WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072511

We begin and end Wildfire News Of The Day with wildfire stories today, leading off with a story about a beautiful flower appearing in Southern California's Angeles National Forest in Station Fire burn areas that is something to be admired from a distance, only! (1) Firefighters have brought the 12,500-acre wildfire burning on San Diego County's Los Coyotes Indian Reservation to 45% containment (2); the National Guard lending a hand as 1,800 firefighters grappled with the blaze, which has cost an estimated $4.7 million to suppress so far (3); reigniting the contentious debate over Gov. Brown's proposed $150 fire fee for people living in wildfire-prone parts of California (4). A 35-acre wildfire caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of real estate damage in Kern County (5); while a trio of wildfires near Yosemite Lakes Park forced the evacuation of 800 people (6); but firefighters setting aerial ignitions around Sequoia National Park's 7,051-acre Lion Fire discovered a historical structure not appearing on forest service records (7). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Craig Clements, Assistant Professor in California's San Jose State University Department of Meteorology & Climate Science, sent along a fascinating NBC video which explores how cutting-edge technology is helping wildland firefighters better understand the fires they are battling (8). As fuel continued to dry out in western Nevada, fire agencies imposed fire restrictions to reduce the incidence of wildfires (9); the following article providing an update on a 1,300-acre wildfire being allowed to burn in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest (10). Two new lightning-sparked wildfires ignited in New Mexico's Gila National Forest (11); while an update on wildfires burning in the Guadalupe Mountains is provided by the next item (12); and the cause of a wildfire that burned 30 acres in the Carson National Forest is under investigation (13). A 30-acre wildfire was reported burning 40 miles southeast of Grand Junction, Colorado (14); but a five-acre wildfire burning in the Roosevelt National Forest was quickly contained on Saturday (15). Dozens of firefighters tackled a wildfire near Corpus Christi, Texas, which burned from a field into a mulch pile (16); and as landowners begin rehabilitating 20,000 acres of land burned in recent wildfires, advice was offered by experts on more fire-resistant species with which to replant (17). The 10,675-acre Whoopup Fire, which burned along the Wyoming/South Dakota border, has now been contained (18); but Louisiana's Department of Agriculture and Forestry provided a bleak outlook for that state where, although recent rain helped reduce the wildfire danger, rainfall totals are still 52% below normal (19). A 12-acre wildfire reported along Virginia's Appalachian Trail is expected to spread some more before containment is complete (20); while two volunteer firefighters battling the 299,863-acre wildfire burning in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge are profiled in the next article (21); and a 30-acre wildfire that broke out on Sunday near Tampa Bay, Florida, has been contained (22). Although more favorable weather is giving firefighters battling over 100 wildfires in northern Ontario, Canada, a break, it will be some time before the 3,600 evacuees can return home (23); while wildfire activity in the Mediterranean basin was heating up, with blazes reported in Greece, Macedonia, Portugal, and Morocco over the weekend (24). Tangent Link sent along an invitation to their Australian Aerial Firefighting Conference, due to kick off on August 25 in Melbourne, Victoria (25); but a class-action suit against electricity provider Powercor by Black Saturday survivors has begun (26). A free public hearing of the Climate Commission's worrisome report about the increase in bushfires projected for New South Wale's Illawarra Valley will be held at Wollongong Town Hall (27). And finally, following bushfires along Western Australia's Coral Coast, the region is having a boom in blooms!

(1) Station fire leaves allergy-aggravating plant in its path

(2) Calif. wildfire battle intensifies in air, ground

(3) National Guard Joins Eagle Fire Crews

(4) Controversy Against Fire Fee Heats Up

(5) Update: Klipstein fire contained, but damage estimated at $200,000

(6) Wildfires Force 800 From Homes In Yosemite Lakes Park

(7) Aerial ignitions underway for Lion Wildfire; crews make odd discovery

(8) Fighting Wildfires With Science

(9) Fire restrictions now in effect in western Nev.

(10) Managed fire near Parks now at 1,300 acres

(11) New lightning-caused fires burn in Gila forest over the weekend

(12) Southeastern NM fires burn nearly 22,000 acres

(13) Wildfire cause still unknown

(14) 30 Acre Fire Burning Near Kannah Creek

(15) Small fire burning near Estes Park contained

(16) About 70 firefighters continue to battle Sunday's grass fire

(17) Forest Service advising landowners starting over after Bearing Fire

(18) Whoopup fire completely contained

(19) Despite Recent Rains, Wildfires Still A Danger

(20) Wildfire burning near Appalachian Trail on Tinker Mountain in Botetourt Co.

(21) Helping in quest to contain Georgia wildfire

(22) Firefighters contain brush fire in Tampa Palms

(23) Northern Ontario fire crews get weather break

(24) EFFIS - Current Situation

(25) Australian Federal Government invited to August's Aerial Firefighting Event, Melbourne

(26) Mediation begins in Black Saturday class action

(27) Climate change to hurt Illawarra: report

(28) Bumper wildflower season