Western wildfires latest: Firefighters battling three major blazes, two in California
(LOS ANGELES) — As the Park Fire in Northern California became the fifth largest wildfire in state history on Tuesday, firefighters were dealt a new challenge when another blaze erupted in Southern California and quickly blew up into a major conflagration, prompting mass evacuations, officials said.
At the same time, Colorado firefighters attacked the Alexander Mountain Fire that ignited Monday near the Roosevelt National Forest in Larimer County north of Boulder and quickly spread to more than 1,800 acres as more than 20 different state agencies, including 12 local fire companies, raced to battle the out-of-control flames.
The Nixon Fire
California firefighters were confronting 15 active blazes on Tuesday, including three that started on Monday. Among the biggest new fires is the Nixon Fire that ignited around 12:30 p.m. local time Monday off Richard Nixon Boulevard in Riverside County, northeast of the town of Aguanga, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
As of Tuesday morning, the Nixon Fire had grown to 3,750 acres and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Several structures in the fire zone were damaged, but it was unclear if they were homes. More than 1,100 structures were being threatened by the fire, according to Cal Fire.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in the area.
At least 255 fire personnel, including 44 fire engine crews, two helicopter crews and numerous firefighting air tankers, were battling the fire on Tuesday.
The Park Fire
As of Tuesday morning, the Park Fire, which was deliberately started on Wednesday and spread through Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties in Northern California, had grown to 383,619 acres — which sent it leapfrogging over the 2020 Creek Fire, which tore through Central California’s Sierra National Forest, to become the fifth largest wildfire in state history, officials said.
The Park Fire has destroyed 192 structures, including homes and commercial property, and damaged another 19 structures in a path of destruction that started in Bidwell Park near the city of Chico and spread about 90 miles north to the Lassen National Forest, according to Cal Fire.
The monster blaze, encompassing nearly 600 square miles, was 14% contained on Tuesday morning, up from 12% on Monday, according to Cal Fire.
As more than 5,300 firefighters fought the Park Fire from the air and ground on Monday evening, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea issued a dire warning to residents defying mandatory evacuation orders.
“If the fire blows over, I can’t make any promise or guarantee that we can get up there to save your life,” Honea said during a news conference.
Meanwhile, the suspect arrested on suspicion of starting the Park Fire was formally arraigned on Monday. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, of Chico, was charged with felony arson with an enhancement of special circumstances due to prior convictions. His arraignment was continued to Thursday, when he is expected to enter a plea. Stout was ordered to be held without bail.
Stout was allegedly spotted just before 3 p.m. PT on Wednesday pushing a burning car down a gully called “Alligator Hole” in Bidwell Park, near Chico, sparking the Park Fire, prosecutors said.
Weather conditions in the Chico area will be heating up in the coming days. The high temperatures will reach the lower 90s on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, temperatures are forecast to climb into the upper 90s and reach triple digits by Thursday and into the weekend.
The Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado
Colorado firefighters were trying to get the upper hand on the Alexander Mountain Fire, which was first reported around 10:30 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. The fire burning in a remote mountainous area near Roosevelt National Park grew to 1,820 acres by Tuesday afternoon and was 0% contained, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office ordered residents in the Alexander Mountain and Palisade Mountain areas to “evacuate immediately” as local fire crews and firefighting aircraft raced to battle the blaze.
“We are thankful for the incredible support and partnership from the community and partner agencies,” Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said of the multiple fire departments that responded to the fire. “The Larimer County community rallied in support of us today — listening to the evacuation orders, and pulling together in our time of need.”
Smoke spreading across the Northwest
The fires in the West are spreading smoke across the Northwest.
By Wednesday afternoon, the smoke is expected to remain heavy in the Northern California region, but farther east, it will be pushed south. Medium to heavy smoke is possible from Salt Lake City to Denver on Wednesday afternoon, while places farther north that have been under heavy smoke for days will finally get a break as they get rainfall and cooler temperatures.
