An 88-year-old Palmer woman was unable to escape a building fire in Butte Monday evening, according to Alaska State Troopers. Patricia Brown was found dead inside the residence on East Feltman Court following the fire, according to an online AST dispatch. Troopers said they responded to the fire around 6:36 p.m. that day, alongside the Butte Fire Department, Palmer Fire Department and local emergency personnel. The state fire marshal also responded and is conducting an investigation on the cause of the fire. Troopers believe there is no foul play at this time and have released Brown's remains to the state medical examiner. The family of Brown has been notified of her death, according to the dispatch.  

For the second day in a row, two water-dropping airplanes worked the southern edge of the Marten Creek Fire (#386) Sunday to keep things cool ahead of the work firefighters are doing in the area. The Tanana Chief Crew Type 2 Initial Attack Crew (T2IA) will arrive in Venetie today before joining the Fairbanks-based White Mountain T2IA Crew near the fire's perimeter. The goal is to secure a section on the southwest edge to limit the spread toward historical cabins four to six miles to the south and Venetie 10 miles to the southwest. The water-scooping Fire Boss airplanes are prepositioned in Fort Yukon and will likely be used again today. While most of Alaska is seeing a significant amount of rain, the Yukon Flats continues to experience sunny skies with minimal amounts of moisture.  

VIDEO: One hundred and thirty years of history were destroyed in minutes after a fire ripped through one of Pueblo's longest-standing buildings. The Albany Event and Wedding Venue has stood on Albany Avenue between East 7th and 8th streets since the late 19th century. It's now in ruins following Monday afternoon's devastating blaze. Smoke began pouring from the building just before 2:45 p.m. "Extremely old timber, dry conditions, the temperatures we have today, the wind all contributed to a very fast spread of this fire through the building," said Woody Percival with the Pueblo Fire Department. Everyone inside escaped before the flames overtook the structure, but the fire moved too quickly for crews to save the building.  

PHOTOS: Eugene Richards lives in Brooklyn, but was out of the country on September 11, 2001. When he returned to New York City four days later, he has written, he "metamorphosed into a bruise." He stayed home, convinced that no one needed another photographer surveying the wreckage. But Richards's wife and collaborator, Janine Altongy, insisted that they go see it. "You can't avoid history, not when you're so close to it," he remembers her saying. Over the course of several months, Richards and Altongy traversed the city, recording scenes of loss from the long aftermath of the attacks. Their 2002 book, Stepping Through the Ashes, is a collection of Richards's photographs and Altongy's interviews with survivors, bereaved family members, first responders, and others.  

VIDEO: Dayle Keefer, a Medina County man who calls himself "the Picasso of fire hydrants," is giving back to the community, one brushstroke at a time. Keefer moved to Brunswick not too long ago from Jamestown, New York to be closer to family. The 72-year-old retired from his job as a church pastor after more than 50 years. 'I'm praying and painting' Dayle Keefer, a Medina County man who calls himself "the Picasso of fire hydrants," is giving back to the community, one brushstroke at a time. Keefer moved to Brunswick not too long ago from Jamestown, New York to be closer to family. The 72-year-old retired from his job as a church pastor after more than 50 years. "We were walking the dog and we saw these grungy fire hydrants all around," Keefer said. That was the catalyst for Keefer to become involved in the city's Adopt-A-Hydrant Program.  

A local fire station transformed into center stage for a Nashville first responder who starred in a new music video from award-winning country artist Tenille Townes. Townes enlisted Nashville firefighter Shannon Wells for a video accompanying "Girl Who Didn't Care," a summer anthem about women following their dreams with child-like courage and passion. The video shows actress Kinley Mosley portraying a young Wells with firefighting ambition before transitioning to the actual 36-year-old suiting up and hopping aboard a fire engine. Along with Wells, the video features coming-of-age montages from groundbreaking Vanderbilt football player Sarah Fuller and aspiring astronaut Alyssa Carlson. "As soon as they sent me the song, I was like, 'Oh, yeah. I definitely have to be a part of this,'" said Wells, a Nashville native and Middle Tennessee State University graduate.  

Illinois will take a first step toward reducing the use of firefighting foam containing harmful "forever chemicals" under a bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday. The measure aims to curb the use of one source of PFAS chemicals that are tied to a host of health threats, largely through a limitation on using the foam for anything other than emergencies. Fire departments that want to conduct emergency drills or test the foam have to take precautions that prevent the chemicals from reaching waterways through sewer systems, for instance. The bill, a compromise between environmental groups, an association of fire chiefs and industry groups, does not restrict any use in an emergency. The foam is used for serious industrial fires like those that can occur at a refinery, chemical plant or another source of flammable liquids.