WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082610

Southern California had a wild ride yesterday as thunderstorms rolled through the area, sparking a number of wildfires in Menifee, Temecula, and Tehachapi (1); and on the eve of the first anniversary of the Station Fire, California's Insurance Commissioner provided some useful tips to homeowners on how to prepare for a wildfire (2). Orange County Fire Authority is joining the ranks of San Diego County, Los Angeles County, and Los Angeles City Fire Departments in operating night-flying firefighting helicopters (3); while the new chief of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District, a 36-year veteran of the US Forest Service, is interviewed in the next article (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Mike Rogers, former Angeles National Forest Supervisor for US Forest Service, sent along a thought-provoking study on preparing for wildfires, written in part by Mike and another Wildfire NOTD subscriber, Scott Stephens, a wildfire researcher from UC Berkeley (5). A wildfire burning near Ramona in San Diego County prompted a request for several air-tankers, including the DC-10 (6); the heat keeping CAL FIRE firefighters busy around the county (7). The next article provides a map of wildfires burning across the US and an update on the 1,300-acre wildfire burning north of Los Angeles (8); which is now considered to be 60% contained (9). Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District reported a grassfire near Jackson Highway (10); followed by an update on two wildfires burning in Central California (11). CAL FIRE reported that a 363-acre wildfire burning near Indian Valley Reservoir is now 80% contained (12); and a 375-acre wildfire that has been burning in Central California is now 90% contained (13). A high-altitude wildfire has slowly burned through about 45 acres in the Stanislaus National Forest (14). The next article takes a look at wildfire activity in the state of Oregon (15); where parts of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness area have been closed due to wildfire activity (16); conditions through much of the state prompting authorities to caution residents about the high fire danger (17). A small wildfire burning near Spokane, Washington, has been contained (18); and US Forest Service experts in various disciplines will be conducting a tour for forest owners in that state (19). Bulldozers, SEATS, and numerous firefighters were battling a small blaze northeast of Boise, Idaho, this morning (20); while the Long Butte Fire, which has burned over 300,000 acres, is now 50% contained, but the advent of winds could change that later today (21); and where wildfires that have burned through Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument have left the area more susceptible to devastating mudslides when the rains come (22). The National Weather Service office in Missoula, Montana, issued Red Flag warnings for the state as hot, dry weather approaches today (23); and a pair of wildfires was reported in Jasper County, Texas, yesterday (24). The next item is a video segment from CBS News that covers the Western wildfires (25). A number of counties in Arkansas are under severe fire restrictions as the wildfire danger increases (26); while police in New Jersey are investigating the cause of an eight-acre wildfire that burned near Ringwood last week (27). Army aircraft battling a 1,350-acre wildfire burning on Hawaii's Big Island are captured in the next video (28). Another article about the effects of wildfire-generated Pyrocumulonimbus clouds on the atmosphere is up next (29). Firefighters in British Columbia, Canada, had to use a hovercraft to reach a pair of fires burning on a coastal island (30). Wildfires continued to burn in the northern African nations of Tunisia and Algeria, as well as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Macedonia, and Montenegro (31). As wildfires in Russia subside, environmentalists are estimating that the damage may exceed $300 billion (32); while a senior ornithologist indicated that Central Russia could see a serious drop in numbers of birds due to the recent wildfires (33). A bushfire in the African nation of Zimbabwe destroyed the national historical site of one of their 19th century kings (34); and the Philippine government is adding up the cost wrought by wildfires that have burned over 5,000 acres during an ongoing drought there (35). Heading to Australia, the next article takes a look at the ingredients which make Victoria's bushfires so plentiful (36); even as that state's government is investing another $22 million in a leading-edge program that can map bushfires real-time (37). And finally, some firefighters in Texas, where they do things big, have put together an awesome piece of apparatus!

(1) Southern California heat wave spawns wild weather

(2) Commissioner Poizner Asks: Are Los Angeles-Area Homeowners Prepared for Wildfires?

(3) Grounded firefighting helicopters allowed to fly at night

(4) New Idyllwild fire chief brings forest service experience

(5) Protecting Lives and Property in the Wildland–Urban Interface: Communities in Montana and Southern California Adopt Australian Paradigm

(6) Wind shift helps firefighters with 100-acre forest fire visible from Barona Mesa east of San Diego Country Estates in Ramona

(7) Firefighters Battle Heat and Flames

(8) Outlook positive on California fireline

(9) Kern County wildfire 60 percent contained

(10) Firefighters battle blaze near Jackson Highway

(11) Wildfires Keep Crews Busy in Kings, Contra Costa Counties

(12) Indian Fire nears full containment; firefighters respond to other blazes around county

(13) Wildfire near Mt. Diablo is 90% contained

(14) Stanislaus National Forest Controlled Fire

(15) Crews fight Coast Range fire

(16) Fires near Detroit close part of forest

(17) Be careful with fire during dry season

(18) Wildfire contained north of Airway Heights

(19) Forest tour to focus on fire

(20) Crews fight fire northeast of Boise

(21) Firefighters achieve partial containment on Long Butte Fire

(22) S. Idaho wildfire endangers fossil beds

(23) Fire crews brace for hot, dry weather

(24) Fires burn in Rayburn Country

(25) Western Wildfires

(26) Many counties in Region 8 are at high risk for wildfires

(27) Police still investigating cause of Ringwood forest fire

(28) VIDEO: Saddle Road open, Mauna Kea wildfire burns

(29) NRL Scientist Seeing Clearly the Effects of Pyrocumulonimbus

(30) Two fires still smouldering on South Thormanby

(31) EFFIS - Current Situation

(32) Environmentalist: Wildfire damage in Russia may top $300 billion

(33) Russian bird numbers to drop following wildfires - scientist

(34) Fire razes historic warrior king site in Zimbabwe

(35) Fires hit 2,310 hectares of Benguet forests

(36) Monocolumn: Smoke With Fire In The Bush

(37) More money for fire mapping system

(38) Firefighters Create Firefighting Beast in Spare Time in Spring Branch