A large brush fire near the Yelm roundabout Tuesday afternoon shut down the highway for more than an hour as crews fought the blaze that threatened several homes and a businesses. The fire started in a field at AR Hay LLC. On their Facebook page, the business said it started from a lawnmower hitting a rock, which caused a spark.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2018 1:01:16 PM - SOURCE: Nisqually Valley News

As as assistant fire chief in Columbus, Ohio, Jim Davis battled the opioid crisis and trained firefighters to recognize public health issues when they answered calls. When Davis starts as Fort Worth’s new fire chief in September, he plans to bring that same collaborative approach. Davis’ unique background — he has a 20-year history as a critical care nurse and flight nurse — helped him become Fort Worth’s 13th fire chief.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Kyleigh Lough, 12, held a large fire hose and opened the nozzle, shooting a powerful jet of water 20 feet into a green traffic cone and knocking it over. “It looks really fun, I think,” Kyleigh said when asked if she might like to be a firefighter one day. “They don’t just fight fires — they help people.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Winter Haven News Chief

A fast-moving wildfire has grown to more than 50,000 acres in Wasco and Sherman counties, burning through structures and forcing people to evacuate their homes. Deputies said they found a person dead Wednesday afternoon near a tractor that had been burned by the flames. The Substation Fire broke out on Tuesday near The Dalles.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KATU-TV ABC 2 Portland

Firefighter fatalities are occurring at the same rate today that they were 20 years ago. Although the number of fatalities has dropped, it is simply because there are fewer fires. The following graph shows fireground fatalities per 100,000 fires over the last 20 years. Despite all the efforts that have been made to reduce firefighter fatalities and injuries over the last two decades—such as changes in command and control procedures, improvements in personal protective equipment, and deployment of rapid intervention teams—these measures have made little impact, as shown by the black trend line in the graph.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1