WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070212

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Snyder, President of Neptune Aviation, comments in a National Public Radio segment about the aging heavy air-tanker fleet (1); while scientists in labs and universities across the country continue to investigate the relationship between pine mountain beetles and wildfires (2); and a video from CBS News discusses gains made by firefighters in the Western wildfires (3). In Southern California, firefighters battled a 96-acre wildfire in the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood (4); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Bettina Boxall, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Reporter with the Los Angeles Times, reports on the long, hot summer the West faces as wildfires continue to burn (5); a follow-on article summarizing homes lost in the current blazes (6); numerous wildfires cropping up in Northern California over the weekend (7); but a US Forest Service Plant Ecologist with the Pacific Southwest Research Station predicts that the wildfires in Colorado today may be emulated by the Golden State tomorrow (8). In Oregon, a 70-acre wildfire was burning in The Dalles (9). An 18,000-acre wildfire burning in Arizona's Tonto National Forest was apparently sparked by a gunshot (10); while University of Arizona personnel are assisting homeowners in reducing the risk their property faces from wildfires (11); but a 5,000-acre lightning-sparked wildfire was reported burning in New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns National Park (12). Wildfire activity across Colorado is summarized by the next article (13); while firefighters plan to use air attacks to improve containment of a 13,731-acre wildfire burning near Grand Junction (14); but Fourth of July fireworks may be canceled statewide due to the wildfire danger they pose (15); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, Past President of the International Association of Wildland Fire (www.IAWFonline.org), sending along a time lapse video of the Waldo Canyon Fire (16); homeowners being provided a tour of the area are appalled by the destruction done (17); in the meantime, relief agencies like the Red Cross continue to work with Waldo Canyon Fire evacuees as they return home (18); while Pres. Obama urged donations to help wildfire survivors (19); prompting Bank of America to help by kicking $25,000 into the kitty (20); and Frontier Airlines decided to donate portions of retail sales to help (21); while a data recovery company is extending a $500 credit (22); and HomeAway offered reduced rates for evacuees from wildfires in several states (23); but the Colorado wildfires are now becoming a political hot potato (24); and an article from the Denver Post looks at the phenomenon of 250,000 new homeowners moving into Colorado's "Red Zone" (wildfire endangered) areas, making the danger of wildfires to civilians that much worse (25). Firefighters in Idaho had a couple of blazes to deal with (26); while a few learned some valuable lessons battling a wildfire near Pocatello last week that destroyed 66 homes (27). Wildfire activity in Utah is the topic of the next article (28). A wildfire in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest forced evacuations in Albany County as it continued to expand (29). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Mead Gruver, a Reporter with the Associated Press, reported on an Air Force C-130 air-tanker that crashed while battling a wildfire in South Dakota (30); at least one of the six crewmen from the 145th Airlift Wing being confirmed dead (31); while firefighters had to battle a 3,000-acre wildfire, steep terrain, and rattlesnakes near Edgemont (32). A 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands is now 20% contained (33); and a lightning-sparked wildfire scorched upwards of 3 acres in Union County, Illinois, over the weekend (34). Missouri's Governor toured areas burned by wildfires in the Mark Twain National Forest (35); wildfire activity in Arkansas, where numerous blazes are burning, being the topic of the next article (36). Per a presidential directive, troops from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, took part in a wildland firefighting exercise as part of preparation to support the National Interagency Fire Center in firefighting efforts across the country (37); the next article taking a look at the network of 21 lookout towers maintained by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (38). Firefighters in Virginia battling a 1,125-acre wildfire in the Shenandoah National Forest got some out-of-state help: crews from Texas (39); as well as some from Connecticut (40). South Carolina Forestry Commission firefighters battled a small wildfire in a Carolina Forest housing development (41). Heading to Canada, rangers from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources are on high alert as firefighters battle hotspots in several areas (42); while a pair of wildfires continue to burn near Inuvik, Northwest Territories (43). Wildfires forced 3,000 tourists to be evacuated from Spain's east coast (44); that story followed by a photo spread which provides images from the fireline outside of Valencia, where an estimated 50,000 ha have burned since Thursday (45); while the German Aerospace Institute's FireWatch early warning detection system is profiled in the next article (46). After a brief respite from rain, forest fires have once again broken out in Sarawak, Malaysia (47). An exhibit titled "Past, Present, Future: An Exhibition Commemorating the 10-Year Anniversary of the 2003 bushfires" takes a look back at the decade since a Canberra, Australia, bushfire blazed through the area (48); while concerns about building restrictions impacting the ability of homeowners to rebuild properties destroyed in the Black Saturday bushfires in Yarra Valley have prompted the Yarra Ranges Council to write a letter to Victoria's Planning Minister in protest (49); the International Association of Wildland Fire extending the call for papers deadline for their upcoming Wildland Fire Safety Summit in Sydney, New South Wales (50). And finally, San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighters had to perform a tricky extrication: getting a woman out of a pool table!

