分类： society

A devastating wildfire disaster on the Colorado-Utah border has claimed the lives of three elite federal firefighters and left two others with burn injuries, after a sudden, fast-moving blaze trapped the crew during containment operations on Saturday.

The fallen first responders were assigned to the Knowles and Gore fires, two separate blazes that have since merged with other wildfires to form the massive Snyder Mesa complex. As of Saturday evening, the merged fire had already scorched more than 28,000 acres of parched western land, according to a statement from Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s office.

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the crew was overwhelmed without warning by shifting flames as the fire expanded at an explosive rate. The incident is classified as a burnover — a rare but extremely dangerous scenario where rapid fire spread cuts off all escape routes for on-the-ground crews, forcing firefighters to deploy emergency last-resort fire shelters as their only chance of survival. The two injured crew members were airlifted to nearby medical facilities for treatment of their burns.

Identities of the deceased firefighters have not yet been released to the public, as agencies continue to notify next of kin. In the wake of the tragedy, officials have focused on supporting the affected families, friends, and fellow crew members through the crisis. “Our immediate focus is on supporting their families, friends, and fellow crewmates during this incredibly difficult time,” said a representative from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “The US Wildland Fire Service stands united with the USDA Forest Service in grief and in our unwavering support for the loved ones left behind. Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

All five firefighters involved in the incident were employees of federal public land management agencies: the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and the U.S. Forest Service. Notably, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, an agency under the Department of the Interior, was only established in January of this year to streamline cross-agency wildfire response across millions of acres of federal public land.

Hours after the fatal incident, Governor Polis issued a formal state of emergency for Colorado, activating the Colorado National Guard to assist overwhelmed local and federal firefighting teams. “I’m devastated about the loss of three heroic firefighters who died in the line of duty in Western Colorado,” Polis said in an official statement. “To the loved ones of those lost, and to their fellow crew members – some who are still battling the flames – know that the State of Colorado mourns alongside you.”

The disaster comes as the entire western U.S. faces an early and intense wildfire season, with dozens of active blazes burning across Colorado and Utah. In Utah, the largest active fire is the Cottonwood Fire, which had expanded to more than 93,000 acres by Sunday and remained 0% contained, per U.S. Forest Service updates. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has pre-emptively issued an emergency ban on all recreational fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, a popular holiday where firework use often sparks accidental wildfires in dry conditions.

While most of the fires burning across the two states are concentrated in sparsely populated rural areas, they have already started to threaten mountain resorts and remote recreational cabins, prompting evacuation orders for some local communities. The current outbreak of large blazes has been driven by a combination of record warm winters, persistent drought, and unseasonably high winds that have turned much of the region’s vegetation into tinder.

Climate scientists have long warned that human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions that fuel catastrophic wildfires, including prolonged heat waves and deep drought. Researchers project that without major action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reform wildfire management, wildfires will only grow more frequent and intense across the American West in coming decades.

In a sprawling two-month criminal investigation that has sent shockwaves through the northern California animal welfare community, law enforcement officials have uncovered the remains of 117 dogs on the property of a self-described “no-kill” animal sanctuary, with most showing evidence of fatal gunshot wounds. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office launched the probe into Fortuna-based Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary back in April, after receiving a credible tip alleging felony animal abuse, cruelty, fraud and conspiracy connected to the facility.

The investigation gained an early breakthrough when a local neighbor, who had entered the private 50-acre property without authorization, dug up remains they believed belonged to buried dogs, prompting authorities to launch a full excavation of open fields on the site, where they suspected mass animal graves were located. As diggers sifted through the soil, the grim scope of the discovery began to unfold: alongside the 117 intact canine remains found across two excavation zones, teams found 21 separate dog skulls, hundreds of additional unassociated bones, roughly 600 dog collars, and six loose microchips near the primary burial sites.

