WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 062510

First up in Wildfire News Of The Day, three small wildfires burned about 10 acres in Angeles National Forest near the Southern California mountain community of Wrightwood (1); while firefighters in Riverside County had to deal with a wildfire near a major freeway (2). A small blaze was ignited in San Diego County by a rollover auto accident (3); a wildfire was reported in Kern County yesterday (4); firefighters quickly doused a small wildfire in a Modesto field (5); and CAL FIRE had to battle a 10 acre wildfire in some oil fields (6). A professor of meteorology at San Jose State University whose focus is wildfire data collection is profiled in the next article (7). The owners of the 747 Supertanker are engaged in a heated debate with CAL FIRE over the effectiveness of its airplane versus the DC-10 VLAT, which won a three-year firefighting contract from the state of California (8). An update on the Schultz Fire, which has burned 23 mi.² in Arizona, is provided by the next article (9); but it has failed to breach the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks, so far (10). A plan to thin 50,000 acres of national forest in Arizona has brought together an unlikely group of backers (11). An accidental wildfire sparked by a motorist near Arizona's Tonto National Forest, which has already burned over 200 acres, is now 70% contained (12). A wildfire that has been burning north of New Mexico's Mimbres Valley since June 6th was dampened down a bit by rain (13); while a high-tech, 21st-century approach to the stalwart sand table used for decades by firefighters to map out wildfires has been unveiled in New Mexico (14). The ongoing Hidden Gems battle in Colorado is revisited in the next article (15); followed by the story of a man whose illegal fireworks accidentally started a wildfire in Eagle County (16). As Colorado's Royal Gorge reopens for business, merchants are assessing the damage done to the tourist industry by a wildfire that is still only 65% contained (17); while a small wildfire that broke out in Rocky Mountain National Park prompted calls for air-tanker support (18). A number of wildfires along Colorado's Front Range and elsewhere in the state are raising wildfire fears among residents, as well as firefighters, as summarized by the next two articles (19)(20); but at least residents of northern Colorado appear to be okay for now (21). US Forest Service will be conducting controlled burns in Utah's Manti-La Sal National Forest over the next few weeks (22); and an article from Idaho provides some pointers from National Forest rangers to potential visitors (23). Wildfire smoke from Northern Saskatchewan is blanketing southeastern Minnesota (24); while there are over 100 wildfires still burning in Alaska, according to the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center (25). Manitoba will receive $5.2 million from the Canadian government to help with recent wildfires (26); but Saskatchewan, where 78 wildfires are burning, will probably need an assist as well (27). A summary of wildfires burning in Ontario is provided by the next article (28); while a Canadian author expounds on the danger of wildfires to campers (29). Arson wildfires in forested parts of Hertfordshire, UK, have kept firefighters busy (30); and a wildfire that burned in Kashmir along the border between India and Pakistan since the weekend is finally under control (31). An art museum in Victoria has seldom had as many visitors as it does now that there is a display of bushfire art (32). And finally, firefighters in Berkeley, California, who were swarmed by yellow jackets while fighting a small wildfire in Aquatic Park found a new use for Class A Foam!

(1) Fires burn about 10 acres in Wrightwood

(2) Wildfire Contained Near Moreno Valley, Highway 60 Re-Opened

(3) Brush fire led to partial I-8 closure

(4) Wildfires Flare in Shooters Canyon and I-5

(5) Firefighters quickly extinguish east Modesto blaze

(6) CAL FIRE contains 10-acre fire near San Ardo oil fields

(7) Fighting wildfires with scientific data, research and instruments

(8) McMinnville's Evergreen Aviation Battles California Over Tanker Contract

(9) Northern Arizona forest fire 40 percent contained

(10) Inner Basin intact

(11) Wildfires underscore need to thin forests

(12) New Fire Burning Near Tonto Nat'l Forest

(13) Rain and hail help temper Aspen Fire

(14) New tool developed in Santa Fe to help fight wildfires

(15) Basalt firefighters finalize position on Basalt Mountain

(16) Man who accidentally started Eagle Co. wildfire billed $6,000

(17) Firefighters contain 65 percent of blaze

(18) Air Tankers Requested For RMNP Fire

(19) After a day of wildfires, concerns remain about fire danger

(20) Wildfires flaring up across Colorado

(21) Woods safe from fires, for now

(22) Forest Service plans prescribed burn

(23) Forest stump: tips to prevent "Stupid is as stupid does"

(24) Canada forest fire sends thick smoke to southeastern Minnesota

(25) Alaska Still Fighting Wildfires

(26) Government of Canada Assists Manitoba With Response to Wildfires

(27) 78 fires in Sask. forests

(28) Thursday forest fire update

(29) The biggest dangers of camping in a forest

(30) Firefighters tackle blazes in woodland for the second time this month

(31) Forest Fire Under Control in Indian Kashmir

(32) Into the inferno

(33) Swarm Of Yellow Jackets Sting Four Firefighters In Aquatic Park