California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) News

California wildfires are becoming more devastating and destructive as we face fire season year-round.  "In California, it's all about wildfires these days. And the reason is that we've had droughts," explained James Gore, the chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. "Those droughts have exacerbated things." early detection and prevention "There's no 'fire season' anymore," said CAL FIRE firefighter Camille Edward. "Sometimes it does take a toll. You're away from your families, es...

Last year was the largest wildfire season recorded in California in modern history, with six of the top 20 largest wildfires in the state, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). In 2020, firefighters faced a total of 9,917 wildfires that consumed a record 6,653 square miles. These fires took the lives of 33 people and damaged or destroyed 10,488 structures. Ahead of the 2022 wildland fire season, climatologists are predicting another record-shatteri...

An explosion of blue-colored smoke on Sept. 5, 2020 in Yucalpa, California, was the beginning of a large wildfire in El Dorado Ranch Park. The pyrotechnic device was essentially a smoke bomb designed to send plumes of pink or blue smoke rising into the air, designating the gender of an expected baby. The expectant dad had packed the target with a highly explosive substance called Tannerite and shot it with a high-powered rifle. The target was designed to explode in pink or blue to reveal whethe...

With more than two dozen major wildfires as well as over 12,000 emergency incidents, and over 1.1 million acres burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a thick blanket of smoke continues to hang low in the skies in Northern California. NasalGuard® Airborne Particle Blocker responds to the devastating fires raging across Northern California with the launch of the ‘Breathe Easier Smoke Inhalation Donation’ program. NasalGuard® Airborne P...

MoistureShield announced its Vision® capped composite decking line has been approved for the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Building Materials listing in California, a program of the California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zones are places where potentially flammable vegetation meets or overlaps with developed areas identifying them as severe fire hazard areas. With increasing populations in California WUI areas and temperatures above historical av...

The wildfire season in 11 Western U.S. states has started out slower than last year, although deadly fires could still develop in the second half of the season, as they did last year. Meanwhile, wildfires in the Arctic have reached new levels, especially in Alaska and Siberia. Wildfires in the West killed 160 people and caused $40 billion in damage in the past two years, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. The trend is toward larger fires burning more acres –...

Insitu, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, assisted from the air in the firefight against the Camp Fire in Northern California, now deemed the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in California's history. "Our hearts go out to all of those affected by the terrible Camp Fire tragedy," said Esina Alic, Insitu President and CEO. "We are honored to have had the opportunity to help with fire suppression efforts using our ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and INEXA suite of informa...

As wildfire disasters increase across the country, a new study found negligible cost differences between building a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features. "We know from post-fire assessments, accompanied by laboratory experiments, that two factors drive home vulnerability in wildfires: how the home is built in terms of materials used and installation details and the landscaping on the property," said Dr. Steve Quarles, Chief Scientist for Wil...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger addresses the public before the medal awarding ceremony The Medal of Valor is the highest honor that California bestows upon its public servants. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger awarded the distinguished Governor's Medal of Valor to 17 CAL FIRE employees for acting above and beyond the call of duty. The firefighters received the Medal of Valor, the highest honor that California bestows upon its public servants, as part of a ceremony recognizing...

CAL Fire provides tips for safe cooking this holiday CAL FIRE encourages safe cooking this holiday. CAL FIRE warned residents about the many dangers that the holiday can pose. The end of the year for most Americans means preparing for feasts, festivities and fun throughout the holiday season. But each year that joy is marred by tragedy when accidents and fires cause injuries and even death. Thanksgiving remains the leading day for home cooking fires with 3 times as many cook...

Fire codes aimed at reducing fires and protecting the environment Sacramento - Updated fire and building codes developed to increase fire resistance in buildings and homes across California will take effect from January 2011. The new codes, which will be enforced by CAL FIRE's Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and fire and building departments throughout the state, bring California in line with the 2009 International Building, Fire, and Residential Code. The new codes...

Governor Schwarzeneggar talking to firefighters in California after recent wildfires Directs Cal/OSHA to carry out largest heat enforcement effort in its history Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today mobilized the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to prepare for increased wildfire potential as unseasonably hot and dry conditions are forecast for much of California this week. Additionally, the...

Governor Schwarzenegger surveys damage caused by the 49 fire Firefighting resources will be directed to battle ongoing fires throughout California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today visited the 49 fire in Placer County to tour damage caused by the 49 fire and receive a briefing on the status of firefighting efforts statewide. The 49 fire began on August 30 and has burned approximately 275 acres and is 50 percent contained. "My administration is working around the clock...

Governor Schwarzeneggar has signed an order to aid wildfire victim recovery Order will help increase aid to those affected by wildfires throughout California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed Executive Order S-16-09 to waive fees and help recovery efforts for the victims of wildfires in Los Angeles, Mariposa, Monterey, Placer, Santa Cruz and Yuba Counties. Today, the Governor announced the establishment of a Local Assistance Center to help victims of the 49 fir...

Governor Schwarzenegger has declared May 3-9 Wildfire Awareness Week CAL FIRE encourages fire prevention and defensible space Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared May 3-9 Wildfire Awareness Week, to remind Californians to be vigilant as the state approaches peak fire season and to highlight the importance of the homeowner's role in preparing their property ahead of time to survive a wildfire. CAL FIRE will be conducting fire safety inspections throughout the st...

California fire officials are urging residents to create defensible space around their homes State fire officials stress now is the time to create defensible space Last summer's wildfires charred over a million acres across California in one of the worst fire seasons in recorded history. These wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes and burned dangerously close to thousands of others. As temperatures begin to increase and conditions continue to dry out, CAL FIRE (the Califor...