A critical new fuel break was completed over the winter months by a Division of Forestry & Fire Protection contractor west of Delta Junction. Celebrated by fire personnel for providing safe defensible space, the work was accomplished using two methods. Larger diameter trees have been felled and decked for later firewood sales. Smaller trees were fully mitigated using a mix of treatments including shearblade, roller chopper and masticating head hydro-ax. This section of protection line runs north/south along an access road and parallels the Delta River. Residents of Delta Junction, Fort Greely and homeowners in the surrounding areas have a deep understanding of the frequent fire return interval in this part of interior Alaska. Large wildfires totaling nearly 200,000 acres threatened this area in 1998, 2013, 2014 and most recently with the 2019 Oregon Lakes Fire. A coordinated interagency effort has been underway for years between DOF, the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), and the 11th Airborne Division.  

VIDEO: Firefighters battled a large blaze in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood that left 12 adults and nine children unable to return home Tuesday afternoon. The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m. in a home on Cushing Avenue. Flames burst through the roof of the building. "Seeing their faces and trying to figure out what's going to come next. Starting over is not easy," said Geisa Silva, whose mother lives in the building. "It's sad to see everything destroyed. A lot of memories." Heavy smoke made the fire difficult for crews to extinguish. "There were difficult conditions to get in the building," said Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Burke. "There were holes in the floor, so we couldn't keep them in that long — once the thing got going, we had to pull the firefighters out, so the fire was fought from the outside."  

VIDEO: Belvidere Fire Department Lt. Dan Drall was among the first on scene when the ceiling collapsed on people in a packed metal concert at the Apollo Theatre. Immediately, he said, firefighters jumped into action. "The first five minutes dictates the next five hours of the scene. We've always talked about that. In those first five minutes, these guys just excelled," Drall said. He quickly realized the structure was compromised after a tornado tore off the marquee. He had to make the life-altering decision of sending firefighters into the unstable building that could cave in any moment. "That's the hardest thing an officer has to do, is to command somebody to go inside. This is my brother, this is my sister. This is family. I'm putting them in harm's way," Drall said. It's a decision that, days later, still weighs heavy on him.  

Police, fire and other government agencies across Florida must ground millions of dollars in aerial drones because of a new state rule banning the agencies from using devices made by China-based DJI. The DJI drones are among the most widely used in the world, but the DeSantis administration said they pose a security threat and did not include them on a list of approved drone manufacturers. In addition to a Florida Statute change that went into effect at the beginning of 2023, requiring all government agencies to use drones only from approved manufacturers, another rule went into effect Wednesday. The Unmanned Aerial Systems Minimum Security Requirements rule prohibits government agencies from purchasing or using any drone made by a manufacturer in a "foreign country of concern," which includes China.  

VIDEO: Inside the Atrium Health Dome on Monday, there was a different mission: one that didn't require anyone to put on a helmet and pads. Instead, there was a bigger lesson -- one that is possibly life-saving. "I always grew up wanting to be a football player, wanting to make it to the NFL. This situation has just brought a whole bigger life purpose for me," said Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Hamlin teamed up with the Carolina Panthers and the American Heart Association to bring awareness about the importance of learning CPR. Inside the dome Monday, players, staff members, and PSL owners received the opportunity to learn the valuable skill. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests happen in homes so knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. "I just want to keep raising awareness and trying to get as many people that we can CPR certified because you never know when you can be a hero," Hamlin said.