WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 071009

CAL FIRE has added another jet to the stable of air-tankers available to fight wildfires in California, as the 747 Supertanker makes its debut; and they may all be needed, as temperatures go up in Southern California, pushing the danger level in the Angeles National Forest to 'very high'. A small wildfire near Orosi, California, is being deemed suspicious by firefighters; and a small wildfire in Washington has been burning for a couple of days now, closing some hiking trails. A pair of wildfires burning along the Colorado/Utah border are being monitored by Bureau of Land Management; and as Texas withers through dry, hot weather, the fire danger is rapidly escalating in parts of that state. As Anchorage, Alaska, continues to have prime fire weather, firefighters are getting quite a workout with wildfires. Canadian aircraft and firefighters are being staged to parts of The Yukon in anticipation of a busy weekend ahead; and, in a first test of the new European Union firefighting force, France has requested aircraft to assist with fires on the island of Corsica. After weeks of merciless grilling and accusations directed at Country Fire Authority's chief, lawyers for the CFA are hitting back as Australia's Royal Bushfire Commission goes into recess. The Australian government was warned by a telecommunications provider about the antiquated phone systems and the danger their limitations posed to civilians six months before the Black Saturday bushfires. A senior researcher in the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner and author of The Australian Bushfire Safety Guide weighs in on the current debate over bushfire policy. Different training and licensing standards hobbled powerline repair crews during and after bushfires in Australia. Even though it's officially wintertime in Australia, the city of Darwin had a trio of suspicious blazes threaten homes in the area. And finally, an article was submitted by Sam Gowen of the Orange County Register in which firefighters had to rescue a black-crowned night heron from a tree in Fullerton, California, (say what?!?)

Nation's largest air tanker to fight California wildfires

Fire Danger Level Raised In Angeles Forest

UPDATE: Firefighters close to containing 30-acre wildfire near Orosi; blaze's cause called suspicious by fire official

Wildfire closes trails near Holden Village

Crews monitoring wildfires in western Colo., Utah

Texas' dry, hot days expected to last awhile

Record wildfires in Anchorage pose problems

Yukon girds for more forest fires

European Union helps fight forest fires in France

CFA angst over chief's treatment

Telco gave warning on 000 faults

Let's not throw good policy into the fire

Black Sunday power delays 'a problem'

Fire threatens Darwin homes

Endangered bird rescued after snagged in tree

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070909

A wildfire near a major museum in Los Angeles, California, drew a sharp response from firefighters on the ground and in the air, in our first wildfire story today; followed by information about a wildfire near Beaumont that was attended by air-tankers and over 200 CAL FIRE firefighters on the ground. The status of the Martin Mars is in limbo as US Forest Service officials remain mum about when it can come to Lake Elsinore; but the 747 Supertanker is expanding it's area of operations to Europe, with the partnership between Evergreen and Air Charter Service. Firefighters in Kern County praised the quick response of a CAL FIRE air-tanker as being instrumental in bringing a wildfire under control; CAL FIRE crews responded to a wildfire in Lakeport that burned very close to homes; and a small wildfire in Contra Costa County was quickly doused by firefighters. The financial impact of a wildfire in Oregon is examined next; while a wildfire elsewhere in that state forced the evacuation of campers nearby. Officials at Zion National Park, in Utah, closed a trail due to a wildfire nearby. Residents and firefighters in a Texas community fought a 44-acre blaze to a standstill; and a small wildfire near Taylor was 85% contained by firefighters yesterday. Alaska is experiencing an unusually warm and dry period right now, something of concern to fire officials; and a symptom of that warm spell, as wildfires continue to burn, is the arrival of the first contingent of firefighters from elsewhere in the US (in this case, Idaho) to help bolster local firefighters. Weather forecasters are reporting that El Nino is back, boding well for the parched West and South, which should get more precipitation and fewer fires as a consequence. Farmers in Ghana, Africa, are taking officials to task about wildfires in growing areas; and like environmentalists in Lake Tahoe, California, after the Angora Fire, a bushfire council in Victoria, Australia, is getting blamed for the deadly bushfires in areas where the council forbade removal of dense vegetation. And finally, a former wildland firefighter has developed some useful software for determining fire danger on property in Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Getty Center evacuated as firefighters battle Sepulveda Pass blaze

UPDATE: Rabbit fire near Beaumont jumps to 40 acres

No word on when firefighting plane will arrive at Lake Elsinore

ACS Appointed Agent for Largest Fire Fighting Aircraft in the World

BREAKING NEWS: BLM puts kibosh on Camp 9 fire

Fire comes within feet of subdivision

Firefighters Contain Overnight Martinez Brushfire

Greenway blaze proves costly for firefighting agencies

Cultus Lake Fire Out...But Not Before Campers Flee

Wildfire prompts closure of Zion National Park trail

Las Milpas residents help firefighters battle wildfire

Firefighters battled 20-acre grass fire

Wildfires and no rain a cause for air quality concern

Lower 48 Crews Coming to Fight Alaska Wildfires

El Niño: The good, the bad and the ugly

Farmers raise concern about havocs of bush fires

Anger at bushfire council's ban on removing roadside fuel

Smell Smoke?