Further forensic analysis of 70 of the recovered remains via X-ray confirmed the presence of bullet fragments in each, leading lead investigators to conclude that a large share of the dead dogs died from gunshot wounds. Authorities also identified an on-site barn that they believe was used as the location where the animals were killed. Most of the recovered remains carried microchips, and forensic analysts are currently working through chip data to formally identify each animal and cross-reference their records with the shelter’s intake logs.

Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal outlined the staggering discrepancy between the facility’s animal intake and adoption records that investigators uncovered early in the probe: since the start of 2025, the rescue took in roughly 900 dogs and other animals, but only documented 116 adoptions, leaving more than 700 animals unaccounted for.

Shannon Miranda, the owner and operator of the sanctuary, has pushed back against the allegations, maintaining that his facility remains a true no-kill operation. In a public statement released before the most recent findings of human remains were announced, Miranda argued that existing media coverage and official commentary have painted an incomplete and inaccurate picture of his work. He noted that his rescue often accepts hard-to-place animals that other established shelters turn away as a last resort, and confirmed that the shelter only approves euthanasia in extremely rare cases – specifically when an animal suffers from a terminal, painful condition or poses an unavoidable, severe threat to humans or other animals. He has asked the general public to withhold judgment until all facts related to the investigation are made public.

As of the latest update from the sheriff’s office, no criminal charges have been filed against Miranda or any other person connected to the facility. Law enforcement has stressed that the ongoing investigation is highly complex, with a massive volume of forensic evidence still awaiting processing, and has asked the public for patience as the work continues. Officials confirmed that if investigators collect sufficient evidence to prove violations of animal cruelty, fraud or other state laws, the full case will be forwarded to the county prosecution team for formal review and potential criminal charges. The BBC has attempted to contact Miranda for additional comment following the announcement of the latest discovery, but has not yet received a response.

As thousands of international football supporters descend across the United States for the World Cup, a long-debated feature of American life has emerged as a top point of friction: the mandatory culture of tipping. Many visitors from countries where gratuity is either baked into menu prices or only offered for exceptional service have reported widespread tipping fatigue, with sticker shock and confusion straining their travel budgets.

Geoff Pryor, an England fan from Norwich who is traveling across the U.S. to attend matches, acknowledged that tipping makes sense for quality table service at restaurants. Still, he described being asked to tip for even the most basic transactions – including buying a pre-packaged bottle of water – as “weird.” “They try to get a tip for doing nothing,” Pryor told the BBC, noting that while he recognizes U.S. hospitality workers earn lower base wages than staff in the UK, constant requests for gratuity add unnecessary strain to a trip.

For Australian supporters Chris O’Flynn and Robert McNamara, the combination of already inflated World Cup match tickets and unexpected tipping costs has stretched their travel budgets thin. Unlike Australia, where service fees are included in listed prices, the pair said the constant expectation of gratuity in the U.S. has proven a major culture shock, even as they try to respect local customs. “I still find it a bit confusing why it exists… Sometimes you don’t know how much you’re supposed to tip,” O’Flynn explained. McNamara added that being asked for a tip after every individual drink purchase sends costs skyrocketing quickly: “They’re expecting a tip after every drink so it gets expensive very quick. You’re buying a drink and adding $5 on. It’s difficult to comprehend.” The core sentiment among Australian fans, O’Flynn said, is that employers should cover living wages for staff directly, rather than shifting that responsibility to customers.

Japanese visitors echoed that frustration. Maiko Asahi, who traveled from Tokyo with her family to watch Japan play in Dallas, said tipping is not a cultural practice back home, and that U.S. prices are already exorbitant even before adding gratuity. “The prices without the tips are already very expensive, with tipping it is way too much,” Asahi said. Another Japanese fan, Akihiro, who is attending the tournament with his son, pointed out that even budget restaurant meals can end up costing far more than expected after tipping. “Even the cheapest meal at a restaurant still costs around $30, and when you add on a tip of say, 13-20% you end up thinking – Oh dear, I could have had another portion for that,” he said.

