WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 061510

CAL FIRE has begun fully staffing their fire stations for the onset of summer wildfire season in Southern California, our first wildfire story today (1); and none too soon, as a wildfire in Rocklin was knocked down by firefighters on Monday (2). Defensible space cleared around homes in Hollister is credited with holding off a wildfire until firefighters arrived (3); but a fifth-wheel trailer caught in a five-acre burn near Lake Mathews was not quite so fortunate (4). CAL FIRE's Butte County chief commented on wildfire preparation meetings held in his jurisdiction yesterday (5); but due to the abundance of snowpack in the Sierra Nevadas, U.S. Forest Service will be initially basing a helicopter at a CAL FIRE base at Auburn (6). Several small wildfires have been reported in parts of Arizona, as summarized by the next two articles (7)(8); and three more were sparked by lightning strikes on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (9); while the persistent Horseshoe Fire is not expected to be contained until July 10th (10). New Mexico's Cutoff Fire, which has burned over 10,000 acres, is reported to be 50% contained now (11). Connecticut is sending a contingent of firefighters north to battle blazes in Québec (12); and a new UAV for tracking wildfires was successfully demonstrated at the Virginia Army National Guard’s Maneuver Training Center at Fort Pickett (13). A wildfire continues to burn as an unintended prescribed burn on the Fort Stewart, Georgia, Training Area (14). A lightning-sparked wildfire is burning in Lafayette County, Florida (15); while a wildfire in Nassau County has breached containment lines, exceeding 200 acres (16). Firefighters from Ontario province are heading out to help with wildfires elsewhere in Canada since things are quiet in their area (but then, you wouldn't expect much fire activity in an area called the Rainy River District, would you?)(17) Firefighters reported an out-of-control wildfire burning in Nova Scotia (18). A check for $30,000 in proceeds from a tribute book published in New Zealand was delivered to the Salvation Army (19). Three Australian state fire agencies will be modernizing their GNSS satellite systems (20); while a bushfire telephone notification system has been unveiled in South Australia (21). And finally, firefighters in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, who were battling a mobile home fire found a survivor within the walls: a fledgling Kestrel hawk!

(1) Firefighting Efforts Ramped Up for Fire Season

(2) Firefighters Contain Rocklin Blaze

(3) Three fires sparked in Hollister by vehicle exhaust

(4) Fire burns 5 acres of grass near Lake Mathews

(5) Wildfire Preparations in Paradise and Magalia

(6) Forest Service helicopter temporarily stationed in Auburn

(7) Reports of several small fires busy fire crews

(8) Firefighters Striving To Contain Three Wildfires

(9) Lightning sparks three fires on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

(10) Horseshoe wildfire still burning near Portal

(11) Federal fire crews report 50 percent containment of Cutoff Fire

(12) Conn. firefighters head to Canada to battle wildfires

(13) American Aerospace Successfully Demonstrates UAS Technology for Wildland Fire Missions

(14) Contained wildfire burning in Fort Stewart training area

(15) 16 Acre Wildfire In Cooks Hammock

(16) Wildfire jumps fire lines in north Jacksonville

(17) Fire crews ready to head out

(18) Forest fire on Old Minesville Road

(19) NZ raises $30,000 for Black Saturday victims

(20) Australia Modernizes GNSS Infrastructure Networks With Trimble Technology

(21) Hazard warning system for SA

(22) Baby hawk saved by firefighters