WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070512

A summary of wildfires across the West, where many firework shows were banned, is provided by our first article today (1); but although rainfall helped quench some Colorado wildfires, others across the West continued unabated (2); a National Public Radio segment once again exploring the issue of whether climate change is behind recent wildfires (3). A Southern California Congressman weighs in on US Forest Service's use of military C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS 2 units (4); while firefighters extinguished at least one vegetation fire in San Jose started by fireworks (5). Wildfire activity across Arizona, where an 18,431-acre fire burning in the Coronado National Forest has been completely contained, is provided by the next article (6). Fire officials in Colorado have found the ignition point of the 18,247-acre Waldo Canyon Fire, which is estimated to have cost $14.5 million to suppress (7); in the meantime, a new 15-acre blaze has broken out near De Beque (8). Firefighters were able to contain a small blaze in the foothills of Salt Lake City, Utah, in about two hours time (9); while some evacuees have been allowed to go home in Alpine as the Quail Fire is brought to 10% containment (10); the following article providing some tips on protecting your home from wildfires (11). A summary of wildfire activity in Wyoming, where new evacuations have been ordered as a wildfire in the Medicine Bow National Forest expanded to 10,169 acres, is provided by the next article (12); and more fire crews are arriving to help (13); including some from as far way as Alaska (14). Firefighters in Montana battled several blazes, as the next article shows (15); where Canadian air-tankers responded to a wildfire near Worden which consumed upwards of 50 acres (16); the next article providing more details on the multi-national air fleet operating out of Billings (17). Smokejumpers parachuted into South Dakota's Black Hills to help contain an 800-acre wildfire near Edgemont (18); but although firefighters have completely contained a 1,043-acre wildfire burning in the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands area, fire restrictions are still in place across the whole region (19). Firefighters were able to contain a pair of wildfires in fields outside of Constantine, Michigan, before any structures were damaged (20); while firefighters are conducting mop-up operations in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest where a 622-acre wildfire burned earlier this week (21). Wildfire activity across Arkansas, where 70 of the state's 75 counties have imposed burn bans, is provided by the next article (22); a 100-acre wildfire being reported in Carroll County as well (23). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist at US Geological Survey's Western Ecological Research Center, sent along a link to a Washington, DC, talk show about the Colorado wildfires in which he remarked "how extraordinarily out of touch the callers were" (to listen to the correct segment, go to the calendar in the top left corner and click on July 3) (24). A summary of wildfire activity in northern Ontario, Canada, where 26 fires are currently burning, is provided by the next article (25); while the family of a Carmel Forest Fire victim asked Israel's Prime Minister to fire the Interior and Finance Ministers over failures handling the blaze (26). Pine needles, which traditionally fuel wildfires in India's Himachal Pradesh, are providing income to villagers in the area for a change (27); but only 190 people applied for government bushfire buybacks of their property in Victoria, Australia, far fewer than were expected (28). And finally, in a rare, historical quirk, two Air Force One's graced the skies of Colorado: one carrying the President, the other carrying retardant!

(1) Wildfire: West cities ban fireworks; blazes grow

(2) Rain cools CO fires, while other wildfires grow

(3) Climate Change Buoying Wildfires Across Country

(4) Opinion: Forest Service Activates Two More MAFFS

(5) San Jose firefighters respond to 3 blazes on Fourth of July night

(6) Grapevine Fire completely contained

(7) Colorado wildfire: Ignition point of Waldo Canyon Fire identified

(8) New wildfire erupts north of De Beque

(9) Firefighters hike to douse blaze in Salt Lake City foothills

(10) Quail Fire 10 percent contained, more evacuations lifted

(11) Making your home safer from wildfires

(12) New Evacuations Ordered At Squirrel Creek Fire

(13) More crews head to Squirrel Creek fire

(14) Firefighters from Alaska join effort to control Fontenelle blaze in Wyoming

(15) Officials hope weather helps firefighters battle Eastern Montana wildfires

(16) Air tankers respond to Squaw Creek Fire near Worden

(17) Air tanker use up, early in fire season

(18) Smokejumpers help contain Black Hills wildfire as 2nd burns

(19) Nebraska Forest Fire Contained

(20) Field fires keep firefighters busy

(21) Mark Twain fire nearly out

(22) Wildfires burn in spots across Arkansas

(23) Fire burns 100 acres in southern Carroll County

(24) Jim Bohannon: The Jim Bohannon Show

(25) Forest fires heating up again in North

(26) Fire victims' families petition for dismissals

(27) Pine needles fuel business for Himachal villagers

(28) Govt bushfire buyback scheme attracts fewer victims

(29) As wildfires ravaged Colorado, an historical oddity took place: 2 Air Force Ones, one current, one past, flew over the state