WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 061711

Our first article today profiles Los Angeles County Fire's new chief , who oversees one of the largest fire departments in Southern California (1); who announced at a press conference in Diamond Bar yesterday that US Forest Service will allow more night operations by County aircraft over National Forest land than was previously authorized (2); but an Op-Ed piece from CBS News has a simple message for residents of the western United States: get used to mega-fires! (3) A $7.7 million thinning project being conducted in Nevada's Spring Mountains aims to reduce the wildfire danger by creating strategic fuel breaks (4). A Washington Post article takes a behind-the-scenes look at life in a fire camp housing some of the 4,000 firefighters battling the massive wildfire in Arizona's Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (5); where, at 206,314 acres in size, the Horseshoe Two Fire is on track to become the third largest in that state's history (6); but as Arizona continued to burn, authorities waited anxiously for the monsoon season to commence (7); nevertheless, an Op-Ed article from northeastern Arizona explores the deep love of the land residents have despite occasional wildfires (8); followed by a striking set of photos of the Arizona wildfires taken by NASA's Landsat Five satellite (9). Firefighters worked to extinguish embers in homes destroyed by a 12-acre wildfire that burned in Ruidoso, New Mexico (10); while a 30-acre wildfire burning in the Manzano Mountains got a new lease on life Thursday night (11); as winds threatened to reinvigorate wildfires already burning across that state (12). A video segment covers operations at Colorado's Pueblo Airport, where air-tankers were preparing to battle wildfires in that state (13); said aircraft being put to good use on wildfires burning in Southern Colorado (14). Bureau of Land Management firefighters battled an 800-acre blaze near St. George, Utah (15). A 60-acre wildfire in Williamson County, Texas, prompted the evacuation of 100 homes and threatened hundreds more (16); and two firefighters were injured battling a cigarette-sparked wildfire that burned nearly 100 acres in Brown County (17); even as Texas kicks off Lightning Safety Awareness Week, the danger of lightning-sparked wildfires being emphasized by Gov. Rick Perry (18). Firefighters in drought-parched Louisiana are struggling to keep up with wildfires that have burned 4,000 acres, 197 blazes being reported so far this month (19); and the US Forest Service has banned the use of fire and fireworks in Alabama's Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega and Tuskegee National Forests due to the extreme fire danger throughout that state (20). A retrospective of Tangent Link's Aerial Firefighting Conference, which took place in Washington DC a few weeks ago, including references to presentations by several Wildfire NOTD subscribers, is provided by an article from Vertical Magazine (21). A 5,000-acre wildfire in Ware County, Georgia, forced evacuations as wildfire activity took an uptick yesterday (22). Florida's fire siege continues, with dozens of wildfires reported in Volusia and Flagler Counties (23); residents recalling a devastating 1998 wildfire which burned in the same area (24); even as officials in Lake County warned of the extreme fire danger as the Fourth of July approaches (25); the Suwannee Forestry Center reporting a 187-acre wildfire in northern Florida which briefly threatened a hospital and nearby homes (26); and the National Park Service reporting a fifth wildfire in Big Cypress National Preserve, bringing the total acreage burned so far to 10,000 (27). As Alberta, Canada's, Richardson Fire grows to nearly 600,000 ha in size, one of 10 Tanker LLC's DC-10 air-tankers is helping build containment line (28); while Ontario is experiencing extremely high wildfire danger in the northeast (29); but New Brunswick's fire season appears to be the quietest recorded since firefighters began keeping track in 1918 (30). Citing a Royal Bushfire Commission recommendation of the need for more cooperation between Victoria, Australia's, emergency services, Country Fire Authority, the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade pledged to synchronize their efforts better on future bushfires (31). And finally, Australia's Centre for Expertise in Smoke Taint Research has a new tool to help vintners determine whether wine grapes have been spoiled by bushfire smoke, a sure way to prevent the grapes of wrath!

(1) County department's new top firefighter is set for challenge

(2) Officials predict 'normal' wildfire season for Southern California

(3) Get used to mega-fires in the U.S. West

(4) Project helps douse wildfire danger in Spring Mountains

(5) Thousands battling massive Arizona forest fire find respite in camps that mirror little cities

(6) Horseshoe Two Fire gets closer to becoming third largest in Arizona

(7) No signs of monsoon to help halt wildfires

(8) Despite vicious inferno, bond with land endures

(9) Satellites Help in Battle to Contain Arizona Wildfires

(10) Firefighters clean up Swallow Fire

(11) East Mountain fire flared overnight

(12) Firefighters protecting homes in Southwest still facing challenges from heat, high winds

(13) Firefighter air support from Pueblo

(14) Residents Near Westcliffe Wildfire Told To Stand By

(15) Wind-blown wildfire scorches 800 acres of S. Utah BLM land

(16) 1 firefighter injured in Leander blaze; evacuees return

(17) Two Texas Firefighters Injured Battling Wildfire

(18) With Wildfires Raging, Governor Perry Proclaims Lightning Safety Awareness Week as Experts Kick-off Educational Initiative in Texas

(19) Woods & forest fires double number all last June

(20) Fire Danger Prompts the Forest Service to Issue Fire Closures

(21) Aerial Firefighting Conference Chairman's Report

(22) Wildfires force evacuations in Ware County

(23) Dozens of fires burn in Volusia, Flagler

(24) Lessons learned from 1998 wildfires should prevent repeat, officials say

(25) Fire officials: "Extreme" wildfire danger

(26) Wildfire scorches 187 acres; hospital, homes spared

(27) 5th wildfire ignites in Big Cypress National Preserve, where 10,000 total acres have burned

(28) Wildfires stymie crews in northern Alberta

(29) Forest fire hazard climbing

(30) New Brunswick's forest fire season lowest on record

(31) Fire agencies look to work as 'one'

(32) New smoke taint index tool to aid grape growers