The Alaska Division of Forestry says a brush fire burning near downtown Glennallen on Wednesday is about 70% contained. Public Information Officer Tim Mowry said the fire is believed to be human-caused. Mowry said it looks like someone lit a burn pile and did not properly put out the flames. "The pile came back to life and spread into dry grass and then the wildlands," Mowry wrote in an email. The fire was reported at 12:23 p.m. Monday along Moose Creek Road. The fire was named the Moose Creek Fire and is said to have grown to about 2 acres. Mowry says the fire burnt down two dilapidated buildings that are believed to have been vacant, with no one living inside. He went on to say no homes were threatened.  

It looks like spring is coming quickly despite the big snows and long winter. Once again, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in partnership with State Forestry is planning to burn the Gerstle and Panoramic fields (between Mile 1408 and 1393 Alaska Highway) in spring 2021. The intent of using prescribed fire in this area is to enhance habitat for bison, although moose and grouse will also benefit. Because the snow is melting quickly managers will be ready to go into the field very soon. Firefighters from State Forestry along with Red Carded staff from ADF&G will use drip torches to ignite the fields. In past years, crews have only had two days maximum to conduct these burns. With so little time between snow melt and green up, crews must act fast to burn a few hundred acres each year.  

VIDEO: Houston Fire Department crews are working to control a three-alarm fire that continues to burn at a shopping center early Thursday. The fire was first reported around 1 a.m. at the Jensen Square complex, located on Jensen near Hurley. The shopping center has multiple shops and businesses. At this time, there are no reports of injuries. HFD said it appeared the fire started in a vacant portion of the shopping center, and part of the structure there collapsed. Gusty winds have been shifting, making it difficult to battle the flames. As of 5:30 a.m. flames and smoke were still visible. There's no word on what may have sparked the incident. KHOU11's Anayeli Ruiz reported that the focus of firefighters was to keep the fire from going to nearby homes. Power was cut off some several in the area. "Mister McKinney's Historic Houston" tweeted that the adjacent Granada Theater appeared to be spared from the worst of the damage.  

Over the years, materials used to build houses and other buildings have changed, with some of those materials containing carcinogens that firefighters and first responders inhale when responding to calls and cleaning up after the fire is out. The result, officials say, has been higher rates of certain types of cancer and death rates for firefighters and first responders. For the first time, the NC Insurance Commissioner's Office is tracking which departments have had firefighters diagnosed with cancer and where those cases are occurring. It could give researchers and lawmakers considering occupational cancer benefits a better idea of the impact cancer is having on fire departments statewide. Recent data collected from a voluntary cancer registry run through the NC Insurance Commissioner's Office finds one western North Carolina fire department reports some of the highest cancer case numbers so far reported.  

VIDEO: The Rosenbauer RT is the first all-electric fire truck to hit the streets here in America. Its creators are currently on a cross-country tour showing off their eco-friendly fire fighting machine. On Wednesday, they stopped in Howard County on their way to Washington D.C. "It certainly has some great safety features on it," said Howard County Fire Chief Bill Anuszewski. "The environmental features, as far as reducing carbon emissions and things like that, is something we need to take a look at." With the capability of running strictly on battery power for two hours, before a 6-cylinder clean diesel engine kicks on for a recharge, it certainly is eco-friendly. But It's also packed with other features, like the ability to raise and lower depending on the situation. "The vehicle can raise itself up to about 18-inch ground clearance and drive through 3 feet of water without a problem," said Steve John, the head of special projects for Rosenbauer.  

VIDEO: It's said your destiny is forged in the fires of your determination. A local man has made that saying a reality, his family history and Capital Region history helping him come out on top in a fiery national competition. Over the sounds of clanging metal in his backyard, Adam Coonradt told NEWS10's Lydia Kulbida, "I've always considered myself a maker." Adam started forging about three years ago, "I've always loved making things, taking things apart, putting things back together." It's a gift he's passed on to his children. "My kids are makers as well, my son makes those flags and other wooden projects, my daughter makes all kinds of jewelry." Because it's a tradition he learned from his father and grandfather, "Growing up we didn't have much money and stuff like that, so they had to fix their own things, they had to fix their own cars, build their own houses, so I was always right there with them just doing it and that's how I learned."  

The Tennessee Senate passed a bill that would aid volunteer firefighters in the state. Senate Bill 778 would provide volunteer firefighters with an annual payment of $600 upon completion of at least 30 hours of training. "Our volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line and give up their time to keep our communities safe," said Bell, a former volunteer firefighter in Tennessee. "They have to raise their own money to be able to purchase equipment and fund their training. I am glad this bill has passed the Senate. It will help make the financial burden for volunteer firefighters a little lighter." Nearly 64 percent of firefighters in Tennessee are volunteers. Currently, volunteer firefighters pay for their own training and often times equipment. "While my personal service in the volunteer fire department ended a number of years ago, I know firsthand that many of our state's volunteer firefighters are not only sacrificing their time but their money and their resources to serve our state" added Bell.