WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082010

A 25-acre wildfire in Riverside County, California, that briefly threatened homes is nearing containment (1); while a press release from San Diego Gas and Electric offers a closer look at the S-64 Air-Crane purchased for construction of transmission towers and firefighting (2). Residents of Truckee looks back on a 45,000 acre blaze that burned in the area 50 years ago (3); but having neglected fuel reduction for years, leading to the destructive Angora Fire in 2007, residents of Lake Tahoe now feel that there is too much vegetation clearance being done! (4) An 8-acre wildfire was reported near Sonoma (5); while a house fire in Monterey County spread to nearby vegetation, burning about a quarter of an acre (6); and firefighters in Northern California battled a wildfire which appeared to have rekindled from one that burned in that area last week (7). The Oak Flat Fire, which is burning near Grants Pass, Oregon, is now considered 18% contained (8); even as Hot Shots and smokejumpers assisted the Oregon Department of Forestry in snuffing out dozens of lightning-sparked wildfires in the Willamette National Forest (9); but many of the firefighters who have been fighting a blaze in Central Oregon have been released due to a reduction in the threat (10). A 100-acre wildfire was reported in Benton County, Washington (11); while a 60-acre blaze burning in Skamania County has been contained (12); and a 1,300-acre wildfire on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation was apparently sparked by a fallen power line (13). An Op-Ed piece from Longmont, Colorado, takes a look at what needs to be done to reform forest strategy to prevent future mega-fires (14); a wildfire that burned 12 mi.² in Moffat County has finally been contained (15); and another was reported Thursday night in Custer County (16). Native American crews took down a 42-acre blaze near Buffalo Bridge, Montana (17). As wildfires continued to burn across British Columbia, Canada, ash was falling like snow in some areas (18); but despite the millions of dollars being spent on fighting wildfires there, the silver lining to this dark cloud may be that local economies are reaping rewards from extra business (19); while a wildfire burning in southeastern British Columbia has now been contained (20). Quick action by four air-tankers helped limit a wildfire sparked by a fallen power line to several acres and one home destroyed (21); but firefighters battling the Tweddle Creek Fire reported increased activity from the blaze (22). British Columbia's wildfires are causing pollution to drift through Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces, prompting alerts for people with respiratory problems (23); however, the two-week-old evacuation notice for residents of the Yukon living near the British Columbian border has finally been lifted (24). Ontario continues to enjoy a quiet fire season, allowing them to dispatch 334 firefighters to help British Columbia battle their many wildfires (25). The South American nation of Bolivia is battling wildfires which have already burned millions of acres and destroyed 70 homes (26); prompting its president to reach out to neighbors for help (27). An Op-Ed piece takes a look at the details of Russia's wildfires, and asks whether another disaster of this magnitude can be an expected in the future (28); even as, of the estimated 7,000 wildfires that have scorched over 1,000,000 acres there, 313 covering 27,500 acres are still burning (29). Vladimir Putin has fired the head of Rosleskhoz, Russia's Federal Forestry Agency, over his failure to control the wildfires that have ravaged that country (30); but has detailed $87 million more to help those who have been left homeless by the fires (31). Drenching rains snuffed many wildfires still burning in Russia as temperatures in Moscow dropped to only 48 degrees (32); allowing President Medvedev to cancel the emergency declaration in Mordovia, Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions (33). Wildfires killed eight people and destroyed hundreds of homes and huts in Africa's Democratic Republic of Congo (34). Heading to Australia, Christine Nixon, the embattled former Victoria Police Commissioner, has resigned her post on the board of directors of Foster's (35); while South Australia's decision to play down the bushfire threat in the Mount Barker region in order to build 7,000 new homes is seen as reckless by some (36). The war of words over the Toodyay, Western Australia, bushfire is heating up, with the premier rejecting any chance of an inquiry (37). And finally, the story of a decorated Marine veteran and firefighter who was back on the job even after losing part of one leg to a suicide bomber concludes today's news.

(1) Firefighters Work To Contain Wildfire In Wildomar

(2) SDG&E's New "Sun Bird" Helicopter to Assist San Diego Firefighters

(3) 50 years later: Truckee's biggest fire remembered

(4) Wildfire prevention industry booms in Lake Tahoe basin

(5) 8-acre fire near Infineon doused

(6) Blaze Battle: Las Lomas Dwelling Is a Loss after Fire

(7) Blaze near wind turbines may have rekindled

(8) Update: Oak Flat Fire 18% Contained

(9) Crews get the jump on lightning-caused fires across the Willamette National Forest

(10) Wasco County wildfire danger lessens

(11) Wildfire Near Jump Off Joe

(12) Firefighters making progress on Skamania County blaze

(13) Power line likely started Hanford wildfire

(14) U.S. needs a balanced plan for wildfires

(15) Crews contain wildfire in NW Colorado

(16) Wildfire Burning In Custer County

(17) Fire near Buffalo Bridge

(18) Ash from wildfires falls like snow in B.C.'s Cariboo

(19) Fires heat up economies

(20) Fire burning out at Fostall Creek

(21) Home lost in Quick from six hectare wildfire

(22) Tweddle Creek fire gathering momentum

(23) BC fires create thick soupy smoke in Alberta, Saskatchewan may be next

(24) Yukon fire evacuation notice lifted

(25) Friday forest fire update

(26) Not well equipped to handle wildfires, says Bolivian President

(27) Bolivia asks for aid over wildfires

(28) Comment: Russia’s 2010 fire catastrophes could be repeated – what can be done?

(29) Wildfires in Russia continue raging over 11,000 hectares

(30) Putin ousts forest agency chief over blazes

(31) Russia earmarks extra 2.67 bln rubles for wildfire victims

(32) Heavy downpours help Russia's firefighters

(33) Medvedev lifts emergency status in three Russian regions affected by wildfires

(34) DR Congo bush fires kill eight, burn 500 homes

(35) Nixon resigns from Foster's board

(36) Mt Barker rezoning a bushfire threat

(37) WA premier rejects inquiry

(38) Iraq War Veteran and Amputee Resumes Firefighting Career