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070809

A motorcyclist may have to pay for the suppression costs of a wildfire he caused in Cabazon, California; and firefighters battled a small blaze in Central California Tuesday afternoon. Lightning-sparked wildfires broke out in parts of Oregon; while aircraft gave firefighters a clearer picture of the blaze near Sisters overnight. Lightning sparked some wildfires in Washington state. Idaho is now officially into its fire season as temperatures rise; where fire agencies have determined that 75% of wildfires in Eastern Idaho are caused by campfires that get out of control. The worsening drought and increased wildfire danger in Texas is discussed next; followed by a story about the threat wildfires pose to cattle in that state. A wildfire that has already burned thousands of acres on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is being monitored by wildfire officials; but there's trouble in paradise as a couple of new wildfires broke out near Honolulu, Hawaii. The Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, is showcased in the next article. Wildfires along the India-Pakistan border were once again detonating landmines. The next item discusses perceptions of a PR diversion Australian officials appear to be using to distract people from scrutiny of what happened during the Black Saturday bushfires. An evolutionary biologist blogs in the New York Times on her observations after a recent trip to Victoria's bushfire-ravaged areas. A raft of apparently bogus claims for bushfire relief funds is paying out money to people who may not have suffered any losses in the Black Saturday bushfires. Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is forecasting a bad fire season due to an overabundance of rain providing more fuel for bushfires. And lawyers are wrangling over radio records from the 2003 bushfires outside of Canberra, Australia.

Cabazon blaze caused by motorcycle, officials say

Mountain View, Sunnyvale firefighters knock down grass fire

Forest fire breaks out in Monroe

Infrared flight boosts Black Butte II Fire to 650 acres

Firefighters contain two new fires

Idaho wildfire season starts amid high temps

Campfires Source of 3 out of 4 Eastern Idaho Wildfires

Drought Fuels Growing Wildfire Threat

Cattle Ranchers Concerned About Wildfires

Wildfire in Kenai Refuge Growing

Firefighters battle wildfire in Waiawa, brush fire in Makakilo

Work Starts on Wildfire Coordination Centre

Forest fires trigger landmines

CFA's bushfire role lost in PR smokescreen

On Fire

Thousands untouched by fires claim cash handouts

Wet weather, lush growth fuel conditions for bushfires

Bushfire volunteers counter NSW evidence, court told

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070709

In our first wildfire article today, a new study of the Witch Fire that burned in San Diego County, California, in 2007 cites ember storms that arrived long before the flame front as being the main cause of house fires; while a small wildfire near Watsonville damaged some railroad tracks in the area. Bureau of Land Management crews jumped on a wildfire outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, today; and firefighters had a small blaze to attend in Northern Nevada as well. A number of small wildfires have been reported in Northern Arizona; but a town in Colorado with lots of beetle-killed trees is facing the dilemma residents of Lake Tahoe did just before the Angora Fire: clear vegetation or lose homes to wildfires. An update on federal aid for survivors of the Oklahoma wildfires in April is provided by the next story; followed by some details on a couple of blazes in Texas. Air-tankers were dispatched to help quell a score of wildfires in British Columbia; and a small wildfire was reported near Vancouver yesterday. A new study on the impact of wildfires on northern spotted owl populations (a bone of contention between the Bush Administration and environmentalists) has been published; and some researchers are stating that beetle attacks on parched forests are actually a good thing! A wildfire in Algeciras, Spain, forced the evacuation of some homes; while the wildfire danger an El Nino condition poses to Asia is explored in the next article. Australian vacation homeowners who lost their property in the Victoria bushfires will have to wait for the taxman before they get reimbursed. The clean-up of Victoria's fire-scorched landscape is about to wrap up, two months ahead of schedule; even as the head of the bushfire recovery efforts talks optimistically about how it will all turn out. An Australian writer asks some pointed questions about what journalists should be reporting on in regards to bushfires. And finally, we've all heard of hawks, eagles, and the occasional raccoon being electrocuted by power lines and sparking a wildfire, but a bear cub?

