Free Republic

Uncontrolled wildfires destroying tens of thousands of acres of pristine forestland in southern Oregon and threatening scores of homes, farms and ranches are now raging very close to WorldNetDaily's secluded corporate headquarters, forcing evacuation of all personnel and vital equipment. The so-called "Florence" fire, ignited by lightning almost two weeks ago, has already consumed over 18,000 acres of tinder-dry forest and remains totally uncontained despite the efforts of 500 firefighters. "Our primary concern right now is for the safety of our employees and their fight to save their own homes," said Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WorldNetDaily....

Firefighters forced to deploy emergency shelters By JEFF BARNARD The Associated Press 7/25/02 11:36 AM BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Flames overran a 20-person crew battling Oregon's biggest wildfire, forcing them to deploy their emergency shelters. Eleven firefighters were treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation and released from a hospital here. They returned to fire camp at 3 a.m. Thursday, said David Widmark, spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Fire Coordination Center. The firefighters were members of a contract crew known as Ferguson 53 from somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, hired by the U.S. Forest Service to fight the Tool Box...

PINE FLAT, Calif. (AP) - A ferocious wildfire fed by underbrush and weeks of dry weather roared toward a treasured grove of ancient sequoias, setting up potentially devastating scenario if flames reach the trees. The 48,200-acre blaze moved through the valleys of the Giant Sequoia National Monument and came within a few miles of the Freeman Creek Grove and Trail of 100 Giants. "If fire does get in the Trail of 100 Giants, we won't be putting firefighters in there to try to stop it. It will be a climax of 300- or 400-foot flames," said Jim Paxon, spokesman for...