fire? Volunteer Firefighters Aging Out of the Service
The ranks of volunteer fire departments are dwindling for lack of fresh faces. The New York Times reported on this trend last year, citing several factors including a shift from volunteer to career firefighting, lack of time for volunteering and the aging of rural populations. This last factor has had a decided impact on departments […]
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“Let It Burn”: Enviros Push for Return to Traditional Klamath Forest Management
Controversy over a proposed salvage logging operation in Klamath National Forest seems poised to leverage the National Forest Service into restoring historic stewardship rights to the Karuk tribe. Environmental groups have accused the NFS of “fast-tracking” the Westside Fire Recovery Project, which was proposed in October 2014 as a response to massive summer wildfires across […]
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Fall Victim Identified as 58-Year-Old Eurekan
The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has identified the Eureka man who died after falling 15 feet off a ladder while fighting a fire at his home Friday night as 58-year-old David Maxon. According to Humboldt Bay Fire, Maxon was using a hose to attempt to put out a fire in the chimney area of his […]
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Updated: Mop Up Continues in Hoopa Fire that Threatened Homes
UPDATE: Crews are mopping up the “Bald Hill 3” fire, which as of this morning, Sept. 16, is 95 percent contained and has burned 210 acres. Full containment was expected by Wednesday, Sept. 17. PREVIOUSLY: Hoopa firefighters battled a blaze on Bald Hill, which overlooks the Hoopa Valley, all night and by 9 a.m. this […]
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UPDATED: Woman Identified in Fatal Arcata Fire
SECOND UPDATE: The Arcata police and fire departments issued a joint press release today stating that their joint investigation has revealed that 52-year-old Kelly Maureen Nichols likely started the fire that ultimately took her life in Arcata on Sept. 10. Further, the investigation found that, after the fire began, neighbors attempted to talk Nichols into […]
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UPDATED Highway 96 Open, Fire Almost Out
SECOND UPDATE: Six Rivers National Forest reports that the Sugar Bowl Fire should be 100 percent contained by 6 p.m. this evening, July 28, and fully controlled by 6 p.m. July 29 The road is now open with no restrictions, although motorists “should be aware of potential hazards of rocks or debris rolling down from the […]
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West End Road Fire Kills One
An 86-year-old man died in a house fire on West End Road Sunday morning. Jack Wilson, who lived at the home on the 9000 block of West End Road, died in the fire, Coroner Dave Parris confirmed today. The coroner’s office suspects Wilson died of accidental smoke inhalation, and Parris said the Arcata Fire Protection […]
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Fire in Hoopa Destroys House, Threatens Others
UPDATE: Hoopa Valley Tribe Public Information Office Kristan Korns reports that the fire is being treated as a suspected act of arson and that United States Bureau of Indian Affairs Investigators are on scene. Additionally, Korns said a Hoopa Wildland Fire Department captain suffered a burn while battling the blaze, but said the injury was […]
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Victims of Fields Landing Fire Named
Two people killed in a Fields Landing fire Saturday morning were visiting friends from the Susanville area. Jeffrey Micheal Faust, 56, and his longtime girlfriend Sharon Kay Beem (who also went by the last name Schonrock) died from inhaling carbon dioxide and smoke put off by plastic burning. Humboldt Bay Fire Chief Ken Woods said […]
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Fields Landing Fire Kills Two
Two adults died in a structure fire in Fields Landing this morning, according to Humboldt Bay Fire. Firefighters got the call at about 2:30 a.m. reporting a structure fire at a residence on the 600 block of South Bay Depot Drive. According to a press release, fire crews arrived to find moderate smoke coming from […]