Air quality alerts were issued for Boise, Idaho, and Denver due to the smoky conditions, officials said.
Red flag warnings signaling elevated fire danger were issued for at least Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.
(HILO, Hawaii) — Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, one of the most active in the world, is erupting again, prompting a volcano watch alert in surrounding areas, according to officials.
The eruption is occurring within a remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Lava began flowing from a new fissure vent that opened from east to west within the volcano’s Nāpau Crater early Tuesday morning, the USGS said.
Several lava fountains about 32 feet high and pools of lava on the floor of the crater were observed by helicopters flying over the eruption Tuesday morning.
A separate fissure west of the Nāpau Crater began emitting lava on Monday, stopping after a few hours and then resuming activity later that evening, according to the USGS, which also noted that the eruption was preceded by a sequence of below-ground earthquakes.
About 17 earthquakes were detected beneath the Kilauea summit region between Monday and Tuesday. The earthquakes occurred at depths between .6 and 1.9 miles below the ground surface, the USGS said.
The USGS issued a volcano watch – known as a code orange – which means that an eruption is either likely or occurring but with no, or minor, ash.
There is no immediate threat to life or infrastructure, but residents nearby may experience volcanic gas emissions related to the eruption, the USGS said.
Yet hazards remain around the Kilauea caldera from the instability of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall, the USGS said. Ground cracking and rockfalls can be enhanced by earthquakes.
Volcanic smog, known as vog, presents airborne health hazards to people and livestock and has the potential to damage agricultural crops and other plants, according to the USGS.
The USGS further warned that additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava around the active and inactive fissures in Kilauea are also possible.
Another potential hazard is Pele’s hair, a volcanic glass formation produced from cooled lava that’s stretched into thin strands. The USGS warns that winds could carry lighter particles from the strands downwind. Contact with the particles can cause skin and eye irritation, according to the USGS.
Eruptions at Kilauea have been destructive in the past. In 2018, more than 600 properties were destroyed by heavy lava flow that stretched from the Kilauea summit to the ocean.
Unusual eruptions that were described as being similar to a “stomp-rocket toy,” a children’s toy that involves launching a rocket into the air after stomping on the release mechanism, contributed to the severity of the lava flow and could potentially impact future eruptions, according to a paper published earlier this year in Nature Geosciences.
The area surrounding the rim of Kilauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu crater has been closed to the public since 2008 due to the hazards.
ABC News’ Bonnie Mclean contributed to this report.
(EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo.) — Two bodies were found in the rubble of a Missouri home that was completely leveled in an explosion early Friday morning. The bodies are believed to be the residents of the home.
The explosion was so powerful it blew open doors in neighboring houses and could be felt miles away. Nothing was left standing in the house after the explosion, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office received calls from a neighbor just before 5 a.m. reporting the explosion. They then received calls from other neighbors and residents who heard the explosion.
Deputies found a dog that appears to have been killed in the explosion, according to the sheriff’s office. They believe the dog resided in the home.
There have been no reported injuries outside the house. The Missouri Propane Safety Commission has been called in due to the possibility of a gas leak.
The Missouri Fire Marshall’s office is investigating the cause of the explosion. The Missouri Propane Safety Commission is also investigating the explosion.
The sheriff’s office told ABC News there is no indication of foul play.
“To arrive on scene and see nothing left of a house — just scattered debris everywhere — is shocking,” Clay County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sarah Boyd said.
“It’s especially hard knowing that at 4:30 in the morning, someone is probably sleeping inside. Our deputies have never seen anything like this,” Boyd said.
(NEW YORK) — Hurricane Francine made landfall early Wednesday evening in Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans, as a Category 2 storm. Francine has since weakened to a tropical depression as it brings heavy rain to the South.
Here’s how the news is developing:
No fatalities reported in Louisiana
No fatalities have been reported from the storm in Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry said Thursday, and he thanked residents for heeding all the warnings.
