WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 071012

A trio of wildfires is burning across Southern California as it bakes in triple digit temperatures (1); one of which in the San Bernardino National Forest is 70% contained after burning 75 acres (2); and another 10-acre blaze was reported in the hills of Montebello (3); while a wildfire in Mendocino National Forest is only 10% contained after growing to 10,000 acres in size (4); and CAL FIRE participated in an attempt to create an ember bomb touted by Al Qaeda as a means to set wildfires in California (5). A summary of wildfires across the West, where heat and wind is causing firefighters headaches, is provided by the next item (6); while the next article takes a look at Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's comments on why the VLATs are not being employed heavily on the firelines in the West (7). Oregon State Police reported that a man carrying 10 contract wildland firefighters crashed into a truck, leaving one firefighter in critical condition (8); but after a much milder year, firefighters in Arizona are asking cautiously: is the fire season over? (9) A striking photo of New Mexico's Whitewater-Baldy Fire shot at night on June 2nd from the International Space Station shows massive smoke plumes coming off the blaze (10). Despite the successful evacuation of thousands of homeowners during the outbreak of wildfires in Colorado, at least 20,000 evacuation calls were never made to homes in the path of those blazes (11); while a firefighter discusses an iconic video he shot of the Waldo Canyon Fire blazing into a Colorado Springs neighborhood in the next segment (12); even as Western Union announced an expansion in disaster-aid efforts on its part (13); and with the wildfires coming under control, a petition by a wildland firefighter to gain health benefits for seasonal firefighters is picking up momentum (14); wildfire survivors were visited by a couple of high-profile individuals: presidential candidate Mitt Romney (15); and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar (16). Firefighters struggled to contain a 190,000-acre wildfire burning near Twin Falls, Idaho (17); air-tanker activity at Twin Falls Airport being the focus of the next item (18). As temperatures soared into triple digits in Utah, the following article provides a summary of wildfire activity there (19); where private property owners are incensed with US Forest Service firefighters for what they perceive as excessive damage done to their land fighting the Seeley Fire (20); followed by an article chronicling the battle between foresters and environmentalists over proper thinning of timber (21). Firefighters from Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas, have been added to the pool of firefighters that can respond to wildfires statewide (22). Fireworks sparked a 10-acre wildfire outside of Chicago, Illinois, that injured one firefighter (23); another firefighter injury being reported on a wildfire to the north this past weekend (24). The work done by American Red Cross volunteers in the wake of wildfires in Arkansas is the subject of the next article (25); and a firefighter from Pennsylvania recounts his experiences on the fireline in the West (26). A 20-acre wildfire cropped up in Tyringham, Massachusetts (27). A North Carolina Forest Service bulldozer helped make the difference in corralling a 10-acre wildfire burning outside of Fayetteville (28); but a much larger wildfire continues to burn in the Cherokee National Forest (29). Florida Forest Service has contained a 35-acre wildfire burning in Savannas Preserve State Park that threatened over a dozen homes (30). In Canada, British Columbia Forest Service feared that a series of thunderstorms rolling across the interior could spark wildfires (31); six new wildfires being reported in northwestern Ontario (32). Despite the fact that 180 wildfires are currently burning in Russia, the Federal Firefighting Service plans to cut 40,000 firefighters (33); while new bushfire-resistant glass windows and doors are becoming available to homeowners in Australia (34). And finally, firefighters in Wichita, Kansas, have a cool ride - a really cool ride!

(1) Dangerous heat wave raises wildfire risk in Southern California

(2) Wildfire that prompted evacuation below Crestline 70 percent contained

(3) Firefighters Pursue Brush Fire Across 10 Acres of Montebello Hills

(4) Fire news: Mendocino National Forest fire now 10,000 acres and growing

(5) Would Al Qaeda’s Wildfire ‘Ember Bomb’ Really Work?

(6) Crews eye winds, heat at wildfires across West

(7) While wildfires burn the American West, massive aerial tankers sit unused

(8) Contract Firefighters Hurt In Crash Near Prineville

(9) A wildfire season to remember -- for all the good reasons

(10) Astronaut's photo shows wildfire smoke at night

(11) Thousands of Wildfire Warnings Undelivered in Colo

(12) Firefighter talks about video he shot in Mountain Shadows Neighborhood

(13) Western Union Doubles Commitment to Wildfire Relief

(14) Firefighter's Push for Health Benefits Gains Steam

(15) Romney to join wildfire relief

(16) Colorado wildfire: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar tours Waldo Canyon Fire burn area

(17) Firefighters gain ground but struggle in Idaho

(18) Air Support Keeps Twin Falls Airport Busy

(19) Despite heat, crews gaining upper hand on Utah’s wildfires

(20) Some private-property owners frustrated with handling of Seeley Fire

(21) Feds scrap logging plan; fire fears return

(22) Fort Worth, Arlington firefighters sign on with state mutual aid program

(23) Firefighter hurt in fireworks-driven wildfire in Orland Park

(24) Firefighter hurt fighting wildfire in Zion

(25) Red Cross handles wildfires across Arkansas

(26) Glen Rock firefighter says western U.S. blaze nothing like fires in PA

(27) Tyringham forest fire burns 20 acres

(28) Wind shift helps firefighters battle Fayetteville forest fire

(29) Fire expected to consume 1,600 acres of Cherokee National Forest

(30) Fire crews watch over smoldering brush fire in Jensen Beach after it threatened 15 homes

(31) B.C. thunderstorms could spark forest fires

(32) More fires continue to erupt

(33) 40,000 Russian firefighters to lose jobs

(34) Paarhammer uses SCHOTT fire rated glass in new windows, doors and sliding doors

(35) New Rehab Bus Helps Kansas Firefighters Stay Cool