WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072710

A wildfire which broke out in California's Sequoia National Forest Monday afternoon has already scorched 5,000 acres and destroyed six homes (1); and it is still considered to be out of control (2); but the Sierra National Forest is dispatching 80 firefighters to assist in battling the blaze (3). Lightning fires continued to blaze across Lassen County in Northern California (4); and Red Flag warnings have been issued for parts of Oregon as 30 new lightning-sparked wildfires were reported throughout the region (5); but the Oregon Department of Forestry has nearly contained a wildfire near Unity Reservoir (6). Fire crews in Washington state were having a blast using 'det cord' to clear timber around a fire near Lake Merwin (7); while Reno-Stead airport is playing host to nearly 2 dozen firefighting aircraft as wildfires burn nearby (8). A large wildfire has been reported in Navarro County, Texas (9). Now that a wildfire which burned thousands of acres in Idaho is over, the clean-up has begun (10); but firefighters from Montana, Utah, and Idaho were battling a 900-acre wildfire that was burning in the Bitterroot National Forest (11). A small wildfire has been reported in Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest (12); and another has doubled in size to 1,000 acres (13). Firefighters from 10 departments responded to a wildfire in New Hampshire (14); while smoke from an 800-acre wildfire burning in the New Jersey Pinelands is reducing visibility on nearby highways (15). Firefighters in South Carolina are hoping that a heavy rainstorm will extinguish a wildfire that's been burning in Horry County since June (16). Although the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia, is suffering through an extremely dry period, wildfire acreage burned is half of last year's tally (17); but as over two dozen wildfires continue to burn in that province, firefighters are worried about the onset of winds and lightning (18); while air-tankers attacked a wildfire near Cawston late yesterday (19). Firefighters in Alberta have made progress on containing a wildfire that threatened the oilsands project (20); nevertheless, some people see this as being beneficial for the ecosystem (21). Although a handful of wildfires have been reported in Ontario, they've still been able to dispatch a pair of CL-415 air-tankers to help battle wildfires in Manitoba province (22); and Spain is sending some air-tankers to help neighboring Portugal, where over 1,000 firefighters are already battling blazes (23). Russia has reported hundreds of new fires breaking out, with over 100,000 acres burned already (24); but Vladimir Putin put responsibility for fighting Russia's wildfires on the shoulders of regional executives (25); and despite the damage done by those wildfires, they appear to have had a negligible impact on the economy (26). The Australia Capital Territory Supreme Court compensatory hearing has been adjourned until October (27). Two Op-Ed pieces from Victoria reflect on the current situation: the first faults the government for preventing political candidates from speaking with dislocated residents who still have no permanent homes 18 months after the Black Saturday bushfires (28); and the second discusses how to move beyond the 'blame game' and use the Royal Bushfire Commission's findings to improve bushfire preparedness (29). Queensland Fire Rescue Service has clamped down on outdoor fires until January (30); while the Rural Fire Service is now hosting the list of 'Neighborhood Safer Places' on their website (31). And finally, no matter how disagreeable you think your job is, consider this call in the UK to extinguish a muck heap fire!

(1) Fires spread across 5,000 acres in Sequoia National Forest

(2) Update: Wildfire near Kernville continues out of control

(3) Local Fire Crews Head to Sequoia National Forest

(4) Lightning causes fires across county

(5) Red-Flag Wildfire Warning Posted For Central, Southern Oregon

(6) Crews douse fire near Unity Reservoir

(7) Crews make progress at Speelyai Fire near Lake Merwin

(8) Reno-Stead Airport Turned into Firefighting Air Base

(9) Firefighters battling grass fire in northern Navarro County

(10) Thousands of acres blackened by grass fire

(11) Dominic Peak wildfire pegged at nearly 900 acres

(12) Wildfire spotted in Servoss Mountain area near Neihart

(13) Dominic Point fire explodes to 1,000 acres

(14) Firefighters contend with large brush fire

(15) Forest Fire Could Cause GSP Visibility Problems

(16) Wildfire continues to burn, but residents not concerned

(17) Vancouver faces second driest July on record; more campfire bans coming

(18) Lillooet fire still burning out of control

(19) Wildfire burning near Cawston

(20) Forest fire near oilsands project in north Alberta now being held

(21) Benefits seen as fire burns

(22) Four fires reported

(23) Spain helps Portugal fight raging wildfires

(24) Forest and peat fires cover over 52,000 hectares in Russia

(25) Putin tells governors to keep forest fires under control

(26) Economy survives forest fires - Russia’s Emergency Minister

(27) Canberra bushfires hearing adjourned to April

(28) EDITORIAL: Putting the gag on bushfire victims

(29) Fire blame game must stop

(30) Be aware: No small fires without a permit this bushfire season

(31) Neighbourhood Safer Places rolling out across Queensland

(32) Firefighters tackle muck heap blaze