WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080811

Fifty motorists were briefly trapped by a 450-acre wildfire burning in Southern California's Moreno Valley on Saturday (1); and another 95-acre wildfire burning near Cabazon briefly shut down Interstate 10 as well (2); while in Central California, East Bay Regional Park District is preparing to remove stands of eucalyptus trees which pose a significant fire danger to surrounding communities (3); CAL FIRE handing over jurisdiction on a wildfire that has burned 617 acres in Mendocino County to US Forest Service (4). The Arizona State Forester, who is responsible for 22 million acres of state and private land, discusses wildfires in the next article (5); while a 10,000-acre wildfire that has been burning in Grand Canyon National Park has finally been contained (6). A wildfire near Mayhill, New Mexico, was 97% contained after burning 9,431 acres (7); and three wildfires burning in the Guadalupe Mountains were apparently caused by lightning strikes (8). The weather was more cooperative than expected, producing almost no lightning strikes, in Idaho, where several wildfires continue to burn (9). Wildfires in southern Utah are the topic of the next article (10); where shooters using combustible targets are suspected of having sparked a 1,200-acre wildfire outside of Sarasota Springs (11); and US Forest Service increased containment on a 100-acre wildfire burning near Alton to 10% (12); while officials from Bryce Canyon National Park and the Dixie National Forest will be meeting with residents to discuss plans for controlled burns in those parks (13). As Oklahoma continued to bake, wildfires briefly closed major road systems in Pawnee County (14); numerous structures being destroyed by a wildfire that has burned approximately 1,000 acres outside of Edmond yesterday (15); and the situation didn't look likely to improve today either (16). Texas Forest Service firefighters brought a 1,600-acre wildfire on the grounds of Camp Swift near Elgin to 85% containment (17); and grappled with a 5,200-acre blaze in Jack County as well (18); while crediting air-tankers with a big assist in saving nearly 33,000 homes from raging wildfires since November (19). The Wichita Fire Department's Fire Marshal discusses wildfires in Kansas this year in the next article (20); and firefighters were in final mop up mode on two small wildfires that burned in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest Saturday night (21). With more than two thirds of the state's 75 counties under burn bans, Arkansas Forestry Commission battled a dozen wildfires across the state (22); while a 200-acre wildfire burning in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, was one of several that ignited over the weekend, some of which may have been arson (23). Virginia Department of Forestry firefighters battled a 170-acre wildfire in Fairy Stone State Park over the weekend (24); but higher winds thwarted the efforts of firefighters trying to close containment lines on a wildfire which has burned over 1,000 acres in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (25). Lightning apparently sparked a wildfire which burned over 100 acres outside of Jacksonville, Florida (26). As British Columbia, Canada, continues to enjoy the least active wildfire season in a decade, another group of 56 firefighters have been dispatched to help with wildfires in Ontario, bringing the total to well over 1,000 (27); however, the Wildfire Management Branch was investigating the cause of two small wildfires in Peachland (28); another small wildfire was quickly extinguished by firefighters on Crystal Mountain (29); all of which may be a harbinger of things to come, as extreme fire warnings were issued for the province (30). Over two dozen new wildfires were sparked in northwestern Ontario by lightning strikes, joining 120 fires already burning in that province (31). In the Mediterranean Basin, numerous wildfires are burning in Greece, Albania, and Morocco (32); but although firefighters in Russia's Far East extinguished seven wildfires, three were still burning (33). Community leaders across Australia were being offered special Community Support Training workshops to help cope with natural disasters like bushfires (34); while two teenagers accused of lighting a fatal bushfire during Black Saturday north of Bendigo, Victoria, have been deemed mentally unfit to stand trial (35). There's a bit of a row over whether a district north of Sydney, New South Wales, is bushfire-prone or not (36). And finally, Russia's Prime Minister is featured in a new video game tackling forest fires (can a movie deal be far behind?)

(1) Wildfire in Moreno Valley area traps motorists, burns 450 acres

(2) Firefighters Put Out 95-Acre Fire North Of Palm Springs

(3) Wildfire plan heats up debate over protecting East Bay hills from catastrophic fires

(4) REGIONAL: US Forest Service takes over Pass Fire command

(5) Arizona News from The Arizona Republic

(6) Wildfire near Grand Canyon 100% contained

(7) Wildfire near Mayhill nearly contained

(8) Three wild fires burning in forest near Queen

(9) With Weather's Help, Wildfires Under Control

(10) Crews continue to battle southern Utah wildfires

(11) Wildfire near Saratoga Springs 50 percent contained

(12) 100 acre wildfire 10% contained

(13) Prescribed Burn Scheduled In Bryce Canyon National Park and Dixie National Forest

(14) Turnpike reopened after Pawnee County wildfires prompt evacuations

(15) Grass fires continue to flare up across state

(16) Threat For Wildfires High Today, Storms Possible Late

(17) Camp Swift brush fire 85 percent contained

(18) Jack County fire blackens 5,200 acres

(19) 32,993 Texas Homes Have Been Saved From 2011 Wildfires

(20) Warmer Temps And More Fires Keep Wichita Firefighters Busy This Summer

(21) 2 small Bitterroot National Forest fires contained

(22) Officials warn of Arkansas forest fire danger; two-thirds of 75 counties under burn ban

(23) Wildfire Along Bienville-Webster Parish Line

(24) Blaze presents challenges for firefighters

(25) Firefighters Battle Great Dismal Swamp Blaze

(26) Lightning might have caused wildfire on Southside

(27) B.C. sends eighth wave of forest firefighters to Ontario

(28) Crews contain two forest fires in Peachland, B.C.

(29) Crystal Mtn fire quickly extinguished

(30) Extreme fire warnings in B.C. after slow start to season

(31) Lightning sparks more fires in northwestern Ontario

(32) EFFIS - Current Situation

(33) Firefighters put out 7 forest fires in Russia's Far East

(34) Beyondblue offers support to disaster-affected regions

(35) Teens unfit to stand trial over fatal fire, jury told

(36) Doubt over Mowbray Rd bushfire prone area

(37) Now, an online game where Putin tackles forest fires