A Louisiana trooper suffered minor injuries while removing a downed tree from a road Wednesday night, officials said. The trooper was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Power outages due to vegetation are the biggest issue in Louisiana, officials said.
Fourteen route-clearance teams are out working to clear debris, officials said.
-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul
Over 340,000 without power in Louisiana
More than 340,000 customers are without power in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Francine. About 36,000 customers are without power in Mississippi and 36,000 are in the dark in Alabama.
What to expect next
Francine — which brought a record daily rainfall to New Orleans — is now pushing north, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and potential tornadoes to the South.
Eight states across the South are under wind and flood alerts, from Louisiana to Missouri.
As Francine moves north, it is expected to slow down and stall. An additional 5 to 10 inches of rain is possible across the South, especially in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia.
Over 390,000 without power in Louisiana
More than 390,000 customers are without power in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Francine. About 66,000 customers are waking up without power in Mississippi and 12,000 are in the dark in Alabama.
Francine weakens to tropical depression
Francine weakened to a tropical depression as it moved over south-central Mississippi Thursday morning.
Francine is now spreading heavy rain across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
A tornado watch is in effect for Florida and Alabama.
Heavy rains, ‘severe thunderstorms’ forecast as Francine weakens
The National Weather Service forecast heavy rains and thunderstorms across the southeast through Thursday as Tropical Storm Francine moves north from Louisiana into southern Mississippi.
The National Hurricane Center said Francine was around 20 miles northwest of New Orleans early Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. The tropical storm was moving northeast toward Mississippi at 14 mph.
Francine is expected to bring between 4 and 8 inches of storm rainfall to areas across southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, far southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle through Thursday, the NHC said.
“This rainfall could lead to considerable flash, urban and river flooding,” it added.
The NWS warned of “heavy rain and chances for severe thunderstorms” across the affected areas, as well as tornadoes “potentially impacting parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle along a slow-moving warm front.”
“The greatest threat for considerable flash flooding exists across parts of northern and central Alabama,” it added, noting the possibility of up to 10 inches of rain.
The NHC also warned of dangerous storm surges. Water could rise by 4 to 6 feet between the mouth of the Pearl River in Louisiana to Ocean Springs in Mississippi, as well as at Lake Pontchartrain.
Three- to 5-foot surges may occur from Ocean Springs, Mississippi to the state border with Alabama, between Morgan City and the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and at Lake Maurepas, the NHC said.
419,000 without power after Francine landfall
At least 419,942 people were without power early Thursday following the passage of Tropical Storm Francine, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday.
PowerOutage.us reported 392,440 people without power in Louisiana and 27,502 in Mississippi as of the early hours of Thursday morning.
Among those affected were 301,000 customers of the Entergy energy company, the firm said on its website. The most pronounced outages were in Louisiana, with the largest impact in coastal areas around New Orleans where Francine made landfall Wednesday.
Jefferson County (68,189), Orleans County (49,975), Lafourche County (36,701), Ascension County (27,038) and Terrebonne County (25,611) were the worst affected in Louisiana, Entergy said.
Francine weakens to tropical storm
After making landfall as a hurricane, Francine weakened to a tropical storm late Wednesday night.
All Hurricane Watches and Warnings have been canceled, but Tropical Storm Warnings continue for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
The Flash Flood Warning remains in effect in metro New Orleans while heavy rains remain.
By Thursday morning, Francine will be over central Mississippi with heavy rain, gusty winds, and tornado risk extending into Alabama to the Florida panhandle.
The storm is moving northeast at 16 mph while sustaining maximum winds of 65 mph.
Flash Flood Warning issued for New Orleans
Thunderstorms across Louisiana are producing heavy rain across the state, according to the National Weather Service.
Flash Flood Warnings are in effect for “Northwestern Jefferson Parish, Southwestern Orleans, Northern St. Charles Parish and Southwestern St. John The Baptist Parish” until 11:45 PM local time, the NWS said Wednesday evening.
