WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 073110

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tony Morris, Communications Director for Wildfire Research Network sent along a link to a spectacular photo from the LA Times of the DC-10 battling the Crown Fire north of Los Angeles. Another subscriber, Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), sent along a link to a video that stresses the importance of federal SAFER and Assistance to Firefighter Grants programs which provide millions of dollars in support funds for fire departments throughout the US (1). The Crown Fire is now considered 62% contained after drops by the DC-10 and 747 VLATs, along with nine firefighting helicopters (2); even as firefighters were hoping for lighter winds accompanied by cooler temperatures to reduce the wildfire's activity (3); while the next article takes a closer look at the San Bernardino-based 747 (4). Hundreds of firefighters from San Diego County fire departments have streamed north to battle the blazes north of Los Angeles (5); and a wildfire was reported along Glendora Mountain Road this afternoon (6). Due to increased wildfire danger, Mendocino National Forest will be imposing fire restrictions the first of the week (7). The Rainbow Bridge Fire, which has burned 1500 acres in central Washington state, is threatening structures (8); and residents of Cashmere were forced to evacuate as well (9). The next article takes a look at wildfires burning in Idaho (10); while the 520-acre Beach Fire, which has been burning in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park for two weeks, has finally been contained (11). The normally-sedate life of a New Jersey Forest Fire Service fire spotter has been a little bit more active this year (12). Several hundred wildfires have been reported in British Columbia, Canada, two of which have forced evacuations of First Nation reservations (13)(14). A suspicious wildfire that started near a town house in Burnaby is being investigated by RCMP (15); while the Tweddle Creek Fire, which was originally sparked by lightning on Wednesday, has surged back to life (16). Ontario continues to enjoy a quiet fire season, with just one new fire being reported in the western part of the province (17). An astounding 240,000 people (including 100 firefighting paratroopers), 25,000 engines and every air-tanker available are battling blazes in Russia, where wildfires have forced thousands of people from their homes and have destroyed entire villages, as shown by the next three articles (18)(19)(20). The governor of Kuzbass in Siberia has offered to shelter survivors of the wildfires (21); but Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has directed that new homes be built to replace those destroyed before November (22). The long-awaited day for the release of Australia's Royal Bushfire Commission report has arrived, and several articles cover various aspects of the findings: a total of 67 points were made (23); leaving early is the best strategy (24); the lessons learned should be taught to schoolkids (25); the amount of vegetation burned off in Victoria should be tripled (26); the two primary people responsible for handling the fire went missing on Black Saturday (27); including police Commissioner Christine Nixon, although the report stopped short of calling her absence deliberate (28); a senior fire officer who oversees Victoria's three fire services should be appointed (29); and the electrical grid needs to be upgraded as well (30); but Victoria's premier pledged quick action on the recommendations (31). In the wake of the Royal Bushfire Commission's report which stated that controlled burns should be increased three-fold in Victoria, New South Wales is debating increasing controlled burns in their state as well (32). And finally, firefighters in Michigan had to perform an unusual extrication: separating a beekeeper from her bees!

(1) Preparing America's Fire & Emergency Services for the Next Call

(2) SoCal Wildfire Now 62% Contained

(3) Firefighters battling Crown fire hope for light winds and cooler temperatures

(4) Supertanker Loads Retardant In San Bernardino To Fight Crown Fire

(5) Hundreds of local firefighters head to LA, Kern

(6) Fire breaks out in Glendora near Big Dalton

(7) Mendocino National Forest enters fire restrictions starting Monday

(8) Fire near Stehekin now at 1,500 acres, structures threatened

(9) Fire forces evacuations near Cashmere

(10) Lightning sparks fire near Bliss, burns 500 acres

(11) Fire crews contain, knock down Beach Fire in park

(12) Dry summer has kept New Jersey Forest Fire Service busy

(13) Wildfire forces residents out in central B.C.

(14) Evacuation order issued for Pelican Lake Complex fire near Nazko First Nation

(15) Burnaby Mountain brush fire may have been set by youths

(16) Tweddle Creek fire shows increased activity

(17) One new fire reported in region

(18) Wildfires in Russia threatening over 200 villages - official

(19) Russia mobilises 240,000 to fight deadly wildfires

(20) Paratrooper firefighters to fight wildfires in western Russia

(21) Siberian governor offers shelter, jobs for wildfire victims in Russia

(22) PM orders to build new houses by late October after forest fires

(23) Black Saturday royal commission releases final report

(24) Getting out early is still the best way to survive

(25) Call for lessons of the day to be taught in classroom

(26) Tripling of burn-offs on public land urged

(27) Emergency chiefs blasted for failure of leadership

(28) Nixon admits Black Saturday mistakes

(29) Fire boss with power over all three services proposed

(30) Electricity grid needs upgrade to protect life

(31) Victoria State Pledges Swift Action on Bushfire Commission Recommendations

(32) NSW Government defends hazard reduction burns

(33) Firefighters aid stung beekeeper