(1) Firefighting Planes Battle Wildfires And Old Age

(2) Scientists sorting out beetle-fire relationship

(3) Firefighters gain ground on Western wildfires

(4) Wildfire in San Gabriel Mountains contained

(5) Long, hot summer: Wildfires thrive on drought, heat and wind

(6) Western wildfires destroy nearly 1,000 homes so far this year

(7) Grass fires keep firefighters busy in Sacramento, Wilton, Orangevale

(8) 'Super fires' like that in Colo. nearly inevitable in Northern Calif., Forest Service scientist says

(9) Crews get early jump on wildfire near The Dalles

(10) Giant Wildfire Started During Bachelor Party

(11) UA Extension Program Reduces Forest Fire Risk for Homeowners

(12) Wildfire near Carlsbad Caverns up to 5,000 acres

(13) Burnout work succeeds in Mancos-area fire zone

(14) Colorado wildfire: Pine Ridge Fire stopped at Colorado River

(15) Colorado wildfires may stomp out fireworks

(16) Waldo Canyon Fire Time Lapse Video

(17) Colorado Springs residents tour 'unreal' wildfire devastation

(18) Colorado wildfire relief: 'Beginning of the long haul'

(19) Obama Urges Support for Wildfire Victims and Firefighters

(20) Bank of America Announces Support for Colorado Wildfires Relief Efforts

(21) Frontier Airlines Raising Funds for Colorado Wildfire Victims

(22) Colorado Wildfire Relief: DriveSavers Offers $500 Off Data Recovery Services

(23) HomeAway Customers Offer Vacation Properties to Wildfire Evacuees Looking for Temporary Lodging in States Affected by Wildfires

(24) Colorado Wildfires Aren't Stopping Scorched-Earth Campaigns

(25) Colorado wildfires: Public policies add to danger

(26) Firefighters work to get control of weekend blaze

(27) Local firefighters bring back valuable lessons from eastern Idaho fire

(28) Car ignited wildfire that destroyed 4 Utah houses

(29) Evacuations Ordered for New Wildland Fire Burning on Medicine Bow National Forest

(30) C-130 crashes battling S.D. forest fire

(31) (S.D.)-Family Of Crew Member Confirms Death In Airtanker Crash

(32) Forest fire near Edgemont 10 percent contained

(33) National forest fire quiets

(34) Crews called to forest fire in Union County

(35) Governor tours forest fire damage Saturday

(36) Wildfires Burn Hundreds of Acres in Arkansas

(37) 159th Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers take part in Wildland Firefighting exercise

(38) Eyes in the sky: How N.J.'s remaining fire towers spot blazes first

(39) Texas firefighters aid with wildfire in Virginia

(40) Firefighters from New England fight Virgina fire in national park

(41) SCFC: Small brush fire contained in Carolina Forest

(42) Powassan issues fire ban, battles forest fire hot spots

(43) 2 fires burning close to Inuvik, N.W.T.

(44) Tourists evacuated as forest fires engulf city of Valencia

(45) Winds feed wildfire near Valencia, Spain

(46) Wildfire Early Warning Possible With Space Sensors

(47) Forest fires start again in Sarawak

(48) Mt Stromlo looks to future through past

(49) Bushfire controls in Yarra Ranges spark concerns

(50) Call for Papers Deadline Extended - 12th International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, Sydney, Australia

(51) San Diego firefighters rescue woman in pool table