L.A. wildfire survivors show resilience, embody mythological Phoenix

By Tom Conning, Public Affairs Specialist — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Even during the grueling 68-day assignment – working 12 to 14 hours a day, Brig. Gen. Bill Hannan found resilience and inspiration – from the survivors. Though this was a horrible disaster, I saw the best in people, both in helping their neighbors and working together, said Hannan, Northwestern Division (NWD) commanding general. In June, he returned from leading the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Task Force Phoenix (like the mythological bird), which is the team responsible for wildfire debris removal and recovery efforts in Southern California.

Amid challenges of COVID-19, a community organization contributes to Corps public lands

Nyime J. Gilchrist — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 17:57:00 GMT

Despite the months of May through September being the height of the recreation season for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers public lands, in March the USACE conducted an orderly shutdown of all USACE-managed campgrounds to protect the public and its workforce from further spread of COVID-19. Upon reopening the Douglas Creek Recreation Area at Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota in late June, a local community organization hosted a 5K race and used some of the proceeds to donate a custom picnic table to the park.

Northwestern Division News

L.A. wildfire survivors show resilience, embody mythological Phoenix

Amid challenges of COVID-19, a community organization contributes to Corps public lands