But hospitality business owners across the country say the friction cuts both ways, with many reporting that international World Cup fans have a reputation for leaving little to no gratuity, putting already low-paid staff in a tight spot. Chris Keller, owner of Banter, a popular football-focused bar in Brooklyn that draws crowds of British and European fans during the tournament, told the BBC that under-tipping is a consistent issue. “It’s always the case. There’s no getting around it. There’s always a lack of tipping or playing ignorant like they don’t know,” he said. To protect his employees, Keller has adjusted his venue’s policy to require pre-payment for drinks – including an automatic service charge – for customers with reservations.

Ann Calimano, co-owner of Hurley’s Restaurant & Bar in New York City, said the World Cup has brought an unexpected surge in foot traffic during what is typically a slow season, but many first-time international customers are unfamiliar with American tipping norms. “Europeans don’t tip like the American people. That’s the culture,” she explained. When large groups order hundreds of dollars’ worth of food and drink and leave no gratuity, Calimano said staff have to step in to clarify the unwritten rule: “The bartenders will graciously ask, ‘was the service okay?’ and they’ll say ‘yes, of course,’ And then they’ll explain that the service is not included, whereas in Europe, the service is included in the price of everything.”

Tipping norms and base wages for hospitality workers vary widely across U.S. states. In Los Angeles, for example, the base minimum wage for tipped employees is $16.20 per hour, one of the highest rates in the country. Joseph Pitruzelli, owner of Downtown LA’s German-themed restaurant Wurstküche, said his venue has not seen a major shift in tipping habits during the World Cup, and keeps its suggested tip rates between 10% and 20%. He added that he has noticed other local venues pushing suggested tips as high as 25% to 30%, a range he calls unreasonable. At his restaurant, all tips are pooled and split among the entire front-of-house and back-of-house team, from dishwashers to chefs, to ensure all staff benefit.

Rosa Thurnher, owner of El Ponce restaurant and a board member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, explained that the expectation of 20% tips across the U.S. hospitality industry is rooted in the country’s unique wage structure. While some states set higher base wages for tipped workers, others like Atlanta set the minimum cash wage for tipped staff as low as $2.13 per hour. Federal law requires employers to make up the difference if an employee’s base wage plus tips do not add up to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, but without tips, Thurnher said it is nearly impossible for hospitality workers to cover living costs in most U.S. cities. “If they don’t receive any tips, it’s impossible to survive in the service industry,” she said. While individual states can set higher mandatory wages for tipped workers, tipping remains codified as a core expected component of hospitality employee income under U.S. regulation.

When international soccer fans descended on California during the World Cup, one local custom left many of them shaking their heads: the mandatory-seeming culture of tipping in American restaurants. In on-the-ground conversations with the BBC, these traveling supporters, who had gathered to watch one of the world’s biggest sporting events, shared widespread frustration over what they described as excessive tipping expectations that differ sharply from norms in their home countries.

For many international visitors, the American system of tipping – which typically requires adding 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill to compensate service staff, on top of the menu price – comes as an unexpected and unwelcome additional cost. Several fans told the BBC that when they sit down for a meal after a day of watching matches, they are often caught off guard by how much their total bill climbs when tipping is added in. “It’s way too much,” one fan summed up the common sentiment, explaining that tipping works very differently in their home nation, where service charges are either already included in menu prices or not expected at all.

The conversation highlights a longstanding cultural divide around tipping practices. In many European and Asian countries, tipping is either a small gesture for exceptional service, or not required at all, as living wages are built into food costs by employers. In the United States, however, the custom is deeply ingrained, rooted in a system where many service workers rely heavily on tips to make a living, with base wages often falling far below the standard minimum wage for tipped employees.

For World Cup fans traveling to California to enjoy the tournament, this cultural difference has become a constant small stressor during their trip. Many noted that they did not mind tipping for good service, but took issue with the expectation that they must tip a large percentage regardless of the quality of service, and on top of already rising food prices across the state. The interviews, conducted across popular tourist and dining areas near fan viewing events, captured a consistent theme of surprise and disapproval from international visitors encountering American tipping norms for the first time, or re-encountering them on a current trip.