VIDEO: Several businesses were damaged and a firefighter was injured while battling a commercial building fire in northwest Harris County, according to the Fire Marshal's Office. The fire happened around 11 p.m. Monday in the 12900 block of Veterans Memorial near Klein Forest High School. Thick smoke and heavy flames were coming from the building when firefighters arrived at the scene. Officials say they started with an offensive attack on the fire, but the out of control flames caused the roof to collapse. A firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor injuries that were suffered during the roof collapse, according to HCFMO's Brandi Dumas. Crews were able to put out the flames after a few hours. Officials say four businesses were damaged in the 1-alarm fire.  

VIDEO: July 4 marked the 150th anniversary of Dallas Fire-Rescue. On Monday morning at the Dallas Firefighter's Museum, DFR held a sesquicentennial appreciation block party. One-hundred and fifty years ago, in 1872, one unit of volunteer firefighters was recognized by the City of Dallas. The department has since grown to 2,000 members with 58 fire stations. A 59th fire station is opening soon. Over the century and a half, a lot has changed. Putting out fires is what DFR was traditionally known for. But now, Dallas Fire-Rescue has an all-hazards approach, including teams for HAZMAT, urban search and rescue, swift water, emergency medical services and more. This year also marks the 50th anniversary for DFR's emergency medical services (EMS), and 50 years of the Dallas Firefighters Museum.  

Though she became the first Black woman hired as a firefighter in the Waco Fire Department last year, Unique Barnett said she does not see herself as a trailblazer in the department. "I just came here to do the job like anybody else," Barnett said. "It's weird hearing people say it, because I don't really see myself as some historical person and making history. But it's definitely awesome to know that without trying to make a difference, I am." Barnett is one of three women the department has hired in the last year, along with Mary Kolb and Meghan McInaney. They are the first female firefighters the department has seen in nearly 26 years, and the department leadership is aiming to recruit more as part of an overall effort to diversify the force.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth fought several fires on Monday night after Fourth of July fireworks set dry grass ablaze. In Dallas, fire officials responded to a blaze under Sylvan Bridge at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Monday. According to the Dallas Fire Department, the grass fire was ignited during firework celebrations. The Dallas Fire Department also responded to a large grass fire under Margaret Hunt Bridge shortly after 11 p.m. on Monday. According to fire officials, due to the high congestion on the bridge, fire engines were unable to respond to the blaze for nearly 40 minutes. In Fort Worth, officials combatted several grass and bush fires, including one on Panther Island where a fireworks show was taking place.  

Police have arrested a man accused of starting a fire at the doors of a church on the city's near West Side. Daniel Jaralson, 51, is charged with arson of a habitation/place of assembly — a felony. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Jaralson allegedly started a fire outside the Life Restored Church in the 400 block of Arbor Place on July 1. Church staff told police that they had asked Jaralson not to return to the church because of "unruly behavior" last week. A witness saw Jaralson pile cardboard boxes at the front door of the church on Friday evening, light them on fire and walk away. Surveillance video from the church showed Jaralson using a pink torch lighter to ignite the cardboard, the affidavit states. The fire damaged the stairs, front door and a wall of the church before San Antonio firefighters extinguished the flames.  

VIDEOS: A fireworks display sparked a large brush fire Friday night, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office. Fire officials were responding to a 3-acre brush fire around 9:17 p.m. near 29900 US-290 in the Cypress area. Investigators say Second Baptist Church - Cypress Campus was putting on a fireworks display as part of their Fourth of July celebration, before the fire started. The fireworks sparked the grass in a neighboring field. James Singleton with the HCFMO says crews worked to stop the show "immediately" following the fire. Crews were able to contain the fire and put it out quickly with no injuries reported. Singleton says all fire departments in the county are prepared for these events and that they keep crews on standby. The events are inspected by their office and licensed through the state.  

VIDEO: Firefighters tonight battled a major emergency blaze in a large, vacant warehouse in Woodland Hills, preventing it from spreading to nearby structures and putting out the bulk of the flames in just over one hour. The fire was reported at 9:10 p.m. at 6000 N. De Soto Ave., said the Los Angeles Fire Department's Margaret Stewart. The 80 firefighters called to the scene went into defensive mode right away, surrounding the building with hose lines and spraying water on the warehouse from outside while protecting surrounding structures. At 9:37 p.m., Stewart reported the structural integrity of the building was starting to fail. The bulk of the flames were out at 10:19 p.m., she said. "The remaining pockets of fire are difficult to reach with exterior hose lines and due to the structural instability, crews will remain in the defensive mode,'' she said. ``Therefore, this will continue to be an active, extended operation.'' Motorists were urged to avoid the area.  

July 4 marked the 150th anniversary of Dallas Fire-Rescue. On Monday morning at the Dallas Firefighter's Museum, DFR held a sesquicentennial appreciation block party. One-hundred and fifty years ago, in 1872, one unit of volunteer firefighters was recognized by the City of Dallas. The department has since grown to 2,000 members with 58 fire stations. A 59th fire station is opening soon. Over the century and a half, a lot has changed. Putting out fires is what DFR was traditionally known for. But now, Dallas Fire-Rescue has an all-hazards approach, including teams for HAZMAT, urban search and rescue, swift water, emergency medical services and more. This year also marks the 50th anniversary for DFR's emergency medical services (EMS), and 50 years of the Dallas Firefighters Museum.  

If we told you the Seattle Mariners were sparked from an actual spark, would you know the story? If we told you the fire of a fanbase was rooted in an actual fire, would you know who to thank? You have to go back 90 years ago to July 4, 1932. "Not a lot of people I think are aware of it now," Seattle baseball historian Dave Eskenazi said. "The further back you go, the more interesting it is and Dugdale is certainly a major, major part of our early baseball history." Dugdale was both a person and a park. Daniel Dugdale was a former professional baseball player from the midwest. He came to the northwest in 1898 because of the Klondike Gold Rush; he got rich off real estate in Seattle; and he built a baseball stadium for the minor league Seattle Indians. The stadium was both a cathedral and a catastrophe waiting to happen. "On July 4th, 1932, after a doubleheader at the ballpark around midnight calls started coming in for a fire at the ballpark," Eskenazi said. "  

Boulder Fire-Rescue is making progress on its goal to upgrade the level of care its emergency respondents can provide in the field. When 2023 rolls around in just under six months, Boulder Fire intends to have its own in-house advanced life support emergency medical services unit, allowing city personnel to administer life-saving drugs, perform invasive procedures and the full scope of cardiac resuscitation in the field. In order to kick off this work, the city approved $241,300 in its 2022 budget, which provided the money necessary to hire Jenna Steege to serve in the new role of EMS program administrator. She's been on the job for a few months. Steege is tasked with maintaining Boulder Fire's current medical service level as well as handling the transition as Boulder prepares for its first advanced life support unit. The role, which Steege describes as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, is important, given that the department's call load is dominated by calls for medical service.  

VIDEO: Apopka firefighters found a special way to support one of their own who is fighting in the ICU after a serious injury. Apopka Firefighter Austin Duran was seriously injured on the job Thursday when a 4,500 lbs sand trailer fell on him. His firefighter family came up with a way to show their support for him by creating a workout dedicated to him that they call do together in his honor. "Austin is a strong individual. His endurance and his passion for the job is impressive, and we want him to know that's still burning in us. And we want to show that we're here and standing with him," said Firefighter Jeremias Williams. They hope that the support helps Duran and his family during this difficult time. "I hope he feels that we're here for him, and we're rooting for him, coming together all for him, and hopefully feed off the energy we're trying to give him," said Firefighter Taylor Legvold.