Hambden Township broke ground on a new fire station campus in Chardon.

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A massive fire was still raging on Sunday night after it broke out in a New Jersey warehouse around 3 p.m. and spread rapidly, reaching 11 alarms.

Strong winds pushed the flames from the warehouse off Cortlandt Street in Belleville to multiple nearby buildings, forcing families from their homes. Thick black smoke filled the sky and was visible for miles.

Belleville Mayor Michael Melham declared a State of Emergency. “I had to leave my house because it’s going to be dangerous,” said Jeff Oliver.

The industrial building houses a mattress warehouse as well as a textile manufacturing business. Neighbors heard explosions.

“I heard some pops and I saw the smoke and I received many calls from throughout the area and like many Belleville residents I went to see, and it’s truly horrific,” said Belleville Township Councilman Frank Velez.

The fire sent chunks of debris, ash and sparks into the sky as a gusty wind fanned the flames. “And then it just started growing and growing — it just kept growing,” said Jonathan McCann.

The entire block seemed to melt and collapse — fueled by industrial materials inside. “Chemicals such as helium have been mentioned and that could contribute to the fire and the blaze and how extreme it’s been,” said Velez.

WABC-TV ABC 7 New York City

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Over the past two years, UAFA has been collaborating closely with the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) to guide technology development and its practical implementation in wildland fire operations.

While the WFCA has successfully tested and implemented fire tech products at the local fire department level, this new joint initiative applies technological integration on a much larger state and federal scale.

Recently, this ongoing collaboration brought UAFA to the forefront of a major national initiative designed to address systemic barriers in fire management. On April 2 and 3, 2026, UAFA representatives, including Executive Director Paul Petersen, participated in Phase 2 of the National Wildland Fire Technology Summit in Boise, Idaho.

Joining nearly 100 subject matter experts from government, partner agencies, and various other organizations, UAFA provided critical input on the specific capabilities and tools needed to effectively support the on-the-ground firefighter.

This event built directly upon a Phase 1 roadmap previously established by top executive leadership from the Department of the Interior (DOI), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF).

The overall initiative focuses on six strategic national outcomes: unified interagency coordination, integrated strategic planning and workforce development, a cultural shift toward proactive fire management, integrated technology and data for intelligence, strengthened community resilience, and post-fire recovery.

Through its summit participation, UAFA is directly helping to translate these high-level priorities into the operational capabilities and requirements that will guide federal and state governments moving forward.

Aerial Fire Magazine

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Gov. Bob Ferguson has directed state agencies to lower Washington state and U.S. flags to half-staff on Monday, May 4, to honor National Firefighters Memorial Day. Flags are to remain lowered until the close of business or sunset on May 4. Other government groups, businesses and individuals are encouraged to take part in the recognition, according to the notice.

The Washington State Fallen Firefighters Memorial is located in North Bend at the Fire Training Academy. The tribute includes a bronze memorial attached to granite and recognizes firefighters’ service and duty. The memorial service began in 1985 through the Washington State Fire Fighters’ Association. Fire service groups from around the state have joined each year to honor firefighters who died while serving their communities.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Jacksonville marks 125 years since the Great Fire of 1901, a blaze that leveled much of downtown and reshaped the city’s future — and historians say its conditions echo what crews are facing in wildfires burning today in Southeast Georgia.

“It was a day very much like our May 3 that we’re living in, the contemporary moment here in 2026,” said Dr. Alan Bliss, CEO of the Jacksonville History Center.

The fire erupted on May 3, 1901, and became the most destructive event in Jacksonville’s history. Historians estimate that about 90% of downtown was destroyed, including large homes and hotels.

Much of Jacksonville at the time was built with timber, Bliss said, a conveniently available supply found in the pine flatwoods of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. “If you know anything about burning pine, you know that it burns very cheerfully,” Bliss said.

Historians say the fire started when a spark landed on dry Spanish moss at the Cleveland Fibre Factory. The University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library has noted that the fire burned for nearly eight hours, cutting a path through more than 150 city blocks and destroying about 2,400 structures.

“It caused a lot of people to lose everything, displaced from their homes for months and years afterwards,” Bliss said. “It destroyed businesses.”

A grim reality that is all too familiar in recent days in Brantley County, Georgia. After digging through the numbers, Meteorologist Michelle McCormick says April 1901 and April 2026 both had hot and dry conditions, less than two inches of rainfall, and winds that affected the fires.

WJXT-TV 4 Jacksonville

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