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