Between 5 to 7 inches of rain has already fallen in the areas, with an additional 2 to 3 inches expected, according to NWS.
Other areas in Louisiana that may experience flash flooding include Hahnville, Metairie, Avondale, Laplace, Marrero, Reserve, Harvey, Timberlane, Jefferson, Gretna, Harahan, Westwego, St. Rose, Destrehan, Ama, New Sarpy, Norco, Luling and Waggaman.
AT&T and T-Mobile report resolution of 911 outage in New Orleans
AT&T and T-Mobile say the issues customers in New Orleans had reported in reaching 911 services in some storm-impacted areas have been resolved.
Those customers who needed emergency services were told to call the 10-digit number instead — 504 671-3600 — according to the NOLA Ready Emergency Alert System.
Francine continues to bring ‘life-threatening’ storm surge
Francine continues to bring life-threatening storm surges and hurricane conditions to southern Louisiana. Heavy rain and gusty winds will stick around while the Category 1 storm is expected to weaken Wednesday evening.
It’s currently moving southeast of Morgan City with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph.
Metro New Orleans is under a Flash Flood Warning and power went out in Slidell, Louisiana.
Causeway Bridge closes to traffic
The famed Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana has been closed to traffic due to “thunderstorms, high winds, crosswinds [and] poor visibility,” Causeway Police said.
Francine weakens to Category 1 storm
Francine has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane post-landfall, but continues to bring life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions to southern Louisiana.
A peak gust of 97 mph was reported at a weather station in Dulac.
FEMA on storm dangers
As residents in Louisiana hunker down due to Francine, Keith Turi, the associate administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Association, warned of potential hazards in the wake of the storm.
“What many people don’t know is that some of the most dangerous times are those hours right after the storm passes, when you’ve got high floodwaters or power lines down or even operating a generator, making sure you’re doing that safely and keeping it away from your home,” Turi told ABC News Live’s Kyra Phillips.
Turi said the agency has been coordinating with state and local officials for several days as Francine approached and will be prepared to conduct damage assessments on Thursday.
Francine makes landfall as Category 2 storm
Francine has made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in southern Louisiana with 100 mph winds.
Landfall was about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, in Terrebonne Parish.
Francine strengthens to Category 2
Francine has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds as its eye approaches the Louisiana coast.
Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions are moving onto shore.
Hurricane Francine’s eyewall is nearing the Louisiana coast, bringing hurricane-force winds close to shore.
Francine is now located 115 miles southwest of New Orleans and is moving northeast at 17 mph.
Some voluntary evacuations were issued in Terrebonne Parish, along the Louisiana coastline southwest of New Orleans, Parish President Jason Bergeron told ABC News.
“We’re starting to get some of the first bands coming through. And so we’re just getting everybody hunkered down and getting people to get to safety,” he said. “We opened our shelter last night and then we issued the curfew at 8 a.m. this morning, going to 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.”
Latest forecast
Tropical storm conditions have reached the Louisiana coastline, and life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds are expected to begin in the next few hours leading up to Hurricane Francine’s landfall.
130PM: These bands will continue through the evening hours and into the overnight. Locally heavy rainfall and tornadoes will be possible inside these bands along with the damaging winds from the hurricane. pic.twitter.com/o8hu1Zng5A
A hurricane watch is in effect in New Orleans, where the worst impacts will be Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday night.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, including New Orleans.
Storm surge will worsen throughout the day. Up to 10 feet of storm surge is possible in parts of Louisiana; up to 5 feet is possible in the New Orleans area.
Flash flooding is a major threat for Louisiana and Mississippi.
Conditions across Louisiana will start to improve overnight as Francine weakens and moves north into Mississippi.
Francine will rapidly weaken after landfall and become a tropical storm by Thursday, but it’ll still bring heavy rain to the South.
Flash flooding will remain a threat through the end of the week as Francine moves north into Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri.
The threat for isolated tornadoes will continue through Thursday morning, especially in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Conditions deteriorating in southern Louisiana
Conditions are deteriorating in southern Louisiana as Hurricane Francine gets closer to landfall.
