WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070111

First up in the news today, numerous cities are canceling their Fourth of July fireworks extravaganzas due to the wildfire danger in many parts of the US (1); while several small wildfires were reported in northern Santa Barbara County, California (2). A summary of wildfire activity in Arizona, where monsoonal rains finally arrived in the Gila Valley, is provided by the next item (3); where firefighters in Yavapai County had four wildfires to deal with due to careless individuals (4); but some parts of the Coronado National Forest will be closed over the holiday weekend due to the danger of floods in burn areas (5); and an Op-Ed piece from the White Mountains takes aim at the battle between environmentalists and logging interests in that state through the lens of the current wildfires (6). Firefighters were feverishly clearing brush away from nuclear waste sites as New Mexico's 93,000-acre Las Conchas Fire continued to threaten the Los Alamos nuclear research facility (7); and although that's the largest wildfire in New Mexico right now, it's not the only one, as the next article shows (8); all of which has racked up suppression costs of nearly $4 million for the state (9); the following article providing a little back story on the Southern Rocky Firefighters (10); while a 21st-century approach to interconnecting New Mexico's firefighters with fire managers was provided by Exalt Microwave's Backhaul Product (11); but wildfires are doing more than just burning trees and structures, they're driving away tourists! (12) A summary of Colorado wildfires since the beginning of 2011 is provided by the next article (13); where rain has helped to quell two wildfires burning near Boulder (14); and although officials in Larimer County feel that the fire danger is not high enough for a total burn ban, they are still advising homeowners of the fire danger (15). The U.S. Army will reimburse 13 households whose homes were destroyed by a 5,500-acre wildfire that spread from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to nearby Medicine Park (16). Firefighters in Denton County, Texas, had a number of small wildfires to deal with yesterday (17); and fire crews in Harris County quickly doused a flaming pickup truck, averting a near-certain wildfire (18). Michigan fire officials warned outdoor enthusiasts about the danger wildfires pose, pointing to a recent 800-acre wildfire in Crawford County (19); while a man has pleaded guilty to setting a 100-acre wildfire in Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest (20). A wildfire that burned 900 acres in Alabama's Gulf State Park is now 100% contained (21); but although the onset of rainfall has allowed fire restrictions to ease in much of Alabama, Mobile and Baldwin Counties are still imposing burn bans (22). A video segment provides an update on the massive wildfire still burning on North Carolina's Holly Shelter Game Land (23); followed by an update on wildfires in Georgia (24). Florida, which currently has 440 fires burning 118,887 acres statewide, has reported over 1,500 wildfires that have burned more than 200,000 acres since May 1st (25); and the problem of peat fires in Alaska, which can smolder for months even under snow, is examined by the next article (26). Natural disasters, including forest fires, have cost the Alberta, Canada, provincial government $438 million since 2010, and $6 billion over the past decade (27). An 1,188-hectare wildfire was reported in Italy's Olbia-Tempio Province (28); while Russian firefighters have extinguished seven wildfires burning in Siberia, but one remains active in Chukotka Autonomous District (29). And finally, Smokey Bear's message to prevent forest fires has entered the smart phone era: there's an app for that!

(1) Less July 4 sparkle as U.S. fireworks displays snuffed

(2) FIRE UPDATE: Firefighters kept busy with several brush fires

(3) Rain assists firefighting efforts

(4) Careless people ignite four wildfires around county

(5) Fire damage will keep many forest areas shut due to fear of flooding

(6) Clean the forest, or it will clean itself by more wildfires

(7) Firefighters clear more brush in Los Alamos lab

(8) Little Lewis, Donaldson fires still burning

(9) Firefighting taps state emergency fund

(10) Sacramento Mountains provide training grounds for firefighters

(11) Exalt Microwave System Provides Vital Support for New Mexico Firefighters Battling Blaze Near Los Alamos National Laboratory

(12) Fires hurting New Mexico tourism

(13) Colorado wildfire numbers up so far this year

(14) Wet weather brings help for Boulder-area firefighters

(15) Fire Caution Urged for Holiday Weekend

(16) Army to reimburse Medicine Park wildfire victims

(17) Firefighters Quickly Stop Spread of Small Blazes

(18) Pickup truck fire nearly sparks forest fire

(19) Warning: holiday weekend celebrating may cause wildfires

(20) Firefighter pleads guilty to setting forest fires

(21) Gulf State Park fire 100 percent contained

(22) Wildfire threat lessens in North Ala.

(23) Firefighters making progress on Holly Shelter wildfire

(24) Georgia Wildfires Rage On

(25) Despite rain, wildfire conditions still apply

(26) Persistent flame: Some forest fires fizzle but won’t die

(27) Disaster assistance costs province $438M

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Firefighters in Russia's Far East put out all but one forest fires

(30) Smokey Bear Returns To Remind Americans... "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires"