WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 100511

Firefighters brought containment of a 2,000-acre wildfire burning near the Southern California community of Julian in San Diego County to nearly 90% Tuesday night (1); but although some heavy rain is expected for Central California, CAL FIRE warned homeowners not to let down their guard, as wildfires are still possible (2); while US Forest Service plans to set fire to 440 acres in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe to reduce the fire danger (3); and tech firms in Dunsmuir provided more details on a cutting-edge app which should help firefighters better handle wildfires (4). Lightning sparked 16 small wildfires on Mt. Charleston, Nevada (5); while forest land is beginning to recover from a 4,300-acre wildfire that blazed through Colorado's Fremont and Custer counties two months ago (6). Military C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS units are attempting to fill the gap over the Texas wildfires left by US Forest Service canceling its contract with air-tanker giant Aero Union (7); said aircraft dumping 23,300 gallons on a 320-acre wildfire in Bastrop County, helping to bring containment to 50% (8); even as fire prevention week got underway in Bexar County, where fire officials warned residents that even though fall had arrived, the wildfire danger continues (9); but a grand jury in Trinity County has indicted a man for setting several wildfires in August and September (10). Bureau of Land Management firefighters said that a wildfire burning near Ferris Mountain, Wyoming, has expanded to 1,400 acres in size (11); and lightning-sparked wildfires in Montana's Helena National Forest have now burned 703 acres (12); but firefighters in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest are making progress, allowing Skalkaho Highway to reopen (13). As fire weather worsened, controlled burns being performed by South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression in the Black Hills have been suspended (14). A wind-driven wildfire has burned 40 mi.² in Central Nebraska, destroying one home and burning one individual along the Lincoln County-Logan County line (15); causing millions of dollars in crop losses (16). The approach of hot, windy weather has prompted fire officials to once again close roads into Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where firefighters are still wrapping up a wildfire that has burned nearly 93,000 acres (17); while a 750-acre wildfire was reported on the grounds of the U.S. Army's Pohakuloa Training Area in Hawaii (18). Wildfires continued to crop up in Spain and Portugal, as well as in Italy, Albania, and Croatia, and the North African nation of Morocco (19); even as dozens of suspects have been arrested by Russian police for setting numerous wildfires near the Siberian city of Bratsk (20). The next article takes a look at Bushfire CRC's take on the early onset to bushfire season across Australia (21); followed by a summary of wildfire activity in Queensland (22); but the mayor of Lake Macquarie City, New South Wales, implored homeowners to work with the Rural Fire Service in preparing their homes for bushfire season (23). South Australia's Country Fire Service will be unveiling a new high-tech smartphone app later this month during Bushfire Action Week (24); while Forestry Tasmania indicated that some bushfires had been deliberately set in the northwestern part of that island (25). And finally, firefighters in New Jersey had an interesting dilemma: how to stop a fast-moving, driverless automobile!

(1) Wildfire Near Julian 90% Contained

(2) CAL FIRE: Despite Cooler Temperatures, Wildfire Threat Remains

(3) Forest Service prescribed fire ops underway in Angora

(4) Dunsmuir tech firms launch firefighting app

(5) 16 small wildfires caused by storms on Mt. Charleston

(6) Forest recovers after blaze

(7) Air Force Returns to Attack Texas Wildfires

(8) Bastrop wildfire downgraded to 320 acres, 50 percent contained

(9) Bexar County: Summer is gone, but threat of wildfires still remains

(10) E. Texas man indicted for setting forest fires

(11) Ferris Mountain Wildfire Controlled But Spreading

(12) Several wildfires burning in Lincoln Ranger District

(13) Skalkaho Highway and areas closed by fires to reopen

(14) Forest service, state suspend prescribed burns in Black Hills

(15) Wildfire burns 40 square miles in central Nebraska

(16) Nebraska Wildfire Cost In The Millions

(17) Hot, dry, windy conditions raise wildfire fears across Minnesota

(18) Large Pohakuloa wildfire closes Saddle Road indefinitely

(19) EFFIS - Current Situation

(20) Police detain 60 suspects over Siberian forest wild fires

(21) Flooding rains now burning plains - Bushfire risk and climate change

(22) Fire crews battle blaze near hwy

(23) Reduce your risk of bushfire harm

(24) CFS launches new bushfire app

(25) NW bushfires appear to be 'deliberately lit'

(26) Firefighter Stops Driverless, Out Of Control Car