PHOTOS/VIDEO: As Alaska's wildfire season ramps up, fire officials say the Interior is facing high heat and dry conditions that already have the state requesting outside crews and aircraft. Beth Ipsen, a spokeswoman with the federal Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service, said Tuesday that about 100 smokejumpers from the Lower 48 are currently in state to fight Alaska wildfires. "Those are the firefighters, the very experienced firefighters that parachute out of airplanes," Ipsen said. "They're (the) ones that we use predominantly for that initial response to fires, especially in remote locations." By Tuesday, firefighters were dealing with more than 100 wildfires statewide, many of them in the Interior. The fires are burning about 130,000 acres total, mostly in remote areas.  

VIDEOS: A Los Angeles firefighter's ear has been surgically reattached after being severed in an explosion that occurred as he and his colleagues were responding to a brush fire near Encino. The injured firefighter, who has not been publicly identified, was initially listed in critical condition after the blast. He was later upgraded to stable condition and released from the hospital, officials said. Crews were called shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday to a homeless encampment in the 15700 block of West Burbank Boulevard near the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, where a grass fire had ignited. Moments after first responders evacuated the area, a device near the encampment exploded, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews on the scene halted the spread of the brush fire in about 30 minutes.  

VIDEO: Bryan firefighters are participating in tactical yoga this week to work their job performance. Firefighting can take a huge mental toll on the first responders. The city of Bryan is hoping to mitigate the mental health effects on its firefighters with the Well(th) Initiative program. With the Well(th) Initiative Program, Bryan firefighters will work to keep mentally and physically fit so they can continue to keep the community safe. The tactical yoga training sessions are a part of the Well(th) Initiative. The training sessions will take place Tuesday through Thursday at Bryan Fire Stations 1, 2 and 5 and is offered to the entire Bryan Fire Department. The co-founder of the program, Greg Propst, said the program focuses on 3 areas: fitness and prevention, nutrition, injury rehab, and recovery and stress.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Las Vegas area fire departments are collaborating on a new effort to combat 4th of July fires. The Fireworks Bucket Brigade is an educational outreach program that raises awareness of the effectiveness of the buckets for fire safety. "I do think something as simple as having a bucket of water could make a world of difference," said Rick Rozier, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue deputy fire marshal. Rozier said the effort was inspired by a Colorado bucket-based effort that showed promising results in promoting fire safety. The idea is to have a 5-gallon bucket of water for emergencies and as a reservoir to properly extinguish used fireworks. It is a simple solution, Rozier admitted, but oftentimes, people do not think about the consequences of improper fireworks usage.  

VIDEO: The Biden administration has tightened disclosure rules for trains carrying hazardous cargo, with railroads now required to inform local first responders about hazardous material immediately after a derailment. The new federal requirement, announced Monday, caps significant scrutiny of the railway industry after a Norfolk Southern train released toxic chemicals into the town of East Palestine, Ohio, last year, after derailing. Firefighters who responded to the East Palestine incident have said they had a difficult time identifying the chemicals the train was carrying because of a lack of communication from the railroad company. Train operators will now be required to issue an emergency notification to local public safety officials following accidents with trains carrying hazardous material.