BELL, Fla. (WCJB) - Firefighters battled a wildfire in Gilchrist County on Thursday afternoon. Florida Forest Service officials say the fire has burned 330 acres east of Highway 129 near Bell. As of this report, the blaze was 60 percent contained.

As LA-area wildfires burned, some companies fraudulently towed vehicles to the Inland Empire and charged thousands of dollars for their return, consumers said.

Residents hoping to rebuild after the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire may face higher costs thanks to upcoming tariffs. China, Canada and Mexico are all major U.S suppliers of lumber and drywall.

State fire officials will begin requiring burn permits in much of Southcentral and Southeast Alaska as of March 17 under an order issued Thursday declaring an early start to fire season.

Gatlinburg Fire Department contained a two-acre wildland fire near the city with assistance from nearby agencies.

Those are the key ingredients that promote rapid wildfire growth. While our area's wildfire season is typically in the late spring, its not surprising at all that a good portion of New Jersey is now in a "high" risk of fire ignition given how dry its been so far this year.

New Jersey’s wildfire season is off to an ominous start — and it hasn’t truly begun. Already this year, the state has recorded 215 wildfires that have scorched 514 acres. That contrasts to 69 wildfires and 22 acres consumed over the same period in 2024.

WMBF News spoke with several HVAC companies that have already helped over 100 houses by servicing their HVAC systems and handling the smoky smell invading homes. Vines Restoration and Plumbing said you should change your home’s filter and be selective when you run your systems to prevent pulling smoke inside.

Before the bill even made it to its first hearing, lawyers who represent wildfire victims sounded the alarm that utilities could attempt to use the safety certification as a “get out of jail free card” to deflect liability in court, as the Oregon Capital Chronicle and the Oregon Journalism Project first reported.