Laurel Morales
David Turbyfill holds up a firefighter’s shirt after testing the current shelter.
Yarnell Tragedy Spurs Forest Service To Improve Fire Shelters
One year ago, 19 hotshots deployed fire shelters in an Arizona box canyon. The fierce wind blew the Yarnell Hill Fire over the crew and killed them.
Today, the father of one of those men is trying to help the Forest Service improve those shelters to withstand direct flames.
“What I’m saying is if you create a better fire shelter or survivable fire shelter product that you could eliminate 20-25 percent of all fatalities. Eliminate,” David Turbyfill said. “Not reduce, eliminate.”
Jude Joffe-Block
John Fife in Southside Presbyterian Church with a sculpture titled Sanctuary.
Wave Of Central American Migrants Triggers 30-Year-Old Memories
For some, the surge of Central American families and children crossing the Southwest border in recent months is triggering déjà vu.
More than 30 years ago, about a million Guatemalans and Salvadorans started fleeing to the United States, escaping civil war. And like today, there was a debate about whether those migrants were refugees, or should be deported.
Back then, some American activists even violated federal law to help those migrants stay in the U.S.
Navajo Nation Responds To Fire Donations Concerns
The Navajo Nation is responding to concerns that Assayii Lake fire donations may not be making it to wildfire victims. Officials said they’ve received death threats over the matter.
The concerns were magnified via social media outlets such as Facebook with hundreds of comments voicing frustration. Some users accused the administration of stealing.
Navajo Nation officials released a statement saying all donations are tracked and all tribal laws regarding donations have been followed.