WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 052811
Nine members of San Diego's Regional Emergency Response Team were dispatched from Southern California to help battle the 86,000-acre wildfire burning in New Mexico's Gila National Forest (1); while a 1,400-acre wildfire in Kern County is now 25% contained (2). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources emphasized the fire danger while providing some helpful tips to campers (3). Windy conditions have caused National Weather Service to issue Red Flag warnings for Las Vegas, Nevada, and its environs (4); those same conditions prompting NWS officials to issue Red Flag warnings for Northern Arizona as well (5); where, although firefighters have brought containment of the 55,000-acre Horseshoe Two Fire burning in the Coronado National Forest to 40%, they estimate it will take three or four weeks to fully contain the massive fire (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, reported that a wildfire which has burned 30 acres in Colfax County has now crossed the border into Colorado (7); wind-driven wildfires keeping firefighters busy across that state yesterday (8). As firefighters brought a 16,373-acre wildfire that threatened dozens of homes in the Texas Panhandle to 80% containment, some residents were allowed to return home (9); and a five-acre wildfire was reported in the Houston suburb of Atascocita (10); while a 125-acre wildfire in Newton County was threatening dozens of homes (11); Texas Forest Service reporting a 322-acre wildfire burning west of Huntsville, and a smaller five-acre blaze in the vicinity as well (12). One Montana family's horrific experience with a 2003 wildfire is being used as an example to homeowners living in rural areas about being prepared for evacuations (13). Marion County, Florida's, Multi-Agency Wildland Task Force is hoping for much-needed rain this weekend as fire danger continues to be elevated in parts of that state (14); but although Alaska has seen fewer wildfires so far this year (192 fires have burned 6,435 acres, versus 201 fires that burned 58,637 acres by this time last year), officials from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center warned people about the fire danger over Memorial Day weekend (15). Heading to Canada, a college research camp was destroyed by the wildfire which devastated Slave Lake, Alberta (16); ongoing wildfires making for smoky skies in Edmonton (17). With hotter than average temperatures in the forecast, Yukon's Wildland Fire Management Branch is cautioning mining operations about the extreme wildfire danger, beefing up their aerial response by relocating a DC-6 air-tanker into a high-risk area (18). Spanish firefighters deployed 14 aircraft while evacuating hundreds of holiday tourists from Balearic Island tourist resorts at Sant Joan de Labritja, Portinatx and Cala de Sant Vicent that were in the path of a 5,000-acre wildfire (19). And finally, our last story takes a less-than-nostalgic look back at how Alberta Forest Service and RCMP Mounties pressed some unwilling volunteer firefighters onto the firelines in 1961!
(1) Team heads to New Mexico to help fight wildfire
(2) Hundreds evacuated as brush fire burns almost 1,400 acres near Lake Isabella
(3) Prevent wildfires on Memorial Day and all summer
(4) Wildfire warning issued for Las Vegas area
(5) Strong winds expected across northern Arizona this weekend
(6) Crews keep up work to contain Horseshoe 2 fire
(7) Fire Burning In NE New Mexico Crosses Colorado State Line
(8) Wildfire burns home in Manzano
(9) Fire evacuees allowed to return home
(10) Firefighters battle stubborn brush fire in Atascocita
(11) Forest Fire Threatens 80 homes in Newton County
(12) Wildfire burning in Walker County
(13) Time to prepare for wildfires
(14) Firefighters look skyward and hope for rain
(15) Hot weather in Interior Alaska sparks fire concerns going into holiday weekend
(16) Laurier loses research camp to northern Alberta wildfires
(17) Smoke from wildfires billows into Edmonton
(18) Yukon miners warned of forest fire risks
(19) Ibiza suffers worst ever forest fires on eve of holiday season
(20) Forest fires force conscription
Nine members of San Diego's Regional Emergency Response Team were dispatched from Southern California to help battle the 86,000-acre wildfire burning in New Mexico's Gila National Forest (1); while a 1,400-acre wildfire in Kern County is now 25% contained (2). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources emphasized the fire danger while providing some helpful tips to campers (3). Windy conditions have caused National Weather Service to issue Red Flag warnings for Las Vegas, Nevada, and its environs (4); those same conditions prompting NWS officials to issue Red Flag warnings for Northern Arizona as well (5); where, although firefighters have brought containment of the 55,000-acre Horseshoe Two Fire burning in the Coronado National Forest to 40%, they estimate it will take three or four weeks to fully contain the massive fire (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, reported that a wildfire which has burned 30 acres in Colfax County has now crossed the border into Colorado (7); wind-driven wildfires keeping firefighters busy across that state yesterday (8). As firefighters brought a 16,373-acre wildfire that threatened dozens of homes in the Texas Panhandle to 80% containment, some residents were allowed to return home (9); and a five-acre wildfire was reported in the Houston suburb of Atascocita (10); while a 125-acre wildfire in Newton County was threatening dozens of homes (11); Texas Forest Service reporting a 322-acre wildfire burning west of Huntsville, and a smaller five-acre blaze in the vicinity as well (12). One Montana family's horrific experience with a 2003 wildfire is being used as an example to homeowners living in rural areas about being prepared for evacuations (13). Marion County, Florida's, Multi-Agency Wildland Task Force is hoping for much-needed rain this weekend as fire danger continues to be elevated in parts of that state (14); but although Alaska has seen fewer wildfires so far this year (192 fires have burned 6,435 acres, versus 201 fires that burned 58,637 acres by this time last year), officials from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center warned people about the fire danger over Memorial Day weekend (15). Heading to Canada, a college research camp was destroyed by the wildfire which devastated Slave Lake, Alberta (16); ongoing wildfires making for smoky skies in Edmonton (17). With hotter than average temperatures in the forecast, Yukon's Wildland Fire Management Branch is cautioning mining operations about the extreme wildfire danger, beefing up their aerial response by relocating a DC-6 air-tanker into a high-risk area (18). Spanish firefighters deployed 14 aircraft while evacuating hundreds of holiday tourists from Balearic Island tourist resorts at Sant Joan de Labritja, Portinatx and Cala de Sant Vicent that were in the path of a 5,000-acre wildfire (19). And finally, our last story takes a less-than-nostalgic look back at how Alberta Forest Service and RCMP Mounties pressed some unwilling volunteer firefighters onto the firelines in 1961!
(1) Team heads to New Mexico to help fight wildfire
(2) Hundreds evacuated as brush fire burns almost 1,400 acres near Lake Isabella
(3) Prevent wildfires on Memorial Day and all summer
(4) Wildfire warning issued for Las Vegas area
(5) Strong winds expected across northern Arizona this weekend
(6) Crews keep up work to contain Horseshoe 2 fire
(7) Fire Burning In NE New Mexico Crosses Colorado State Line
(8) Wildfire burns home in Manzano
(9) Fire evacuees allowed to return home
(10) Firefighters battle stubborn brush fire in Atascocita
(11) Forest Fire Threatens 80 homes in Newton County
(12) Wildfire burning in Walker County
(13) Time to prepare for wildfires
(14) Firefighters look skyward and hope for rain
(15) Hot weather in Interior Alaska sparks fire concerns going into holiday weekend
(16) Laurier loses research camp to northern Alberta wildfires
(17) Smoke from wildfires billows into Edmonton
(18) Yukon miners warned of forest fire risks
(19) Ibiza suffers worst ever forest fires on eve of holiday season
(20) Forest fires force conscription
Labels: air-tankers, bushfires, firefighting, forest fires, wildfire news, wildfire news of the day, wildfires
posted by Michael Archer @ 7:00 PM
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