Jan 30, 2020 - World

Australia honors U.S. airmen who died fighting fires

A memorial for the U.S. crew who died in the fiery crash in Australia's Snowy Mountains. Photo: New South Wales Rural Fire Service/Twitter

A memorial service was held at the Royal Australian Air Force base in Richmond, New South Wales, Thursday for three members of a U.S. aircrew who died while fighting bushfires when their air tanker crashed in the state's Snowy Mountains last week.

The big picture: Capt. Ian MacBeth, First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr. died last Thursday when the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, operated by the Canadian company Coulson Aviation, crashed in the Snowy Mountains. A crowdfunding page to support their families had raised nearly $20,000 by 1:15am ET Thursday.

Go deeper: Australia's deadly fires: What you need to know

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Orion Rummler, Rebecca Falconer

Australia's deadly fires: What you need to know

The Australian flag flies under red skies from fires on Jan. 4 in Bruthen, Victoria. Photos: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The Orroral Valley fire has burned through nearly 25% of the district that's home to Australia's capital, News.com.au reports, after ACT Emergency Controller Georgeina Whelan said the fire was rapidly growing into the south east on Saturday.

The latest: The Orroral fire grew from 81,544 acres to at least 129,073 acres on Saturday, based on Whelan's initial statement, and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr's following estimate. Whelan said the Orroral fire is expected to move "well into" New South Wales, which creates potential for it to reach and merge with other bushfires in the area.

Go deeperUpdated Feb 1, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Rebecca Falconer

113 animal species need urgent help after Australia's bushfires

Humane Society specialists check an injured Koala rescued from South Australia's Kangaroo Island fires on Jan. 15. Photo: Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images

113 animal species need an "emergency intervention" to help support their recovery after they lost at least 30% of their habitat to Australia's bushfires — and many lost substantially more than that.

Details: That's according to a report released by Australia's Environment Department, which consulted a panel of experts to identify species in need of urgent help — including the koala.

Go deeperFeb 12, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Marisa Fernandez

Four more planes to arrive in U.S. from Wuhan

Travelers at LAX. Photo: David McNew/Getty Images

Four planes will arrive at four different military bases in the U.S. this week, carrying American passengers from Wuhan, China, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The big picture: Upon landing, the CDC will evaluate the passengers and issue quarantine orders starting from the day the flights took off through 14 days thereafter. Already, one plane landed in the U.S. last week. The total number of passengers has not yet been released.

Go deeperFeb 5, 2020 - Health