VIDEO: A wildfire burned near the railroad tracks off West Clearwater Avenue and North Steptoe Street on Monday afternoon, according to Kennewick Fire Department (KFD) Chief Michael Heffner. Two businesses were threatened by the fire. Multiple units were on scene including offroad vehicles. Heffner said BNSF was notified to stop all rail traffic until the fire was extinguished. The cause is still undetermined.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Brush fire burned near railroad tracks off West Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A fire broke out at Howard Industries in Laurel after a paint booth next to a tanker truck caught fire, according to the Laurel mayor.

The fire sent thick smoke into the air and prompted people near the plant to leave. A Facebook Live video posted by Brandon Herford Brewer shows flames burning at the facility as multiple fire trucks arrive. Several loud booms can be heard in the video as Brewer describes the situation escalating.

“Everybody’s gotta leave,” Brewer says. The video also shows people running from the area while firefighters work near the plant. At one point, Brewer describes the heat as unbearable.

“My face is melting,” Brewer says. “It’s Howard industry and I’m about to get out of here. I am sweating down.” Brewer later says the building had been cleared and everyone had gotten out.

The mayor said the fire started in the paint booth near the tanker truck. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured or how much damage the fire caused.

WAPT-TV ABC 16 Jackson

The post VIDEOS: Fire at industrial plant in Mississippi prompts evacuation appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

The International Association of Fire Fighters has warned that the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs among firefighters raises important occupational health questions, particularly because no studies have yet examined how the medications or their side effects affect firefighters on the job.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of prescription drugs used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, can help some patients lose significant body weight by lowering blood sugar and reducing appetite. However, the IAFF said members taking or considering the drugs should speak with a physician before starting or stopping treatment.

The union highlighted several potential concerns for firefighters, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and reduced thirst. These side effects can increase the risk of dehydration, which is already a major concern in firefighting because of heat exposure, heavy personal protective equipment and intense physical exertion.

According to the IAFF, dehydration can impair endurance and physical performance and may contribute to heat-related illness, urinary and kidney problems, seizures and other serious complications. The organization said more research is needed to understand whether GLP-1 use creates additional risks for firefighters working in high-heat, strenuous environments.

The IAFF also cautioned that weight loss and fitness are not the same. Some studies suggest that a portion of weight lost while using GLP-1 drugs can include lean body mass, rather than fat alone. The union said firefighters using the medications should maintain exercise routines to protect strength, endurance and operational readiness.

Fire & Safety Journal Americas

The post IAFF: GLP-1 weight loss drugs raise key safety questions for firefighters appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Two volunteers firefighters are recovering after their fire truck overturned while responding to a field fire in Obion County.

“So Samburg just rolled their tanker on a call that they were responding to on our behalf, so they were coming to help us,” said Chief Karl Ullrich with the Union City Fire Department. The Samburg Volunteer Fire Department was responding to a mutual-aid call from the Union City Fire Department when the crash happened on Walker Tanner Road.

“The conditions are good. The driver sustained a laceration on his ear and was taken to the hospital and sewn up and the second firefighter, was flown to Memphis, regional one center, and they ran tests and did not find any broken bones or anything and was actually released from the hospital,” said Chief Mike Hogg with the Samburg Fire Department.

Hogg says the driver was traveling on a road he had never been on before when the truck reached a curve and the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to overturn. While both firefighters recover, Hogg says other fire departments across the county are ready to help if the department needs additional resources.

“All they have to do is call and we’ll respond with whatever equipment we have available, that they would need. I’m concerned that Samburg, I don’t know how they’re gonna be able to replace that tanker. Fire apparatus are extremely expensive, and very few communities who you know, have the cash on hand to replace that,” said Hogg.

WBBJ-TV ABC/CBS 7 Jackson

The post Tennessee firefighters injured after tanker rolls while responding to Obion County fire appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Travelers planning to spend Labor Day weekend at popular outdoor destinations in Kittitas County will need to revise their plans. Three active wildfires have forced officials to close Lake Kachess, Lake Cle Elum and parts of the Cle Elum Valley, eliminating access to picnic areas, hiking spots and other recreational attractions in the upper region of the county.

The Three Queens Fire, the Goat Fire and the King Fire have collectively burned 12,000 acres across the region. The closures are designed to provide firefighting personnel and equipment safe passage along roads and through areas as crews work to contain the blazes.

Kittitas County Sheriff Whitsett said fire crews are taking advantage of current weather conditions to prepare for the next phase of the firefighting effort. “The firefighters are using this time when the conditions aren’t quite as bad, they use this time to prep for what’s coming next to be ready for the next hot spell, the next windy day when things could go bad again,” Whitsett said.

The fires have been burning for several weeks, and full containment is not expected until after Labor Day. Several communities in the area have experienced Level 3 evacuation orders, the most severe evacuation status, requiring residents to leave immediately. Sheriff Whitsett acknowledged the impact on the community and urged visitors to return once conditions improve.

Apple Valley News Now

The post Wildfires close three popular Washington destinations near Cle Elum ahead of Labor Day weekend appeared first on Daily Dispatch.