Japan deploys helicopters to help Indonesia fight Borneo fires
Japan’s JS Kunisaki reached West Kalimantan with three CH-47 helicopters as Indonesia continued peat-wetting and fire-control operations through September 14.
Wildfires
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Indonesia wildfire haze disrupts flights as response expands
Wildfire haze has disrupted flights in West Kalimantan, where visibility in Pontianak fell below 1 kilometer as Japan and other partners joined Indonesia’s response.
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Mount Rainier Expands Closures as Wildfires Affect Park Access
Mount Rainier closed Sunrise and White River roads, trail sections and backcountry camps as fires disrupted visitor access and firefighting operations.
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Nebraska disaster survivors get temporary Medicaid work-rule relief in 13 counties
Nebraska Medicaid expansion applicants and members in 13 disaster-affected counties may qualify for temporary hardship relief, automatic case review and extended renewal windows.
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Europe’s Drought and Heat Push Wildfire and River Risks Into Late Summer
A new EU assessment says worsening drought is driving elevated wildfire risk, exceptionally low rivers and pressure on farming, power, shipping and health.
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California wildfire liability deal could shift costs to homeowners as lawmakers face Aug. 31 deadline
California lawmakers are weighing a proposed wildfire liability package that could speed survivor payments but raise insurance costs and change who pays after future utility-caused fires.
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Utah fires are mostly contained, but recovery risks remain
Utah’s largest fires are mostly contained, but burn scars, damaged roads and threatened water systems continue to create safety and recovery risks.
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Colorado seeks federal aid after fires, floods and debris flows
Colorado is seeking federal recovery aid after two wildfires destroyed homes and infrastructure, while burn-scar flooding continues to threaten rural communities.
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California regulators adopt $22 million PG&E settlement over Mosquito Fire safety violations
The CPUC adopted a shareholder-funded settlement tied to its Mosquito Fire investigation, sending $21 million to the state General Fund and up to $1 million to an independent review of PG&E’s inspection team—not directly to fire survivors.
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Southeast Asia haze risk rises as El Niño targets August and September
Indonesia’s active fires, an ASEAN Level 2 alert and a strengthening El Niño forecast are raising the risk of localized smoke crossing into Malaysia.
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B.C. wildfire response shifts to controlled access as evacuations continue
Highway 97 has reopened for limited daytime through traffic while evacuation orders and alerts remain active after the Bald Range wildfire displaced more than 20,000 people.
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Nebraska wildfire recovery enters federal reimbursement phase as Aug. 12 trucking deadline nears
Nebraska estimates $9,686,602 in public wildfire damage as agencies document roads and power systems for possible reimbursement; limited hay-hauling relief ends Aug. 12.
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Extreme Heat and Wildfire Danger Trigger Emergency Response Across the West
A late-July and early-August heat wave brought record or near-record temperatures and worsening wildfire conditions across parts of the Western United States. Washington declared a state of emergency as extreme fire weather affected eastern parts of the state.
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Western wildfires complicate emergency response as Utah crash site remains inaccessible
A Utah wildfire blocked emergency responders from safely reaching a helicopter-crash site as fires in Washington and Oregon prompted closures, threatened communities and continued to spread.
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Texas keeps wildfire, drought and flooding disasters active across dozens of counties
Texas lists six active disaster declarations, including designations covering 50 counties for drought, 15 for Hill Country and Central Texas flooding, and 11 for wildfire.
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Utah keeps emergency powers active after wildfires trigger flooding and infrastructure damage
Gov. Spencer Cox declared an emergency for Beaver, Piute and Sevier counties after post-fire flooding damaged roads, homes, irrigation systems and drinking-water infrastructure.
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Two Firefighting Pilots Die Near Athens as Wildfire Emergency Spreads Across Europe
Two firefighting helicopter pilots were killed near Athens on Aug. 3 as wildfires prompted evacuations in Greece, France and Spain and intensified concerns about extreme fire weather.
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Senate confirms Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA during active wildfire and flood season
The Senate confirmed Cameron Hamilton as FEMA administrator on Aug. 7, as the agency manages more than 1,000 open disaster declarations and the administration considers changes to federal disaster aid.
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Spokane Wildfires Improve, but Evacuation Zones Remain in Place
Cooler weather helped firefighters near Spokane on Aug. 5, but evacuation zones remained as officials warned of hotter, drier and windier conditions.
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Latin American governments activate El Niño preparations as WMO warns of drought, heat and wildfire risks
Governments across Latin America are activating contingency plans as El Niño strengthens, with officials preparing water, energy, transport and firefighting systems.
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Minnesota prepares to wind down Boundary Waters wildfire emergency as fires ease
Minnesota officials said August 6 that improving conditions could allow the state to wind down its peacetime-emergency response, but the Boundary Waters closure remains in place with no reopening date announced.
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Wildfire Smoke, Catastrophic Flooding and Expanding Fires Hit the U.S. in Three-Front Emergency
A July 17 snapshot showed hazardous wildfire smoke in the East, catastrophic flooding in Texas and expanding fires in the Pacific Northwest as firefighting resources stretched across 15 states.