SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters are trying to become smarter in how they prepare for the drought- and wind-driven wildfires that have become more dangerous across the American West in recent years.
They're using new technology and better positioning of resources in a bid to keep small blazes from erupting into mega-fires like the nation's biggest wildfire that has charred a section of Oregon half the size of Rhode Island.
Catching fires more quickly gives firefighters a better chance of keeping them small. That includes using new fire behavior computer modeling that can help assess risks before fires start, then project their path and growth.
