WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072610

A trio of wildfires in Southern California near Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium has prompted arson investigations of the blazes (1); while CAL FIRE firefighters battled a wildfire in Central California on Saturday (2). A 25-acre wildfire near Vacaville resulted in some injuries over the weekend (3); and thunderstorms in Northern California resulted in more than 6,000 lightning strikes (4); some of which caused wildfires in the Sierras, as the next two articles show (5)(6). Over two dozen lightning-sparked wildfires were reported in Oregon's Deschutes National Forest (7); and a wildfire near Washington state's Lake Merwin burned nearly 100 acres on Saturday (8). US Forest Service head Tom Tidwell indicated at a speech in Nevada that his agency has been directed by Congress to develop a wildfire response plan that addresses climate change and invasive species, as well as prioritizing thinning projects across the country (9). Several wildfires continue to burn in northwestern Colorado (10); while Bureau of Land Management firefighters are still grappling with a 4,000 acre wildfire in Idaho (11). A wildfire that has burned over 300 acres near Cedar City, Utah, is now 30% contained (12). Neptune Aviation is working on a new generation of heavy air tanker which will be undergoing tests at Missoula International Airport this week (13); and they may get a chance to try it out, with a wildfire in Ravalli County that burned 1,000 acres and forced the helicopter evacuation of a spotting crew (14); another that was reported in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area (15); and yet one more that is now 72% contained after burning over 500 acres in Yellowstone National Park (16); all of which have prompted fire officials to urge residents to prepare for wildfires in their area (17). Honoring their commitment under the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact, fire crews from Minnesota are heading north to help battle wildfires in Canada (18). South Carolina Forestry Commission kept a wary eye on a weekend wildfire which was still very much alive (19); while North Carolina State University has completed a new study which shows the importance of networking communications between multiple agencies battling wildfires (20). BC Forests has canceled the evacuation alert for parts of British Columbia, Canada (21); but many wildfires are still blazing away in the interior (22). A huge wildfire burning near Alberta's tar sands has turned away just in time (23); as that province is headed for a record fire season (24). Several dozen residents of a First Nations community in Manitoba were evacuated due to excessive smoke from nearby wildfires (25); followed by a radio segment in which a fire officer discusses the wildfire situation in that province (26). Wildfires were reported in Siracusa, Roccella Ionica, Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Centuripe, Sant'Angelo Muxaro, and Muravera, Italy, as well as Cerdal, Geraz do Lima, Freixieiro de Soutelo, and Cabreiro, Portugal, Dimos Karystoy, Greece, and several locations across the Mediterranean in Algeria (27). The next article takes a look at the impact of blazes in France and Portugal over the weekend (28); with fire officials in southern France stating that they were lucky that wildfires which burned nearly 3,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of vacationers, burned in unpopulated areas (29); but arson appears to be the cause of the French blazes (30). As Moscow chokes on the smoke from wildfires all around the Russian capital, firefighters have been joined by helicopters and fixed wing aircraft (including IL-76 and BE-200 air-tankers) to battle the blazes (31); and Finland is the unfortunate recipient of smoke from wildfires burning across the border in Russia (32). Young people are being blamed for a wildfire which nearly resulted in the evacuation of an Israeli hospital in Jerusalem (33); and caused injuries to two youngsters (34). As the date for publication of Australia's Royal Bushfire Commission findings approaches, a press release by the Victorian Government discusses their hearings which will commence on August 10th (35); but one Victorian mayor is hoping they provide more clarity on setting up bushfire refuges (36); followed by an Op-Ed piece from the head of Local Governments for Sustainability that ponders the cultural change the Commission's recommendations may impose on Australians (37). Two bushfire refuges have been unveiled in the Victorian shire of Bundaberg (38). And finally, firefighters in Birmingham, Alabama, are finding relief from the oppressive heat through new cooling units - very cool!

(1) Firefighters extinguish third brush fire in three days near Dodger Stadium

(2) Crews contain brush fire in Atascadero

(3) Wildfire leaves two hurt, destroys home

(4) 6,129 Lightning Strikes Hit California on Sunday

(5) Sunday T-storms cause 63 lighting strikes in region; five wildfires contained

(6) Lightning storms cause fires in various parts of county

(7) Lightning sparks several small fires

(8) Forest fire blackens 70 acres near Lake Merwin

(9) Official says wildfire behavior changing

(10) 3 new wildfires reported in NW Colo

(11) South Trail fire claims nearly 4,000 acres

(12) UPDATE: Hot Springs Wildfire Now 327-Acres and 30-Percent Contained

(13) New wildfire fighting techniques tested in Missoula

(14) Ravalli County fire grows to 1,000 acres

(15) Smoke in Great Falls from fire in Bob Marshall

(16) Fire in Yellowstone 72 percent contained

(17) Montana residents urged to be "fire-ready"

(18) Elgin man helps fight forest fires in Canada

(19) Crews continue to monitor Hardwick Rd. wildfire

(20) Improving Communications To Fight Wildfires

(21) Evacuation Alert for Sailview Bay Interface Fire has been rescinded

(22) Heat stokes wildfires in B.C. Interior

(23) Forest fire shifts away from Suncor's Firebag site

(24) Province likely to see record wildfire season

(25) Forest fire smoke forces out residents

(26) Forest fires continue to burn in northern Manitoba

(27) EFFIS - Current Situation

(28) Summer wildfires hit France and Portugal

(29) Hundreds of Britons flee campsites as forest fires break out

(30) Wild fire in South France burns forest, arson deemed as likely cause

(31) Thick Smog of Peat and Forest Fires Covers Moscow

(32) Russian Forest Fires Affect Air Quality in Southern Finland

(33) Massive Jerusalem fire burns forests

(34) Infant twins injured as multiple fires strike Jerusalem

(35) Arrangements for Parliament To Consider the Report of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission

(36) Yarra Ranges mayor calls for guidance on safe refuges

(37) Blurry line of responsibility in bushfire areas

(38) Bushfire refuges identified

(39) Birmingham firefighters chill out with new cooling unit