WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080610

Senators Feinstein and Boxer, along with the four Southern California Congressmen who planned to preside over the postponed Station Fire hearing, are calling for a detailed GAO probe of the fire, while the US Forest Service is banning recording of dispatch calls until further notice (1); while San Bernardino County firefighters had to deal with a 15-20 acre wildfire that claimed a mobile home yesterday in Morongo Valley (2). Lightning has sparked a number of wildfires across Lassen County (3); and firefighters also grappled with two fast-moving wildfires in Redding (4). The Central Oregon Incident Management Team indicated that fire lines are holding on a 6,000-acre blaze burning near Sisters (5); and Washington State's Department of Natural Resources has reported a lightning-sparked wildfire in Stevens County (6). Firefighters in Nevada have managed to rope in a small wildfire burning in Indian Hills (7); while several wildfires have scorched miles of southern Idaho (8). On the 100th anniversary of the so-called 'Big Burn', which scorched 3,000,000 acres in Idaho and Montana in 1910, an article takes a look at how it changed America (9). A small, lightning-sparked wildfire was reported in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest (10); even as the heat wave in Arkansas and Oklahoma continues to spark a number of wildfires in both states (11). Firefighters from across Canada and the US are streaming to British Columbia to help battle hundreds of wildfires burning there (12); while Canadian investigators have completed their on-site investigation of an air-tanker crash that claimed the lives of two pilots (13). The capital of Alberta is getting smoky skies from wildfires burning in that province (14); but the Canadian nuclear safety committee is concerned about wildfires burning in Saskatchewan near uranium mines (15). A Baker's Dozen of new wildfires was reported in Portugal, and another was spotted in Algeria (16). Ukraine's firefighting detachment has seen some action battling Russian wildfires (17); even as over 800 wildfires are still burning in western and central Russia, leaving 3,000 families homeless and threatening Moscow's Nuclear Missile Defense Center (18); causing visibility problems for that city's airports (19); but not threatening the Russian capital directly at this time (20). Russian officials are fearful of a new threat from the wildfires raging through the Bryansk region contaminated with radioactive debris from the Chernobyl accident (21); while the Turks have offered their condolences, as well as firefighters and equipment (22); and for any wildfires that get close to railroad tracks, 300 specially-equipped firefighting trains can be employed (23). Although much of the press for Russia's wildfires focuses on European Russia, the next article takes a look at wildfires burning in the Far East (24). The Royal Bushfire Commission chairman reiterated his stance on Australia's long time 'stay or go' policy (25); but even though it's been a year and a half since the Black Saturday bushfires, only 14% of the homes destroyed have been rebuilt (26). A meeting in Bendigo provided a venue for discussing the Royal Bushfire Commission report (27); but one in Ballarat left some questions unanswered (28). And finally, with Christmas fast approaching, here is a futuristic firefighting backpack every firefighter should have!

(1) Lawmakers seek broad probe into Forest Service response to Station fire

(2) Firefighters Contain Morongo Valley Brush Fire

(3) Lightning creates wave of heavy fire activity

(4) Firefighters halt blaze in west Redding

(5) Sisters fire lines hold, 6,000 acres burned

(6) Firefighters battling lightning sparked fire in Stevens County

(7) Firefighters contain wildfire in Indian Hills

(8) Crews put out wildfires in S. Idaho

(9) How a devastating fire helped rebuild a nation

(10) Lightning Sparks Small Fire In Black Hills Forest

(11) Wildfires Break Out Across Ark., Okla., In Extreme Heat

(12) More firefighters called to B.C. to fight 411 wildfires

(13) On-site investigation of the deadly air tanker crash near Lytton completed

(14) Wildfires cast haze over Edmonton

(15) Fires near mines concern nuclear regulator

(16) EFFIS - Current Situation

(17) Ukrainian rescuers helping extinguish forest fires in Russia

(18) Wildfires Ravaging Swaths of Russia

(19) Smoke from forest and peat fires impedes Moscow airports work

(20) Wildfires no threat to Moscow

(21) Wildfires Could Spread to Region irradiated by Chernobyl Disaster

(22) Turkey's PM offers Russia condolence over deadly fires

(23) Firefighting train

(24) Five of 11 forest fires put out in Chukotka

(25) 'Stay or go' clarified

(26) 18 months on, bushfire homes not rebuilt

(27) Bendigo gets bushfires report say

(28) Ballarat bushfires meeting leaves questions unanswered

(29) A Ghost Busters-style backpack water cannon for firefighters