WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 073109

Another article about the change in status of the DC-10 leads off wildfire news today; while a wildfire that topped 100 acres was contained on the grounds of Camp Pendleton in Southern California last night. A wildfire near Fresno was quickly doused due to an overwhelming response from firefighters and air-tankers; fire agencies responded to a series of spot fires sparked by a passing car in Central California; even as CAL FIRE is reinforcing air assets in Northern California in anticipation of fires in the tinder dry vegetation there. A compendium of Oregon's active wildfires is up next; and details of the blazes burning in Washington state are recounted in the three articles that follow. A chronology of the Peavine Peak fire in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains is provided by the next article; and a wildfire is also burning in rugged terrain in Arizona. A wildfire in Colorado has reached 40% containment with 1,340 acres burned. Residents of Fairbanks, Alaska, are being choked by smoke from the Railbelt Complex wildfire as it nears 350,000 acres burned; and the same thick smoke is keeping the 747 Supertanker out of the fight due to visibility problems. A British Columbia community is being told to prepare for evacuation if a nearby wildfire continues heading their way; a series of lightning strikes in that province have spawned more wildfires, one of which is threatening an Olympic site for the 2010 games; and even ferry service in BC is being interrupted by wildfires there. With minimal fire activity in the province, Ontario is sending another contingent to help fight wildfires in British Columbia; but some more may be needed in the Yukon, which has once again been visited by electrical storms whose passage has left behind a number of wildfires. Heading Down Under, an Op-Ed voices the opinion that the Australian government will streamline rules for clearing 10 meters of defensible space around homes; but Tasmania isn't waiting - it's imposing new rules on housing construction in the hopes of avoiding the devastation visited on Victoria on Black Saturday; followed by a government press release urging citizens to prepare for the bushfire season in that state. And finally, as a demonstration that good things come in small packages, a couple of Maryland firefighters have come up with a pint-sized emergency vehicle that can help firefighters get into tight places.

DC-10 No Longer At California's Beck-And-Call

Camp Pendleton wildfire contained

Quick action to put out wildfire

Car breakdown starts Skyway fire, which spreads to canyon

Fire officials deploy tankers throughout NorCal

Quick action halts fast fire

Lightning storms ignite dozens more fires in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Fire in hills west of Tampico closes state forest

CHELAN: Crews hope to contain wildfire by Saturday

Crews douse wildfire on east face of Peavine

Forest fire burning near Dude Creek

Western Colo. wildfire 40% contained

Forest fire smoke prompts Fairbanks health alert

Test flight of jumbo firefighting plane postponed

Lillooet placed on evacuation alert due to forest fire

Fire forces evacuations on Blackcomb Mountain

Fire near Bella Coola could affect Friday ferry service

One new forest fire reported in the Sault area

Lightning sparks 21 wildfires in dry Yukon

Go-ahead to clear land

Black Saturday prompts new building rules

Start planning now for bushfire season

Pasadena designers hope pint-size fire engine will find a big market