WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080510

Wildfire News Of The Day subscriber Tony Morris, Communications Director for Wildfire Research Network, sent along a message he received from Alex Saltman, who works for Congressman Adam Schiff, on the postponement of the Station Fire hearing scheduled to take place in Pasadena, California, on August 10th:

I apologize for the impersonal email, but the Speaker has called the House back in session for next Tuesday morning. This is highly unusual, and certainly something we didn’t expect at all. But it means that the Members of Congress will all be in Washington that morning, and that we have to postpone the Station Fire event. We are now working with the other Members to reschedule the event, and I will let you know as soon as we have news on that front. I sincerely apologize for the trouble this may cause you.

Elsewhere in the news, Congressman Adam Schiff has submitted a bill which could provide $700,000 to help repair roads and trails in the Station Fire burn areas (1); and to aid survivors of the wildfires in Kern County, Gov. Schwarzenegger has waived fees for replacement of critical documents by homeowners whose homes were destroyed by fire (2). The Cow Fire, which burned in Mendocino County, has been contained after scorching 293 acres (3); while a 33-acre wildfire burning south of Paicines has been contained by CAL FIRE firefighters (4). A wildfire burning in Oregon's Deschutes National Forest has consumed 5,800 acres so far and is now 30% contained (5); while a firefighter tent-city has sprung up nearby (6); with the fire resulting in trail and road closures throughout the region (7); but firefighters are nervously watching the weather report, which has forecast wind for today (8). Washington state's fire agency has dispatched 2,000 firefighters to help battle a blaze in the central part of the state (9); as a number of wildfires that were sparked by lightning are being dealt with by firefighters in North-Central Washington (10). Wildfires burning in Idaho's Boise National Forest continue to grow (11); but as if hundred-degree temperatures weren't enough, Arkansas is now reporting a number of wildfires burning across the state as well (12). Visitors to Alaska's Tongass National Forest are being warned of the extreme fire danger (13). Lightning has been blamed for a number of small wildfires in British Columbia, Canada (14); as well as several larger ones burning west of Alexis Creek that have scorched thousands of acres (15). Vancouver Island is being inundated in wildfire smoke blowing across the water from eastern British Columbia (16); as is the city of Vancouver on the mainland (17). Over 150 firefighters are arriving in British Columbia from neighboring provinces to help battle hundreds of wildfires (18); while a momentary scare for local fishermen in British Columbia came when the water turned black after air-tankers dropped retardant nearby (19). The next article takes a look at British Columbia's shrinking wildfire budget, which stands at a 10 year low (20). A geography professor has unveiled a real-time wildfire mapping system (21). First Nations communities in British Columbia are concerned about evacuating in the face of unpredictable wildfires (22); and residents of Upper Liard, Yukon, are evacuating as BC wildfires cross the border into their province (23). New wildfires were reported in Dornes, Refoios do Lima, Merufe, Insalde, and Santar, Portugal, and in Morocco (24). An article from Tass provides details on the fire situation in Russia, including information on how people are coping with dense smoke (25); Russian President Medvedev has already sacked five high-ranking military officials, with the promise of more to come (26); no doubt prompting army officials to remove ammunition from a garrison post for safety (27); even as blazes burned near to an animal sanctuary (28); but Russia is getting help from its neighbors fighting wildfires, as Italy and five former Soviet republics sent firefighters and apparatus streaming into the region (29). A grim video from Russia shows the devastation the wildfires there have caused (30); while Russian villagers relate their tales of woe in the next article (31); and wheat exports have been banned after 20% of the crop was destroyed, in part by wildfires, sending the price of wheat soaring on the international market (32). Despite protests from some, the Australian federal government will not press the Victorian government to speed up their implementation of the recommendations from the Royal Bushfire Commission (33). A schedule of the Victorian government's Royal Bushfire Commission meeting tour is provided by the next item (34); but politics has raised its ugly head, as there is bickering within the government over the program (35). An Op-Ed piece from Victoria blasts the Royal Bushfire Commission report as a whitewash (36). And finally, our last article shows the cattle and power lines led to a burning issue in Big Sur, California!

(1) $700,000 sought for roads destroyed by LA wildfire

(2) Schwarzenegger orders more help for Kern wildfire victims

(3) Cow Fire contained Wednesday

(4) CAL FIRE: Fire contained south of Paicines

(5) Wildfire near Sisters now 30 percent contained

(6) Firefighters' Campout is No Vacation

(7) Rooster Rock fire closes area trails, roads

(8) Threat of high winds looms over wildfire near Sisters

(9) State sends firefighters to blaze near Bridgeport

(10) Most fires are out or on patrol status

(11) Fire In Boise National Forest Growing

(12) Wildfires Touched Off by Heat

(13) Forest Service urges care with fire on Tongass

(14) Lightning sparks series of small fires in Whistler, Pemberton

(15) Four large fires burning west of Alexis Creek

(16) Forest fire smoke from Interior reaches Nanaimo

(17) Smoke from Interior forest fires polluting Lower Mainland

(18) Ontario, Alberta crews latest to join fight against hundreds of B.C. wildfires

(19) B.C. fires prompt river concerns

(20) Forest fire budget at 10-year low, and B.C. is already over

(21) The Facebook of forest fires

(22) First Nations communities worried as wildfires prompt evacuations

(23) B.C. fire sparks Yukon evacuation notice

(24) EFFIS - Current Situation

(25) Fire-plagued Russians say they breathe as long as they don’t inhale

(26) Medvedev Fires 5 as Moscow Chokes

(27) Russia moves ammunition as wildfires spread

(28) Wildfires threaten animal sanctuary

(29) 6 Countries Join Russian Firefighters

(30) Ghost villages, ruined lives left by forest fires in Russia

(31) Russian villagers tell of wildfire misery

(32) Russia bans grain exports amid drought

(33) Brumby given time on bushfire policy

(34) Churchill residents get bushfire report say

(35) Ex-Labor man gets bushfire job

(36) Burning off a lifesaver

(37) Big Sur wildfire blamed on cattle