WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082310

The slow healing of the Station Fire burn area in Southern California's Angeles National Forest is the topic of our first article today (1); while wildfires in two Southern California national forests, the Cleveland and the Los Padres, have been pretty well wrapped up by fire crews (2); the 1,263-acre wildfire in Los Padres National Forest has cost an estimated $1.5 million to suppress (3); and the one in the Cleveland forced the evacuation of several rock climbers (4). A small wildfire was reported near Laguna Beach over the weekend (5); and a 150-acre wildfire was ignited by a big rig that lost its brakes on Interstate 5 near the Grapevine on Sunday (6). A 5-acre wildfire near Goleta has been brought under control by firefighters (7); while a wildfire that burned nearly 1,000 acres near El Capitan Reservoir in San Diego County was 75% contained this morning (8). A 30-acre wildfire reported by CAL FIRE near the Santa Ysabel Casino has been contained (9); and firefighters from several agencies battled a grass fire that burned several acres in Marinwood over the weekend (10). A wildfire near Warm Springs, Oregon, now covers 24,000 acres and has drawn the attention of over 1,000 firefighters plus 6 air-tankers (11); while prison crews have been given high praise by fire officials for their work in helping to contain a wildfire in Clark County, Washington (12). A summary of wildfires near Mountain Home, Idaho, is provided by the next article (13); even as a wildfire in southern Idaho blazed across nearly 350 mi.², forcing the closure of Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (14); another in the Salmon-Challis National Forest temporarily blocked a highway as it burned about 2,000 acres (15); and several new wildfires were reported throughout the state, including a 5,000-acre blaze in Arbon Valley (16). A 25- to 50-acre wildfire was burning west of Cedar Fort, Utah (17); but one that was sparked by an incinerator in Larimer County, Colorado, was fully contained after burning 400 acres (18). Smokejumpers were battling a blaze in Montana's Lolo National Forest on Sunday (19); a situation worsened by breezy weather (20). A wildfire in northern Montana has scorched 26,000 acres (21); while another near Columbus has blazed across 9,800 acres (22). A firefighter was injured battling a wildfire near Kingsbury, Texas (23). A 75-acre-wildfire burned near Springfield, Missouri, over the weekend (24); and a score of wildfires kept firefighters in Arkansas busy over the weekend (25). Although cooler weather is helping battle some 232 wildfires in British Columbia, Canada, 2,800 firefighters are still on the line (26); the Binta Lake Fire, at 99,000 acres British Columbia's largest, is about 20% contained (27); while thick smoke from the many wildfires burning in that province are hampering the search for a small private plane that disappeared and is assumed to have crashed (28). Wildfires continued to break out in Portugal, Spain, Albania, Italy, Greece, and Algeria over the weekend (29); including a 100-acre wildfire on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza that forced the evacuation of 1,500 people (30); a wildfire on the Greek resort island of Evia that was being brought under control on Sunday (31); while approximately 500 Turkish firefighters, aided by 10 firefighting helicopters, tackled a blaze in Izmir over the weekend (32). The Russian president has lifted the state of emergency in the last district in Russia beset with wildfires (33); nevertheless, over 200 blazes were still reported throughout the country (34). Heading to Australia, the Victorian government issued a statement regarding the fate of the three fire agencies in that state in light of the Royal Bushfire Commission recommendations (35); but New South Wales' Rural Fire Service Association disagreed with vegetation thinning targets from the Royal Bushfire Commission being applied to their state (36). And finally, a firefighter in Boston, Massachusetts, came across something you would only expect to see in Florida: an alligator crossing the road!

(1) Recovery from the Station Fire is slow, uneven - and, at times, beautiful

(2) Crews mop up after 2 Southern California fires

(3) Firefighters report progress on Pozo fire

(4) Calif. wildfires stop summer fun, burn much brush

(5) Laguna Canyon fire under control

(6) Big rig tosses carrots near Grapevine, sparks fire

(7) Firefighters gain upper hand on small blaze, roads reopened

(8) El Monte Fire near Lakeside Fire 75% Contained

(9) Fire near Santa Ysabel Casino contained

(10) Hilltop grassfire threatens homes in Marinwood

(11) Warm Springs wildfire explodes in size, campers evacuated

(12) Jail crews vital in containing forest fire in Clark County

(13) Several fires continue to burn near Mountain Home

(14) Southern Idaho wildfire scorches 335 square miles

(15) Idaho 21 near Stanley reopened to traffic, but drivers should expect delays of up to 30 minutes

(16) Homes, power line threatened as Arbon Valley area fire grows to more than 5,000 acres

(17) Wildfire burns west of Cedar Fort

(18) Larimer County Fire Burns Fmr. County Commissioner's Property

(19) Wildfire Spotted Near Stevensville

(20) Wind aggravating wildfires

(21) Wildfire scorches 26K acres north of Winnett

(22) Stump Gulch Fire 9,800 acres and growing

(23) Firefighter hurt while battling a grass blaze

(24) Firefighters battle brush fire east of Springfield

(25) Arkansas Forest Rangers Battle 20 Wildfires over the Weekend

(26) B.C. wildfires slowed by cool weather

(27) Canadian Wildfire Blackens 99,000 Acres

(28) Forest fires slow search for missing airplane

(29) EFFIS - Current Situation

(30) 1,500 People Evacuated as Huge Forest Fire Rages in Ibiza

(31) Wildfires Blaze On Greek Holiday Isle

(32) Villages Evacuated As Wildfires Threaten Western Turkey

(33) Russia’s wildfires largely out

(34) Over 200 wildfires still raging in Russia - ministry

(35) Statement from the Minister: CFA, MFB and DSE To Stay

(36) RFSA slams Victorian burn targets

(37) Firefighter Yields To Alligator Crossing