WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 071109

After many delays, the Martin Mars will finally arrive at Lake Elsinore, California, Sunday and be on display for the press Monday; and its arrival may be none too soon, as Lockwood Valley in Ventura County is once again on fire, with four fixed-wing airplanes, six hand crews and three helicopters grappling with the blaze. A small wildfire in Antelope Valley was quickly doused by firefighters; and a CAL FIRE spotter plane discovered a small wildfire burning near Scotts Valley, allowing firefighters to quickly snuff the blaze. Firefighters in Central California have nearly contained a 5,500 acre wildfire burning in the Trinity Alps; but for only $45 a night, US Forest Service will allow you to spend the night at a fire lookout tower in the Tahoe National Forest (what a deal!) In a sign of progress, some of the firefighters involved in fighting the Shotgun Fire in Sequoia National Park have been sent home. Firefighters hope to have containment on a wildfire that has been burning near Black Butte in Oregon for the past week; even as college students assist forestry officials with a detailed sampling of vegetation in the Cascades. A small wildfire in Washington's Spokane Valley was quickly extinguished yesterday; but a number of wildfires are still burning in Arizona at the moment. New Mexico's Gila National Forest has ten lightning-sparked wildfires blazing; while a 400-acre wildfire that is slowly spreading in unoccupied wilderness is being allowed to burn near Los Alamos. Bureau of Land Management aircraft used to spot and help fight wildfires were vandalized in Grand Junction, Colorado; while homeowners in Fremont County were evacuated as a wildfire threatened their community; but a wildfire that forced the evacuation of about 200 homes elsewhere in that state is now 50% contained; and a wildfire burning at Fort Carson is nearing containment as it approaches 100 acres burned. A wildfire burning in Utah has now topped 1,000 acres; and several wildfires are burning in Oklahoma. Fire authorities are concerned about motorists tossing cigarettes into dry brush, causing wildfires in Hidalgo County, Texas; while two other articles discuss wildfires burning elsewhere in the state. All appearances to the contrary, the slow fire season in the western US is documented in the next article. Several hundred acres burned in Hancock County, Mississippi; while an Idaho Hotshot was badly burned while fighting wildfires in Alaska. A summary of wildfires in Ontario, Canada, is up next. Heading Down Under, lawyers representing 1,100 plaintiffs will appear before the Royal Bushfire Commission on behalf of their clients next month. And finally, another situation for which firefighters probably never received any training: pest control!

LAKE ELSINORE: Hawaii Mars expected to splash down Sunday

Forest fire growing: now at more than 200 acres

Crews Extinguish 20-Acre Antelope Valley Wildfire

Firefighters extinguish wildfire north of Scotts Valley

Crews Containing Lightning-Sparked Fires

Forest Service proposes rates for renting fire lookout tower

Firefighters released from the Shotgun Fire in Sequoia forest

Fire impacts travel on Santiam Pass

Fighting fire with science

Crews quickly contain Dishman wildfire

Fire Log

Lightning causes 10 fires in the Gila National Forest

San Miguel Fire continues to grow

Fire-protection aircraft burglarized at airport

Several residents evacuated due to wildfire

Dozens of homes evacuated by 100-acre fire near Florence, containment estimated at 50 percent

Fort Carson Fire Near Full Containment

Fire allowed to burn now full blown

Crews Battle Large Wildfire In Major County

Drivers May Be Unknowingly Starting Wildfires

Firefighters extinguish grass fire along U.S. Highway 69 near Huntington

Bastrop FD:Large wildfire at Camp Swift

Cool, moist weather slows wildfire season in West

Hancock wildfire smoke lingering

SW Idaho firefighter severely burned in Alaska

Two new forest fires burn in the region

Bushfire victims get representation

Raccoon keeps kids from getting out of pool