New report: Flying embers to blame when houses burn as wildfires approach

Fire on San Andreas Road contained

Wildfire burning at Desert Wetlands Park

Sparks firefighters douse brush fire

Small Forest Fire Burning Near Wing Mountain

Colorado town's wildfire law called intrusive

Oklahoma centers to help victims of wildfires

Firefighters battle forest fire

Storm sparks 20 B.C. forest fires

Firefighters battle wildfire near Mission

Study: No increased fire threat in owl habitat

Some See Beetle Attacks on Western Forests as a Natural Event

Forest fire destroys 26 hectares in Algeciras

El Nino threatens surge in forest CO2 emissions

Tax hitch stalls holiday home grants

Official end to bushfire clean-up

Bushfire recovery a long haul, but Christine Nixon optimistic

The bushfire story no one's doing

Bear Cub Blamed For Forest Fire

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070409

In this Fourth of July edition of wildfire news, a pair of small blazes broke out in eastern San Diego County yesterday; but a CAL FIRE firefighter required medical attention after fighting a 15 acre wildfire near Beaumont. A wildfire burning near Porterville is expected to exceed 800 acres by Monday; and a small wildfire broke out this afternoon in steep terrain in Oregon. Washington state fire officials are worried about the wildfire danger, even in normally-rainy Western Washington, due to the lack of rain; however, a wildfire in Washington's Spokane County is being contained; while a small wildfire was reported in Washington state's Capitol Forest. A team of elite Hot Shots is clearing vegetation in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe (the Nevada side) as they wait for the fire calls to come in; and Arizona fire agencies are also reporting below-average fire activity so far this year; even as Hot Shot teams in Montana await a major fire, some of them remarking on the quiet fire season in the western US as well. A news video shows how Louisiana wildfire spotters provide crucial eyes in the sky to help identify wildfires in that state; while a 900-acre controlled burn near Panama City, Florida, was being mopped up by firefighters today. A number of small wildfires are adding some smoke to the firework residue in Fairbanks, Alaska; and with over 50,000 acres burned in The Yukon, Canadian firefighters were battling two new blazes late in the week. A wildfire in Vietnam burned nearly 100 acres before being extinguished; followed by a look at Indonesia's fire season to date. With the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings in Melbourne, Australia, in recess until 8/17, five stories look at the results of two months worth of hearings. And finally, just in time for Fourth of July, firefighters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, rappelled down on a bluff to rescue a couple of hot dogs!

CalFire fighting two brush fires in county

Beaumont firefighter suffers minor injury fighting brush fire

Wildfire burning northeast of Porterville

Firefighters battle forest fire near Estacada

Fire danger already here in parched NW forests

Crews getting a handle on Cheney wildfire

Brush fire threatens campground in Capitol Forest

Hot Shots Buy Some Time Before Fire Season

Low temps slow wildfire season

Fire season unfolds quietly

Officials are raising efforts with wildfires

Firefighters ‘mopping up' controlled burn

Small wildfires push smoky haze toward Fairbanks

Yukon firefighters battle blazes near Carmacks, Dawson

40 hectares of forest burnt

Forest fires hit 10 districts/cities in Riau

Lives before properties in stay-or-go policy changes

Ineptitude in the path of an inferno

The bureaucracy must pull a finger out

Sirens sounding on fire alert plan

CFA leader must take responsibility for bushfire errors

Firefighters rescue hot dogs from Avalon hillside

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070309

A wildfire near Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles that drew the attention of almost a dozen aircraft earlier this week has been deemed suspicious; and, sounding like a National Weather Service hurricane forecast, fire officials in nearby Orange County are attempting to predict wildfire severity in the area this year. A wildfire that burned into Temecula came close to an industrial park yesterday; followed by a quartet of stories about blazes CAL FIRE contended with across the state. Firefighters in Novato are concerned that they may have an arsonist at work in the area; while a possible arsonist has been detained in Central California in regards to a wildfire. Lightning sparked a number of wildfires in the Mt. Shasta area. A small wildfire in Oregon led firefighters to a marijuana plantation that would have yielded millions of dollars when harvested. A Colorado pilot provides some insight on the Air Force units involved in Mobile Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) missions and the new MAFFS II system. A couple of wildfires cropped up in Texas; but firefighters elsewhere in that state made a grisly discovery while fighting a grass fire. Firefighters in Georgia are holding their collective breath as Fourth of July begins in areas with heavy, dry fuel loads; and with over 1,500 acres burned in Mississippi in June, fire officials are warning people about the danger of fireworks in that state. A small blaze cropped up in British Columbia yesterday; but even the UK is heating up this weekend, causing government officials to distribute warnings to citizens about the wildfire danger. The wildfires in Israel have left forest areas north of the Sea of Galilee blackened, and have caused some significant wildlife losses as well. An in-depth look at Victoria's Country Fire Authority and the Royal Bushfire Commission's recommended changes are provided in a comprehensive article from Australia. After critics lambasted a Country Fire Authority chief for his handling of the Black Saturday bushfires, some are saying that these accusations are premature; but now that a change of direction for Australia's bushfire policy has been recommended, government officials are declaring their inability to implement it in Victoria before the next bushfire season begins (déjà vu all over again?) Such internet innovations as Facebook and Twitter may be implemented in providing future bushfire warnings. And finally, be careful about the qualifications of your engineers: one in Hollister, California, rolled a piece of apparatus down a hill during a training exercise to the tune of $235,000!

