WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070610

Wildfire News Of The Day begins with Orange County Fire Authority reporting that a 75-acre wildfire sparked in Irvine Regional Park by illegal fireworks has been completely extinguished (1); while Kern County Fire Department battled some wildfires yesterday (2); and air-tanker support was required to corral a mobile home fire that set about an acre of vegetation ablaze in Nevada County (3). Windy conditions in Yakima, Washington, caused a fair amount of work for firefighters on the Fourth of July (4); but hikers intent on traveling along the 2,650 mile long Pacific Crest Trail will have to make a detour in Washington state due to a portion being closed after a 2009 wildfire (5). A wildfire in southern Nevada that has burned over 600 acres, along with a number of structures, is now 75% contained (6); and firefighters just returned from New Mexico's South Fork Fire reflected on the largest wildfire they had ever fought (7). A wildfire in Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park which has exceeded 6,000 acres in size will be allowed to burn some more to benefit the ecological health of the area (8); which means the current price tag of $4 million spent so far to control it is bound to go up (9). A fire that burned 20 acres in Colorado's San Juan Wilderness Study Area has been contained (10); while a homeowner in Glenwood Springs has been charged with starting a wildfire with fireworks that threatened 90 homes in the area (11); and the dilemma of homeowners in Rocky Mountain National Park, where about 900 acres has recently burned, is highlighted by the next article (12). The wildfire outlook in Montana is provided by the next item (13); while the New Jersey Forest Fire Service cautioned residents that the wildfire danger is high, even as more fires broke out across the state (14). Sweltering through high heat, officials in Maryland warned residents of the extreme wildfire danger (15); even as firefighters in Georgia did the same for their residents (16); where the situation was worsened by a massive wildfire that was sparked by a pipeline leak (17). Residents of Hillsborough County, Florida, are being warned to expect high fire danger as hot weather continues there as well (18). A wildfire in a sugarcane field on Maui, Hawaii, forced closure of a highway due to excessive smoke (19); and firefighters on the island of Oahu believe that fireworks were behind a number of blazes, one of which threatened $50 million worth of homes (20). Heading north to Canada, Ontario's luck in avoiding wildfires may be running out due to a dry spell in that province (21). Firefighters in Israel will be getting millions to upgrade their firefighting equipment, especially in rural areas (22); equipment they could probably use right now as they battle major blazes that have destroyed more than 300,000 trees in the Jewish state (23). Heading Down Under, Victoria's Country Fire Authority will be upgrading their communications gear with about $32 million worth of new equipment (24); while laws that could have a profound impact on future bushfires in the Dandenongs will soon be settled one way or the other (25). Officials in Maroondah, Victoria, have designated two locations as bushfire safer places (26); but some in the government are saying that more money needs to be set aside for additional refuges in that state (27). The next article looks back at the Black Friday bushfires that killed 71 people in Victoria in 1939 (28). South Australia is sinking nearly $13 million into a program to educate people about how better to cope with bushfires (29); while heavy rains in Queensland have provided ample fuel for the next bushfire season (30). And finally, what are homeowners to do when there is a wildfire and they're not in anyone's jurisdiction?

(1) Firefighters fully extinguish Irvine Park blaze

(2) Tuesday fires char South Fork and Lake Isabella

(3) Peardale mobile home fire triggers air response

(4) Triple the Number of Fires Compared to Last 4th of July

(5) Portion of Pacific Crest Trail closed

(6) Moapa wildfire 75 percent contained, road reopened

(7) Farmington Firefighters back from wildfire

(8) Fire still smolders at Great Sand Dunes

(9) Medano Fire cost is up to $4 million

(10) Firefighters douse blaze west of Pagosa Springs

(11) Sheriff: Homeowner Started Wildfire With Fireworks

(12) Wildfires emphasize need for mitigation plan

(13) Fire Watch 2010

(14) Forest fires break out in Warren Grove, Fort Dix as high alert continues

(15) Officials Warn Of Brush Fires In Dry Heat

(16) Hot, Dry Weather Cause Building & Brush Fire Catoosa County

(17) Firefighters call Monday fire 'massive'

(18) Expect more hot days

(19) Maui Fire Crews Battle Brush Fires

(20) Illegal aerial starts Kalama Valley blaze

(21) Dry spell contributes to new forest fires

(22) Fearing watchdog's bark, government okays NIS 100 million for firefighters

(23) Israel battles forest fires

(24) Digital upgrade for Victoria's fire services

(25) Future of bushfire laws in the Dandenongs' set to be decided soon

(26) Two safer places approved

(27) Fire funds needed

(28) Blackest day for Victoria

(29) $13m lined up for bushfire strategy

(30) Qld may face bad bushfire season: QFRS

(31) Firefighters Not Responding To 500-Acre Blaze