This year, large swaths of California, including most of the north, the length of the Sierra Nevada mountains, much of southern California and the Mojave desert, have seen their driest wet seasons in more than 40 years. Due to global heating, the state is also warmer than it was during its deep drought in the late 1970s, or during the last extreme drought that ran from 2011 to 2017.
Last month, state leaders announced that they would allocate $536m to hire more firefighters, improve forest management efforts, thin out fire-fueling vegetation and make homes more fire-resistant.
The sweeping plan came after the state saw five of the six largest fires in state history last year. Experts are expecting the coming year to bring more major fires.
Overdose Deaths Rise Again In Yavapai County, April Report Says
Overdose deaths in Yavapai County rose by 22% last year, according to a recent analysis from the non-profit MATFORCE. The annual report which cites data from the Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office documented 82 overdose deaths in 2020. An estimated 31% of those deaths involved individuals under the age of 30. Four were younger than 18. The report reflects a countywide trend of rising overdose deaths in recent years.
Vaccine Availability Expands In AZ
State health officials are moving to expand vaccination accessibility as supply grows statewide. Local healthcare providers may now order the Moderna vaccine directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Arizona’s seven state-run vaccination sites lifted their requirement for appointments last month allowing walk-in patients. The state reports more than five million doses of vaccine have been administered so far statewide; 41.2% of the stat
Parts of California see May red flag fire warning for first time since 2014 msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Evacuation orders for residents were lifted for the Flag Fire in the Hualapai Mountains near Kingman Friday morning.
Pine Lake residents can return to the area, but the Hualapai Mountain Park and Hualapai Mountain Park Lodge remain closed to visitors. Non-residents will be turned away from Pine Lake.
Bureau of Land Management spokesperson Dolores Garcia said the areas will be closed while the county evaluates hiking trails and campgrounds for hazards.
The Bureau of Land Management has also closed portions of BLM Road 7101 and BLM Road 7178 for hazard assessments. Firefighters are working in the area to clear hazards and vegetation, as well as extinguish the heat-producing white smoke found in places like large limbs and along the containment line, Garcia explained.
‘Firefighters Out There in the Snow’: Wildfires Rage Early in Parched West
Firefighters in New Mexico, Arizona and California are battling springtime blazes that have been fueled by a severe drought and boosted by climate change.
A fire sparked in the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico on Monday continued to burn throughout the week, despite rain, light snow and the efforts of fire crews.Credit.USDA Forest Service, via Associated Press
April 30, 2021
RUIDOSO, N.M. New Mexico’s first major wildfire of the year ignited this week near a campground where visitors can hike to view hundreds of prehistoric petroglyphs. After scorching nearly 6,000 acres in a matter of days, the blaze remains only 13 percent contained.