WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070612

A new study indicates that Carbonaceous aerosol emissions from forest fires and other biomass burning are making Global Warming worse (1); but an Op-Ed piece from the National Review takes a dim view of blaming climate change for Western wildfires (2); firefighters in the West taking advantage of favorable weather to increase containment around several wildfires (3). Emerging details about a settlement between the federal government and Sierra Pacific Industries, California's largest landowner, over a 2007 wildfire are provided by the next article (4); but a 1,200-acre wildfire near Redding is now 40% contained (5). A 250-acre wildfire burning near Chelan, Washington, has closed some roads (6); and as firefighters continued to battle a trio of wildfires in Nevada, the Bureau of Land Management extended an invitation to residents of Lund to visit one of their nearby fire camps (7). An 18,431-acre wildfire burning in Arizona's Coronado National Forest has been fully contained (8); but the US Forest Service is at odds with the Indigenous Elders and Medicine Peoples Council over ceremonial fires being set in the Coconino National Forest (9). A NASA satellite photo shows the extent of damage done by Colorado's Waldo Canyon Fire (10); while a 3-acre wildfire was reported in Jefferson County (11); and troops from Washington state's Joint Base Lewis-McChord headed to the fire lines (12); insurance companies also lending their own firefighting assets to the fight (13); while a blogger discusses the lessons learned for evacuating horses from Colorado's wildfires (14); but an Op-Ed piece examines the growth potential in forests after the wildfires (15); nevertheless, recovery is going to take longer than most people think (16); in the meantime, residents of southern Colorado have been asked to pitch in to help firefighters, particularly volunteers, by making donations at the Colorado State Fairgrounds (17); an editorial taking a closer look at how federal agencies failed to implement a sophisticated computer-controlled pre-positioning utility called Fire Program Analysis (18). As firefighters brought containment to 55%, officials stated that a 17 mi.² wildfire burning near Laramie, Wyoming, was human caused (19); the next article taking a behind-the-scenes look at a fire camp in Albany County (20). In Montana, where 358 fires have scorched almost 700 square miles, firefighters made progress on five large wildfires (21); while the impact of wildfires on agricultural operations is the focus of the next article (22). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chris Mehl, Communications Director for Montana-based Headwaters Economics, sent along a trio of links sent to Montana media discussing how more homes near forests and increasing temperatures will significantly increase future costs and safety risks (23)(24)(25). Although South Dakota's Black Hills have been hit with several wildfires, the impact on tourism appears to be negligible (26); while residents of Edgemont held a memorial for crewmembers of a C-130 which crashed while protecting their town from a wildfire (27). An article from Lake County, Illinois, takes a look at a 28-acre wildfire that ignited near railroad tracks in the Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve (28). Over two dozen homes have been evacuated due to a 1,200-acre wildfire burning in Christian County, Missouri (29); and a 200-acre wildfire was reported in Reynolds County as well (30). A blogger provided some information on two wildfires burning in Arkansas (31). Firefighters brought a 220-acre wildfire burning in New Jersey's Wharton State Forest to 90% containment today (32); the next article taking a look at a controversial plan to harvest timber to reduce the wildfire risk in that state and sell it to pay for the program (33). With two new fires reported in Ontario's Northwest Region, the effect of humidity in reducing the forest fire danger is examined by the next article (34). A representative of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration speaking at a conference at Australia's University of Canberra discussed the impact of climate change on wildfires in the US (35); while firefighters in Northern Territory were grappling with a wind-driven bushfire which had destroyed at least one property so far (36); Wildfire NOTD subscriber David Cant, former Manager of Aviation Services for South Australia Country Fire Service, sending along an invitation to visit his new BlazeTamer website on Facebook ("Likes" would be appreciated!), where he is working to develop an international aerial firefighting discussion group (37). And finally, firefighters conducting training exercises at abandoned townhouses on New York Harbor could probably accompany their efforts with the song "Burning down the House"!

(1) Emissions from forest fires, biomass burning worse than thought: new study

(2) Only You Can Exploit Forest Fires

(3) Searing heat eases in West, helping crews battle wildfires

(4) Feds settle suit over massive California wildfire

(5) UPDATE: Dale Fire now 40 percent contained; remains at 1,200 acres

(6) Wildfire burning near Chelan

(7) Firefighting camp in Lund to open for public visit

(8) Grapevine Fire completely contained

(9) Forest Service, indigenous group at odds over fire

(10) Satellite photo shows scars left by raging Colorado wildfire

(11) Small Wildfire Forces Closure Of Waterton Canyon

(12) Lewis-McChord firefighters join Colorado wildfire relief effort

(13) Insurance companies send crews into wildfire areas to protect homes

(14) Wildfires--Evacuation Planning

(15) Coming Back to Life: The Forests After the Colorado Fires

(16) Wildfire recovery advice: Expect process to take longer than you think

(17) Puebloans asked to help fire victims, firefighters

(18) Our View: Feds bungle firefighting technology

(19) Squirrel Creek fire determined to be human-caused

(20) Firefighters make camp in Albany County

(21) Firefighters in Montana look for help from rain

(22) Wildfires cause emergency CRP to be opened for grazing in Rosebud, Powder River counties

(23) Montana Wildfire Cost Study- Technical Report

(24) Northern California, Homes, and Cost of Wildfires

(25) Oregon, Homes, and Cost of Wildfires

(26) Black Hills tourism not affected by wildfires, yet

(27) S.D. Town Salutes Fallen Air Tanker Crew Members

(28) Forest preserve fire due to heat, drought

(29) Update: Wildfire Scorches Up to 1,200 Acres in Christian County

(30) New wildfire burns 200 acres in Reynolds County

(31) Two Forest Fires in Neighboring Counties

(32) Forest Burns in NJ

(33) With visions of fires past and present, N.J. debates forest management

(34) Humidity has helped slow the forest fire danger in Northern Ontario

(35) Top U.S. Science Official: ‘Climate Change Is Underway…It’s Having Consequences In Real Time’

(36) Dundee Beach residents warned as winds fan fire

(37) BlazeTamer Website

(38) New York firefighters set homes ablaze — to save lives