Wildfires that spread so fast they outrun the efforts of fire crews trying to contain them: These types of conflagrations are becoming far more common across the Western United States, a new study warns.

A fire's velocity could be even more important than its size when it comes to the threat to people and property, researchers say.

“We hear a lot about megafires because of the...

San Francisco is on the verge of passing a ban on "forever chemicals" in the protective clothing firefighters wear while battling blazes.

City lawmakers are expected to pass an ordinance on Tuesday that will prohibit the use of firefighting...

If you use a medical device such as a blood glucose monitor or insulin pump, keeping it charged is a must. 

But devices that rely on a USB charger can overheat, which may cause minor injuries, serious burns or fires. That's why it's important to read, understand and follow the manufacturer's use and care directions and use only approved charging accessories.

The U.S. Food and D...

Nearly 40% of Americans live where the air is polluted enough to harm them, a new report warns.

In the American Lung Association's "State of the Air"report, released Wednesday, the number of people living with levels of air pollution that could jeopardize their health climbed from about 119 million in 2023 to 131 million now.

It's easy to see the immediate health hazards of wildfire smoke, as people struggle to breathe through a sooty haze.

But a new study finds that harmful chemicals found in wildfire smoke can linger in a person's home for weeks after the immediate threat has passed, posing a continuing health threat.

The chemicals -- compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) -- are high...

Unhealthy air from wildfires is causing hundreds of additional deaths in the western United States every year, a new study claims.

Wildfires have undercut progress made in cleaning America's air, and between 2000 and 2020 caused an increase of 670 premature deaths each year in the West, researchers report Dec. 4 in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

"Our air is supposed t...

Controlled forest burns can prevent the sort of high-intensity wildfires that have plagued the Western U.S. and Canada as a result of climate change, a new study argues.

A low-intensity fire in the mixed conifer forests of California provides an estimated 60% reduction in the risk of a catastrophic wildfire, and that effect lasts at least six years, researchers report in the journal <...