The storm, located 120 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, is moving northeast at 13 mph.
Rain bands are moving on shore and the dangerous winds are closing in.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
‘The time to evacuate has now passed’
With hours to go until Hurricane Francine makes landfall in Louisiana, “the time to evacuate has now passed,” Jacques Thibodeau, the director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said at a news conference.
“It is now time to go down and hunker down,” he said. “We are no longer in the, ‘Prepare for a hurricane’ — we are now in the, ‘Respond to a hurricane.'”
The White House has approved an emergency declaration for the state. The Louisiana National Guard expects to have 2,400 guardsmen ready for the storm, along with 58 boats, 101 high water vehicles and 61 aircrafts, officials said.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he’s been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, and said he’s fully confident in all state and federal agencies working together before, during and after the hurricane.
Landry also encouraged residents to “take advantage of the power that you have currently and make sure that you charge all of your devices.”
-ABC News’ Alexandra Faul
New Orleans residents should start sheltering in place
Residents in New Orleans should stay off the roads beginning at noon ET and remain sheltered in place until Thursday morning, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
“Conditions will worsen throughout the day—stay safe!” she tweeted.
Hurricane Francine is expected to make landfall along the Louisiana coast this evening as a Category 1 storm.
By 11 AM, everyone in New Orleans should stay off the roads and shelter in place until tomorrow morning.
Francine is churning north as a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds.
Landfall is forecast Wednesday afternoon or early evening as a Category 1 hurricane near Houma, Louisiana.
Life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding and hurricane-force winds are bearing down on Louisiana.
The storm surge could reach 10 feet along the Louisiana coast and wind gusts could hit 70 mph in New Orleans.
“Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding,” the National Hurricane Center warned.
By Thursday morning, Francine will be bringing rain and gusty winds to Mississippi, and potential tornadoes to Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Throughout the day Thursday, the heavy rain and tornado threat will move into northern Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. Flash flooding is possible near Memphis and Nashville.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Weather warnings for Gulf Coast states
A raft of warnings was issued for cities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama ahead of Hurricane Francine’s expected landfall on Wednesday afternoon.
A hurricane watch was issued for New Orleans, with hurricane warnings for Morgan City and Houma on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.
Tropical storm warnings are in place further east, covering cities including Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama.
Storm surge warnings were announced for both Biloxi — where water may rise up to 5 feet — and Mobile, where water levels may rise by up to 4 feet.
Francine is expected to make landfall as either a high-end Category 1 or low-end Category 2 hurricane, with winds between 90 and 100 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The Category 2 classification begins with winds of 96 mph.
Landfall may bring tornadoes in areas around New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile and Pensacola, Florida.
Heavy rain may cause flash flooding from New Orleans all the way up to Jackson, Mississippi through to Wednesday night. As the storm moves into Mississippi on Thursday, it is forecast to produce flash flooding and gusty winds.
Francine is expected to stall through Thursday night into Friday morning, bringing heavy rain to Memphis, Nashville and Paducah, Kentucky.
Francine 295 miles from Louisiana coast
Hurricane Francine is expected to make landfall southwest of New Orleans as a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon.
As of early Wednesday, Francine was 295 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, heading northeast at 10 mph.
Data collected by Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicated that the storm strengthened in the early hours of Wednesday, with maximum sustained winds close to 85 mph — up from 75 mph on Tuesday night.
New Orleans under Hurricane Watch
Emergency officials in New Orleans, Louisiana, warned residents on Tuesday that they should be prepared to shelter in place as Hurricane Francine approached landfall.
A Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch were issued for areas along the southern Louisiana coast, including New Orleans. A Flood Watch was also issued in Orleans Parish through Thursday morning, the city said.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell signed an emergency proclamation.
“The storm track has shifted more towards the east, which has the potential to worsen impacts for the city, but the storm remains disorganized,” the city said in a statement.