Firefighting
Why Is the U.S. Facing a Federal Firefighter Shortage?
The shortage is part of an ongoing dilemma as the government struggles to budget and plan for longer, more severe fire seasons.
Did the Government Shutdown Make Fire Season More Dangerous for California?
The five-week partial government shutdown fell during a critical window for fire-prone states to lessen the impact of the coming fire season through prescribed burns.
The Shutdown Has Stopped Critical Firefighter Training in the Western U.S.
Some states have halted training and may be underprepared for the 2019 fire season.
Prescribed Burning: Fighting Fire With Fire in the American West
Prescribed burning achieves the same end goal as fuel reduction, but without the manual effort of combing through the entire West.
Viewfinder: Firefighting Near Carros, France
A fire-fighting Canadair aircraft flies to drop water over a fire near Carros, southeastern France, on July 24th, 2017.
Smart Solutions for Fighting Tomorrow’s Wildfires
A slew of good ideas, from high-tech UAVs to just leaving a hose out for firefighters, may help in battling tomorrow’s brush fires.
Playing the Odds in Catching Wildfire Arsonists
A small but significant number of wildfires are intentionally set. The fire starters often share characteristics but aren’t always cut from the same cloth.
California, Carolina Spotlight Extremes of Firefighting Budgets
While agencies in California can shine a spotlight on fancy new firefighting technology, their peers in places like South Carolina often make do with much less.
Computer Science Aids Firefighters on the Ground
Understanding wildfire behavior and predicting its spread ...
Satellite, Aerial Technology Revolutionizes Firefighting
Far above the rough terrain where wildfires thrive, satellite and aerial technology is being used to give firefighters on the ground the big picture.
Debunking Arson Indicators
Sidebar: 'Flashover defense' gets two arson convictions reversed in the 1980s.
Arson Convictions, Fire Investigations Feel the Heat
As decades of flawed and unscientific fire investigation techniques call arson convictions into question, new recipes emerge for a system-wide overhaul.