WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 060311

A 150-acre wildfire near Corona in Southern California drew a sharp response from Inland Empire firefighters yesterday (1); while another 160-acre blaze just north of Lake Elsinore was 50% contained as of Thursday night (2). Experts from NIFC and the Western Great Basin Coordinating Center are predicting a below-average wildfire season for Nevada this year due to an abundance of precipitation in the off-season (3). A 100-acre wildfire on the National Guard base at Camp Navajo near Flagstaff, Arizona, threatens some military equipment (4); while an 81-acre wildfire burning south of Patagonia has been contained (5); the next article focusing on a wildfire burning in the Tumacacori Mountains (6); but evacuations of several Eastern Arizona communities were prompted by the approach of wildfires yesterday (7); smoke from those fires making life miserable for people with respiratory problems across the border in New Mexico (8). Wildfires in Colorado are the topic of the next article (9); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along a link to publications from the US Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Research Station (10). Although winds were dropping in velocity, firefighters from Texas Forest Service had a number of blazes to attend to yesterday (11); while a US Congressman is battling with firefighters in his hometown of Billings, Montana, over a wildfire that burned on his ranch a year ago (12). Firefighters from the Alabama Forestry Commission contained several wildfires in Escambia and Baldwin Counties (13); but firefighters in Sampson County, North Carolina, quickly contained a 90-acre wildfire (14); however, North Carolinians with respiratory problems were warned once again about smoky skies caused by the massive wildfire burning in Dare County (15). Four people were arrested for deliberately starting wildfires in South Carolina so that a teenage Fire Explorer could help fight them (16); while firefighters in Georgia continued to grapple with two wildfires in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (17). Although firefighters contained several blazes in Flagler and Volusia Counties, Florida, more are expected to spawn due to ideal wildfire conditions (18); and the next story touches on some of the 56 wildfires that firefighters have battled in Collier County so far this year (19); while firefighters in the counties of Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte waited expectantly for the rainy season as conditions remained more like Arizona than Florida (20). Firefighters battling two major blazes in Alaska's interior have been aided by cool weather and precipitation (21); and a 338-acre wildfire that burned on Hawaii's Big Island has been contained by firefighters from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (22). Firefighters continued to battle a 5,000-acre wildfire in northern British Columbia, the first major fire of the season for that Canadian province (23); while the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources reports on wildfires in that province as over 100 firefighters were dispatched to battle wildfires in Alberta (24). Another item sent along by IAWF is a reminder from wildfire NOTD subscriber George Boustras, a professor at the European University of Cyprus, about the First International Conference in Safety and Crisis Management, which kicks off on June 27th (25). Russian firefighters battled 34 fires that scorched 86,500 hectares of forests in Siberia (26); while two of their wildland firefighting IL-76 aircraft were dispatched to help douse an ammunition depot fire (27). The impact of bushfires on Ghana's forests, costing that African nation upwards of 70,000 ha per year, is examined by the next article (28); followed by an article from India which explores the reasons behind tribesmen deliberately setting wildfires that cause substantial damage to dwindling forests in that Asian nation (29). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Johann Goldammer, Director of the United Nations' Global Fire Monitoring Center, comments on wildfires in the Himalayan nation of Nepal in the next article (30). A series of meetings to discuss burying power lines in Victoria, Australia, to reduce bushfire danger (something which is estimated to cost $41 billion) were held in East Gippsland by the Powerline Bushfire Safety Taskforce (31). And finally, for those wildland firefighters tired of driving to a blaze in the same old buggy, how about doing like firefighters in Luxembourg and taking a Mercedes to your next wildfire?

(1) Firefighters Battle Blaze Near Corona

(2) Murrieta Fire Dept. Helps Fight 160-Acre Trilogy Blaze

(3) Large snowpack, cool spring lower wildfire risk

(4) Wildfire on Camp Navajo may close I-40 near Flagstaff

(5) Highway reopens south of Patagonia as fire is contained

(6) The fire next door….this time in Tubac

(7) Evacuations ordered as E. Arizona fire grows

(8) Smoky air, health concerns continuing

(9) Wildfire Erupts Near Keystone Resort

(10) US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station publications

(11) Fires in Abilene and Big Country keep crews busy

(12) Montana congressman seeks settlement in fire suit

(13) Wildfires contained in Escambia, Baldwin Counties

(14) Sampson Co. firefighters contain 90-acre fire

(15) Wildfire prompts air-quality warning

(16) Aspiring youth firefighter charged with starting fires

(17) Firefighters making headway on Race Pond Fire

(18) Firefighters contain wildfires but warn conditions are dire

(19) Wildfires: Marco, East Naples firefighters on the front lines

(20) Wildfire risk remains high as rainy season nears

(21) Cooler, damper weather aids Interior Alaska firefighters

(22) Big Island wildfire 100% contained

(23) Firefighters race to contain B.C. blaze near Tisigar Lake

(24) Northeast Forest Fire Report - June 2nd

(25) First International Conference in Safety and Crisis Management

(26) Forest fire area reduced in Russia's Far East

(27) Russia - Blast 2Last

(28) Imminent disaster to strike Ghana

(29) Need to stop forest fires

(30) Forest fire fears

(31) Powerline taskforce meets in Bairnsdale

(32) Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 20 Fights Forest Fires