WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091411

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Andrew Madsen, Public Affairs Officer for Southern California's Los Padres National Forest, reported on three US Forest Service firefighters who were hospitalized after a lightning bolt hit the ground 50 feet away from them (1); the next article providing an update on lightning-sparked wildfires in Kern County (2); followed by a summary of late summer wildfires in California (3); where seven new wildfires were sparked by lightning in the Tahoe National Forest (4); while air-tankers and firefighters on the ground battled a 1,000-acre wildfire burning near Big Pine yesterday (5). Cooler weather continues to help firefighters in Oregon battling numerous blazes (6); but another article takes a look at the tardy response by US Forest Service in dealing with the wildfire on Mount Hood, which has now burned 6,200 acres and cost $9 million to suppress (7). A 1,230-acre wildfire burning in Washington state's Olympic National Forest has forced closure of the Brothers Wilderness Area (8); and the US Air Force's Northern Command provides some statistics on C-130s battling wildfires in the West this year (9). A wildfire was reported Tuesday afternoon in Tecumseh, Oklahoma (10). A summary of wildfires burning in Texas is up next (11); where Angelina County has extended its burn ban three more months (12); and a fire near Stillhouse Hollow Lake rekindled, expanding to 500 acres in size by Tuesday afternoon (13); while a new wildfire prompted evacuations in Liberty County this morning (14); and a 1,500-acre wildfire that was reported in Houston's George Bush Park is now 95% contained (15). The next article includes a video segment which takes a look at Neptune Aviation's P-2V aircraft fighting wildfires in Texas (16); where homeowners are being allowed to return to their residences in Montgomery, Waller and Grimes counties (17); while an Austin Fire Department firefighter reflected on his experiences battling the massive blazes in Bastrop County (18); where increased winds could cause problems for firefighters grappling with those fires (19); even as firefighters brought containment to 70% on that wildfire, which has scorched 34,000 acres, some volunteer firefighters having lost their own homes (20); and a woman who thought she had dodged the bullet when her home was spared from wildfires last week lost everything when fires flared up in Montgomery County (21); while Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said that 95% of Bastrop State Park has been burned (22); but Time Warner Cable is stepping in to help with rebuilding efforts (23); and MobileCause has teamed up with United Way of Texas to help raise funds for wildfire survivors (24). Among all the other damage caused by the wildfires, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association estimates that there have been nearly $100 million in agricultural losses (25); some calling for Gov. Rick Perry to tap into the state's $6.4 billion Rainy Day Fund to help pay firefighting costs (26); a letter to the editor of a California paper railing against Perry for not calling in supertankers to help with raging wildfires there (27). Firefighters continued to battle a 750-acre blaze burning in Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest (28). Firefighters were hopeful that calmer winds would allow them to rope in a massive wildfire that has burned 160 mi.² in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (29); the smoke from that fire billowing over Michigan, as a striking NASA photograph taken from space shows (30); forcing the Milwaukee Brewers to keep their stadium's roof closed during a game (31); while prompting air pollution warnings in Chicago (32); and residents of Ontario, Canada, reported smelling smoke from it as well (33). A Washington Post article looks at a list of wildfires that have been deemed the most destructive in US history (34); but as smoke continues to drift into St. Johns County, Florida, from the wildfires burning in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, some fire managers feel it could be a sign of things to come this winter and next spring (35). A visit to Ontario, Canada's, Fire Management Centre at Dryden takes a look at the CL-415 air-tankers that have done yeoman service on wildfires in that province this year (36). Firefighters were battling a wildfire in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (37); but with the approach of a Formula One race in Singapore, the city-state has offered firefighting aircraft to help Indonesia knock down wildfires which are causing smoky skies across the Strait (38). Grazing land in Australia's north is being overrun by bushfires, as a map associated with the next article shows (39); while Queensland Fire and Rescue Service continued to grapple with several bushfires in that state (40). Although official word in Western Australia is that they are slightly better prepared for the bushfire season this year compared to last year, some within the firefighting community feel that the bushfire danger is higher this year due to an abundance of fuel (41). And finally, in a follow-up to a story from several weeks ago, firefighters from Southern California completed their epic ride to New York City for the 9/11 commemoration!

(1) 3 firefighters struck by lightning suffer 'ringing in the ears'

(2) Crews getting handle on lightning-sparked fires

(3) Hot end to cool summer

(4) Seven new fires in Tahoe forest

(5) Brush fire burns 1,000 acres on U.S. 395 near Big Pine

(6) Cooler Weather Brings Hope For Wildfire Control

(7) Firefighter response to Dollar Lake wildfire in Mount Hood Wilderness area questioned by politicians and Parkdale residents

(8) Brothers Wilderness Area Closed

(9) C-130s Aid Wildfire Suppression Efforts

(10) Wildfire Near Tecumseh Contained

(11) Wildfire Update – Sept. 14, 2011

(12) Angelina County extends burn ban by 90 days

(13) Residents Advised To Evacuate As Stillhouse Fire Rekindles

(14) Wildfire Causes Evacuations in Liberty County

(15) Rush-hour blaze at Bush Park keeps firefighters busy

(16) Fighting wildfires from the air

(17) More Tri-County Wildfire Evacuees Allowed to Return Home

(18) AFD firefighter shares his experience fighting wildfires

(19) Weather poses new challenges for firefighters

(20) Many Bastrop Volunteer Fire Fighters Lose Everything

(21) Woman devastated after wildfire flare-up destroys home, pets

(22) Wildfires damage majority of Bastrop State Park

(23) Wildfire Relief: A Time to Rebuild

(24) United Way of Texas Enlists MobileCause to Raise Funds for Fire Victims

(25) Wildfire responsible for nearly $100 million in Texas ag losses

(26) Rainy Day Fund unlikely for wildfires

(27) Letter: Impeach Perry for not using tankers

(28) Taylor Hills Fire Forces New Closures in Forest

(29) Calmer winds could slow growth of Minn. wildfire

(30) Wildfire seen from space: NASA photos show smoke mushrooming over Michigan

(31) Milwaukee Brewers keep roof closed due to smoke from Minnesota wildfire

(32) Wildfire smoke leads to air pollution ‘action day’

(33) Ont. smells smoke from Minnesota forest fire

(34) Most destructive wildfires at a glance

(35) Smoke sign of fires to come

(36) Forest fires keeping crews busy up north

(37) Forest fire rages in China's NW border region

(38) Singapore offers help as Indonesia again fails on fires

(39) Bushfires torch large areas of northern Australia

(40) Fire threatens Downs property

(41) Authorities 'slightly better' prepared for bushfire season

(42) SoCal firefighters complete Ride for 9/11