WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090311

First up in wildfire news today, Los Angeles County Fire Department sent along an announcement about a Media Day event at the Van Nuys Airport on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the news, an 1,100-acre blaze burning once again in Southern California's Cajon Pass drew the attention of the DC-10, as well as 14 smaller air tankers and five helicopters (1); but as the 1,158-acre Hill Fire was tamed, the damage done to homes and farm animals was tallied up (2); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Andrew Madsen, USFS Public Affairs Officer for the Los Padres National Forest, reported on a 400-acre wildfire burning near Sisquoc (3); but changes in the language of California's controversial wildfire-protection fee could raise the cost to taxpayers from a maximum of $150 per parcel to a minimum of $175 per parcel (4); and CAL FIRE could probably use the money after a busy time battling multiple wildfires in Butte County (5). Fire crews have put Mount Hood, Oregon's, 1,850-acre wildfire at the top of their priority due to the potential to explode over the weekend (6); where a change in wind direction allowed firefighters to cancel plans for a 500-acre controlled burn late in the day (7); wildfire activity in Eastern and Central Oregon is causing lots of air pollution (8); and prompting fears of false alarms from concerned citizens in the Willamette Valley (9). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources has determined that the cause of a wildfire that burned 1,800 acres near Omak was sparks from a grinder (10); while a wildfire burning in the Olympic Mountains sent a huge smoke plume into the atmosphere (11). Firefighters reached full containment on a wildfire that has burned over 12,000 acres in Eastern Nevada (12); but continue to let two wildfires burning in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest spread unhindered for ecological purposes (13). Although the Monument Fire destroyed thousands of acres in New Mexico, somehow it missed a marijuana plantation that contained over 9,000 plants (14); while the Governor of Colorado joined the State Forester in warning residents of that state about the wildfire danger over the Labor Day weekend (15). Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on wildfires in Idaho's Gooding and Jerome Counties (16); and they were closing the ring around the last of Utah's major wildfires Friday night as well (17). After four days, a massive wildfire that scorched through 18 sq miles of northeastern Oklahoma City has finally been extinguished (18). The wildfire danger was high in North Texas, including Grayson and Fannin Counties (19); but among the 40 structures destroyed by wildfires around Possum Kingdom Lake was the home of a volunteer firefighter (20); while a resident of El Paso has been accused of starting a 53,342-acre wildfire that burned in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest (21); but as a dozen large fires continued to burn across the Lone Star State, strong winds from Tropical Storm Lee could stir things up in South and East Texas (22). Eight small wildfires are the focus of attention for firefighters in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park over Labor Day weekend (23); and at least one wildfire in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest persists at a time when most have been quenched (24). A 400-acre wildfire burning in Louisiana's Natchitoches Parish destroyed 10 homes (25). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Wilson, a former Canadian air-tanker pilot, sent along an article about British Columbia Forest Service's $24 million windfall from sending fire crews to other province's/state's wildfires (26); but fire authorities are still marveling at the quiet fire season in New Brunswick this year (27). Australian power provider Powercor will have to contend with a class-action suit getting underway in Horsham, Victoria, on Monday (28); however, several ultramarathoners running a race in Western Australia were caught in a burnover near Kununurra (29). And finally, we've all heard of disaster relief funds to help people rebuild after wildfires, but this is probably the first time you've ever heard of the Arizona Hummingbird Disaster Relief Fund!

(1) N: Brush fire halts holiday traffic

(2) Flames slow, but damage done in blaze

(3) Firefighters attacking 400-acre blaze from air, ground

(4) Gov. Brown seeks to raise state firefighting fee

(5) Firefighters faced fiery Friday along Highway 70, Clark Road

(6) Dollar Lake top priority for firefighting resources, commander says

(7) Blaze near Mt. Hood burning away from town

(8) Wildfire smoke may choke area

(9) Keep wildfire smoke in mind before calling 911, officials say

(10) Cause of Salmon Wildfire determined

(11) Wildfire in Olympic Mtns. creates spectacle

(12) Wildfire in eastern Nevada fully contained

(13) Arizona fires: 2 being managed near Grand Canyon

(14) Massive NM fire somehow missed pot plant operation

(15) Gov. Hickenlooper urges precautions against wildfires

(16) Wildfires Controlled in Gooding, Jerome Counties

(17) Crews hope to snuff last of Utah’s major wildfires

(18) Northeast Oklahoma City wildfire operation terminated

(19) Wildfires burning in three North Texas counties

(20) Texas Firefighter's Home Consumed by Wildfire

(21) El Paso man charged with starting Lincoln National Forest fire

(22) East Texas on wildfire alert

(23) Eight small forest fires burning in Yellowstone

(24) Bitterroot wildfire threatens Skalkaho Road; others grow quiet

(25) Wildfire destroys 10 residences in Natchitoches Parish

(26) Quiet season earns payback for B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch

(27) Weather meant few forest fires

(28) Bushfire class action starts in Victoria

(29) Fire traps ultramarathon runners in gorge

(30) Habitat Destruction from Arizona Wildfires Handicaps Hummingbird Migration