WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 062712

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association, applauded Congress for funding the Airtanker Fleet Modernization Bill in a press release (1). With the onset of summer, Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest is imposing fire restrictions (2); CAL FIRE is spinning up crews in the San Benito-Monterey Unit in anticipation of the wildfires of summer (3); and fire officials warned homeowners in Santa Cruz County to make their own preparations as well (4); but Gov. Jerry Brown's controversial plan to cap the amount of money government agencies could recover from lawsuits over wildfires has been dropped from the budget (5). A Washington State Congressman introduced legislation to save a lookout tower in the Glacier Peak wilderness (6). Firefighters battling Arizona's 12,000-acre Poco Fire in the Tonto National Forest have brought containment to 75% (7); and lightning sparked two new wildfires in the Coronado National Forest (8). Two environmental groups are being blamed for delay of a US Forest Service thinning project in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest which could have helped reduce the damage done by the Little Bear Fire (9). As firefighters brought containment of Colorado's 87,250-acre High Park Fire to 65%, some assets were being shifted to other wildfires (10); such as a 230-acre wildfire burning outside of Boulder (11); and the 15,375-acre Waldo Canyon Fire, which is only 5% contained, and has forced the evacuations of 32,000 people from Colorado Springs and the nearby Air Force Academy (12); the next article examining the plight of evacuees (13); followed by one which provides details on how to help them (14); but evacuees from the High Park Fire may be home in 48 hours (15); in the meantime, however, fire conditions are too dangerous to allow authorities into some areas to fully assess the damage done (16); while the Waldo Canyon Fire threatened USA Cycling headquarters (17); and hot, windy weather will not give firefighters a break anytime soon (18); which is bad news for firefighters in Montezuma County, where a 9,155-acre blaze is only 30% contained (19); nevertheless, nearby Peterson Air Force Base has resembled a NASCAR racetrack, with crews hurriedly refueling MAFFS-carrying C-130 transports as they continue airstrikes on the fires (20); while US Forest Service picked up the tab for all the water being used by air-tankers at Pueblo Memorial Airport (21); but one of the biggest guns, the DC-10, awaits the call to the fire line, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Rick Hatton, the CEO of 10 Tanker LLC, talking about the need for an exclusive use contract for the giant air-tanker (22); and amid all the headlines about fires, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association pointed out that there are no wildfires in their neck of the woods (23). The 46,000-acre Wood Hollow Fire apparently claimed its first victim in Sanpete County, Utah (24). A 125-acre wildfire burning in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest is now 50% contained (25); and a 75-acre wildfire outside of Rapid City forced some evacuations and threatened homes (26). Rural firefighters assisted with a 1,400-acre blaze outside of Helena, Montana (27); while wildfire activity in Wyoming, where fire officials have closed portions of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, are provided by the next article (28). With hot, dry weather in the forecast, Kentucky's Forestry Division, which has already reported 35 wildfire so far this month, is imposing burn bans in a dozen counties (29); and the high fire danger in the Daniel Boone National Forest has prompted officials to ban fireworks and most types of fire as well (30). A pair of firefighting sisters suffered injuries battling a forest fire in Lauderdale County, Alabama (31). A man has pleaded guilty to setting a 600-acre wildfire in Virginia's George Washington National Forest in 2001 (32); while the 21,000-acre wildfire burning in North Carolina's Croatan National Forest is now 98% contained (33). Landmines continued to explode along the Indian-Pakistani border as a wildfire burned out of control in Kashmir (34); and firefighters in Tutong, Brunei, battled a wildfire in a swampy area on the island of Borneo yesterday (35). Forest owners in New Zealand are questioning a fire levy they must pay to establish the Marlborough Kaikoura Rural Fire Authority (36). In Victoria, Australia, Endeavour Energy is using helicopters to monitor 20,000 km of powerlines as a bushfire safety precaution (37); while the next article takes a look at the slow recovery of a sheepherder in South Australia who suffered severe losses in a January bushfire near Wilmington (38); even as the Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council will consider designating bushfire-prone areas under the Building Code of Australia to enhance code enforcement in their corner of Western Australia (39). And finally, San Bernardino County Fire Department's USAR team swung into action to perform a tricky extrication: getting an orange tabby out of a 20 inch pipe in Southern California!

(1) Aerial Firefighting Airtanker Fleet Modernization

(2) REGION: S.B. National Forest fire restrictions announced

(3) Firefighting crews preparing for fire season

(4) Firefighters in Santa Cruz County prepare for wildfire season

(5) Wildfire proposal dropped from budget

(6) Legislation to save Green Mountain fire lookout

(7) Forest Road 512 Opens after Poco Fire

(8) Lightning touches off 2 new fires in Coronado forest

(9) Project could have lessened fire damage

(10) High Park firefighters diverting resources to Waldo Canyon, Flagstaff

(11) Firefighters Building Fire Lines At Boulder's Flagstaff Fire

(12) Colorado wildfire intensifies, consumes 15,000 acres

(13) Colorado wildfire: Waldo Canyon evacuees scared, anxious

(14) How to assist Colorado wildfire victims, how to donate and help

(15) Colorado wildfire: Most High Park Fire evacuees should be home in 2 days

(16) Colorado Wildfire Too Dangerous to Assess Damage

(17) Wildfire threatens USA Cycling headquarters

(18) Colorado weather forecast: 'Difficult' firefighting day due to weather conditions

(19) Weber Fire 30 percent contained, firefighting personnel up to 512

(20) Wildland fire fight presents operational, personal challenges

(21) Forest Service pays water costs in fighting fires

(22) Largest air-tanker in the business lands in Boise, awaits flying-orders to next fire

(23) Wildfires spark Aspen tourism officials to speak out

(24)Utah wildfire a killer; new evacuations ordered

(25) Firefighters battle heat, terrain at Crow Peak

(26) South Dakota forest fire threatens homes

(27) Local firefighters help fight Helena blaze

(28) Fontenelle fire forces LaBarge area closure

(29) Dry weather causing concerns about forest fires

(30) Most Fire And All Fireworks Banned In National Forest

(31) Firefighter sisters recovering after battling woods fire

(32) Virginia man admits to starting 600-acre national forest fire

(33) UPDATE: Croatan National Forest wildfire now 98 percent contained

(34) Fire ruins forests in Kashmir

(35) Massive Bushfire At Serambangun

(36) Fire levy rankles forest owners

(37) Chopper surveys powerlines

(38) Slow road to recovery for fire-hit pastoralist

(39) Bushfire prone designation on cards for builders

(40) Firefighters rescue trapped kitten in Fontana