Brushfire under investigation

Officials predict 4 large fires in O.C.

TEMECULA: Hillside fire prompts evacuations

UPDATE: Quail Fire near Beaumont grows to 75 acres

Cal Fire: Fire Near Pebble Beach Out

Lightning starts fires near Willow Creek

15 acre fire reported in Mariposa County

Novato firefighters extinguish 'suspicious' early-morning grass fire

Person Of Interest Questioned In Contra Costa Wildfire

Web extra: Quick suppression of fires ignited by July 1 lightning

Forest fire leads to large marijuana grow

Air Force pilots relish tricky firefighting runs

Strike Force Activated To Fight Large Wildfire

Firefighters discover body while fighting grass fire

Holiday could make brush fires worse

Caution: Don't let fireworks end in wildfire

Crews battle forest fire near Pitt Lake, B.C.

Wildfires from heatwave warning

After fires in north, everything is black

Lessons still to learn before the state burns yet again

Victorian CFA bushfire criticism not justified, inquiry hears

No refuges for next bushfire season: govt

Facebook, Twitter in new bushfire policy

Central Fire wrecks $235K wildland fire rig during training exercise, one firefighter suffers minor injury

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070209

In wildfire news today, a pair of stories detail the delays US Forest Service continues to heap on the arrival of the Martin Mars at Lake Elsinore, California; while a wildfire along Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles burned 20 acres before LA County firefighters brought it under control. A brief history of fire lookout towers in Southern California's Cleveland National Forest is provided by the next article; and a small wildfire was quickly quelled in Atascadero yesterday. A pair of wildfires has burned hundreds of acres in Yosemite National Park; but the battle lines are forming up over proposed wildfire legislation between those who recommend thinning woodlands and those who see this as a ploy to harvest timber in California. A small blaze broke out in Utah yesterday; even as fire officials in that state are hoping that an unusually wet spring will postpone the fire season. Air-tankers and firefighters on the ground roped in a small wildfire in Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest; but with a batch of wildfires in the vicinity, firefighters in Coeur D'Alene are suspecting possible arson; followed by a National Public Radio piece in which smokejumpers in Idaho are the subject. Fearing a repeat of the Horry County wildfire that destroyed so many homes earlier this year, residents of that same part of South Carolina were relieved that firefighters got a new blaze under control so quickly. Trouble in paradise, as a 25-acre wildfire burned in a regional park on Oahu, Hawaii. With two towns evacuated, a series of wildfires are keeping Israeli firefighters busy, as the next two articles show. Lebanese firefighters are beset with hundreds of forest fires right now. Sweeping changes to Victoria, Australia's, Country Fire Authority are being recommended; something top CFA brass have voiced their support for; but the chief in charge at the time of the Black Saturday bushfires is getting severe criticism over the handling of that disaster. Experts weighed in on the Royal Bushfire Commission recommendations; but amid accusations that its bushfire broadcasts were slow and sometimes inaccurate during the Black Saturday bushfires, the Australian Broadcasting Company will probably lose its monopoly on providing bushfire emergency information. And finally, for those who wish they could put out a fire with the press of a button, some Swiss firefighters did just that!

LAKE ELSINORE: Firefighting air ship delayed again

No word on when firefighting plane will arrive in Lake Elsinore

Brush Fire in Los Angeles National Forest, Burns 20 Acres

Volunteer fire spotters put Cleveland National Forest tower back into service

Homes spared from Atascadero brush fire

Two Wildfires Burning In Yosemite

Proposed wildfire legislation fuels ongoing debate

Firefighters head to blaze in Utah county

Forest Service quashes fire at Redfish campground

Cd'A fights 8 wildland fires in 1 week

Smokejumpers Prepare for Another Wildfire Season

Woods fire alarms residents in Carolina Forest

Firefighters contain wildfire near Central Oahu Regional Park

Arson suspected in Israeli forest fires

Forest fires caused by man cutting metal with blowtorch

Hundreds of forest fires leave Lebanese countryside in ashes

Victorian Bushfire Warning System Needs Overhaul, ABC Reports

CFA boss backs bushfire systems overhaul

Top Australia firefighter criticised over wildfires

Teague recommendations sensible: experts

ABC set to lose role as sole bushfire broadcaster

New Swiss firefighting tool: TV remote control