137 Days and a Wake Up
An Out-of-Control Wildfire Has Forced an Entire City in Canada to Evacuate
On Tuesday, the entire population of Fort McMurray, Alberta, was ordered to evacuate as an enormous wildfire swept into the Canadian oil-sands city. High winds fed the fire, the Canadian Press reports, which grew rapidly and gave residents little time to prepare to leave.
Man Films Chilling Escape From California Wildfire
On Sunday, a YouTube user uploaded a terrifying two-minute video showing his hair-raising escape from Northern California’s Valley fire, a blaze one sheriff called “the worst tragedy Lake County has ever seen.”
"This Is Hell": Three Firefighters Killed Battling Wildfire in Washington State
Three firefighters were killed and at least three others were injured on Wednesday while fighting a 1,500-acre wildfire near Twisp, Washington, USA Today reports.
One Firefighter Dead as Wildfires Rage Across Northern California
A wildfire has burned through nearly 46,000 acres and closed two highways north in Lake County, north of San Francisco, The Guardian reports. A firefighter was killed in a second fire, near the border with Oregon.
In the foreground, a landscape of embers, left this morning by the “North Fire,” which prompted people to abandon their cars on the 15 freeway near Victorville, California, smolders. Two people were injured. In the distance, a new fire, dubbed the Pine Fire, takes hold. Funny how that happens!
Washington Wildfire Destroys 100 Homes, Thousands Without Electricity
Emergency officials reported on Saturday that a wildfire that continues to rage through Washington state east of the Cascade Mountains has destroyed over 100 homes and has left thousands in the area without electricity. The fire has been burning for six days, officials say, and hundreds have been evacuated.
Here is a color-coded map of the 31,000 wildfires in North America over the last six months. While 3.7 million acres have burned this year, that is just over half of last year's scorched acreage at this time (7.3 million). This news comes after varying reports that indicate huge wildfires are the new normal.
Wildfires Across California Force Hundreds of Evacuations
Million-dollar homes in Camarillo, Calif. were reduced to nothing yesterday as a wind-stoked fire in Ventura County spread over 8,000 acres, threatening 2,000 homes and causing hundreds of evacuations.
Harrowing Photo Shows Tasmanian Family Fleeing 'Tornadoes of Fire'
With the ground burning around his home in Dunalley, Tasmania, resident Tim Holmes knew he and his family had only one place to hide: In the water.
Colorado Is Engulfed in Flames
Colorado is fully on fire. A number of devastating blazes are currently raging across the state in various stages of non-containment. Governor John Hickenlooper is already calling this "the worst fire season in the history of Colorado."
Texas' Apocalyptic Wildfires, from the Ground—and from Space
It's been a horrible year for wildfires in Texas—six of the state's ten largest recorded wildfires have come in the last eight months, and nearly 3.5 million acres have burned so far. Right now, a large fire in Bastrop State Park—near Austin—rages completely out of control, and another in Montgomery County has forced…
Jon Stewart Mocks John McCain for Being an Immigrant-Hating Geriatric
Last weekend, Sen. John McCain made headlines when he inexplicably accused illegal immigrants of starting the wildfires currently ravaging Arizona. On tonight's Daily Show, Jon Stewart pointed out the absurdity of McCain's statements before conducting an interview with a McCain puppet—yes, a real puppet—about all of…
Strong Winds Push Wildfire Closer to Colorado Town
60 mph wind gusts are pushing the Colorado wildfire closer to the town of Boulder, and authorities have told residents that the western part of town may be evacuated. At least 170 homes have been destroyed this week.
Streets of Fire
[Colorado is on fire. Well, part of it, anyway: This is from outside of Boulder; some 92 structures have been destroyed and another eight damaged. Pic via AP.]
It's Safe(ish) to Breathe in Moscow Again
Air quality in the Russian capital is returning to acceptable, clear levels (glasnost?), as the smoke from the country's raging wildfires blows away from the city. Now everyone can focus on the raging corruption and reporter assassinating and all that.
From Bad to Really Bad: Russian Wildfires Burn in Radioactive Areas
Some of the hundreds of wildfires that have burned western Russia have been reported in areas that were heavily contaminated by fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Experts fear that smoke from fires in the area has become radioactive.
Russian Prime Minister Personally Puts Out Two Wildfires
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin put out two wildfires with his own bare hands. No, actually, he used a firefighting plane. That he built himself. No, actually, he didn't build it. He fathered it by having sex with a jet.
This Is What the Russian Wildfires Look Like from the Inside of a Fleeing Car
This is pretty much unimaginably frightening. As we told you this weekend, Russia is currently being consumed by a group of uncontrollable wildfires. In this shocking video, a group of men desperately attempt to flee the inferno in their car.
Woman's House Burns Down, Martha Stewart Offers Condolences with a Free Juicer
A woman's house burned down in California. The only remains from the charred rubble was a scorched Martha Stewart dutch oven. Martha, ever the altruist, offers her apologies by giving her some free cookware to put in her non-existent home.
