WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070510

In our first wildfire story today, a Los Angeles Times article adds fuel to the fire in the controversy over early air attack on the second day of the Station Fire, including allegations that the CAL FIRE spotter requested the DC-10 three times, but was denied its assistance, something which will no doubt be brought up by local Congressmen at a hearing set for August 10 in Southern California (1). Firefighters from Orange County Fire Authority have contained a 75-acre blaze in Irvine Regional Park (2); while CAL FIRE brought heavy air assets in to fight a 10 acre wildfire in California Valley (3). Firefighters around the state capital battled a number of wildfires over the weekend (4); and an article from Red Bluff takes a look at how lightning started several wildfires in that area 100 years ago (5). A 3,000 acre wildfire in Central Washington destroyed a number of structures before firefighters were able to bring it under control, as the next two articles show (6)(7). Fire officials reported progress on two wildfires burning in southern Nevada (8); but a horrific wildfire that burned near Payson, Arizona, in 1990, resulting in the deaths of half a dozen firefighters, is recalled by the next article (9). The Boulder Wildland Fire Department is profiled in the next article from Colorado (10). Residents of a Montana community were evacuated Sunday afternoon due to a wildfire (11); and firefighters in Pennsylvania had to deal with a few small blazes over the weekend as well (12). New Jersey firefighters battled a blaze on an offshore island which contains a wildlife preserve (13); while officials in Lake County, Florida, have come up with an innovative way to deal with obsolete fire lookout towers: recycle them! (14) Firefighters on Oahu, Hawaii, battled a dozen wildland blazes this past weekend (15); including one in the Kalama Valley which forced evacuations of homeowners (16). Cognizant of the fact that the first hour after an accident is crucial for injured firefighters, federal fire crews are devising strategies to get wildland firefighters the medical help they need as quickly as possible (17). As crews contained a wildfire in British Columbia late last week, officials reminded Canadians that they face fines of up to $1 million or jail time if convicted of starting wildfires (18); but the fire danger will increase this coming week as temperatures go up (19); even as the Kamloops Fire Centre keeps a wary eye on the forests (20). The wildfire situation in Ontario is summarized by the next item (21). Wildfires continue to pop up in Italy, including incidents at Palma di Montechiaro, Misilmeri, San Biagio Platani, and Mazzarino (22); but Finnish authorities have reported that airborne patrols searching for wildfires are less effective in the southern part of their country where a high population density translates into civilians on the ground spotting the fires before airborne patrols do (23). Officials in Israel fear that wildfires in the forests of Galilee may be the work of terrorists (24). A New Zealand concern will be providing thousands of new radios to Victoria, Australia's, Country Fire Authority (25); while the new Australian Prime Minister, a Victorian herself, pledged to do more to help victims of the Black Saturday bushfires in that state (26). Red tape, along with increased costs due to new building standards, are some of the factors retarding the rebuilding of bushfire-hit communities in Victoria (27); but a small army of young volunteers is doing what they can to help (28). A man accused of starting a deadly bushfire in Gippsland will stand trial before the Supreme Court (29). And finally, barbecuers on the Isle of Wight in the UK had some unexpected guests at their feast: firefighters who told them to put the fire out!

(1) Aerial expert's report on L.A. County's biggest wildfire flies in the face of official review

(2) Firefighters get upper hand on Irvine park fire

(3) California Valley fire burns 10 acres on Sunday

(4) Local Firefighters Stretched Thin By Blazes

(5) 100 years ago...

(6) Firefighters battling large wildfire near Crescent Bar

(7) Firefighters mop up wildfire hot spots

(8) Firefighters containing southern Nevada wildfires

(9) Memories of Dude Fire scar survivors, landscape

(10) Boulder fire crew works on wildfire prevention

(11) Wildfire threatening Columbus-area homes

(12) Dry Conditions Leading To Brush Fires

(13) Rumson firefighters battle Gunning Island blaze; 2.5 acres of wildlife preserve on Shrewsbury River burn

(14) Old fire lookout towers being recycled as cash-strapped state looks to cut costs

(15) Firefighters respond to 26 calls on holiday

(16) Wildfire Prompts Evacuations In Kalama Valley

(17) Danger in the deep woods: First 60 minutes crucial to rescuing injured firefighters

(18) Crews contain forest fire

(19) Risk of forest fires rises as temperatures set to push 30 degrees

(20) Fire Centre watches over our forests

(21) Forest Fire Situation Update - July 4th

(22) EFFIS - Current Situation

(23) Airborne Forest Fire Watch Ineffective

(24) Galilee Fires May Be Result of Arson Terrorism

(25) Tait wins firefighting deal

(26) Gillard pledges to help bushfire victims

(27) Black Saturday victim's rebuilding costs soaring

(28) Sowing the seeds of hope

(29) Man to stand trial over deadly Gippsland fire

(30) Forest barbecue sparks alarm