WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080212

A wildfire which burned 350 acres in Riverside County, California, should be fully contained this morning (1); while a new study from University of California Merced shows that the wildfire risk to homes in the state will double over the next 40 years (2); even as CAL FIRE responded to a wildfire in Lake County Wednesday night (3); and a 500-acre wildfire that blazed through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, forcing the evacuation of 100 homes, is now 20% contained (4); another in the Plumas National Forest exploding to 1,000 acres in size (5); while California's wildfire prevention fee is once again debated in the next article (6). A pair of wildfires in Washington County, Oregon, prompted warnings from firefighters about the wildfire danger in that state (7); and a wildfire in Douglas County, Washington, has grown to 1,000 acres in size (8). Having spent $42.6 million on battling wildfires, Colorado's Gov. Hickenlooper appealed to Pres. Obama for more federal aid (9); a Fox News segment presenting National Fire Protection Association's tips on how to landscape to prevent wildfires (10). Officials at Idaho's National Interagency Fire Center are predicting an active fire season in August in the Western US (11); and although firefighters in Utah have made progress on wildfires burning there, lightning has sparked a few new ones (12). The grief associated with wildfire survivors' losses in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is the focus of the next article (13). Biologists in Wyoming fear that a 3,700-acre wildfire which burned through an area frequented by bighorn sheep may have done damage to the vegetation they depend on (14); wildfire activity across Montana being summarized in the next item (15); where new evacuations have been ordered in areas near the Lewis and Clark National Forest (16); while the Helena Water Supervisor is concerned about the impact of wildfires on that city's water supply (17). A Nebraska US Senator took the opportunity to thank firefighters for their contribution battling a massive blaze in that state, while also asking Congress to pass a farm bill which would better fund firefighting (18). A half-acre wildfire sparked from a debris pile west of Charleston, Illinois (19); and lightning, which typically causes only 15% of Arkansas's wildfires, has ignited nearly half the blazes seen in that state this year (20). The federal government will pay $83,000 to Barnegat, New Jersey, for suppression costs associated with a 2007 wildfire sparked by flares from an F-16 fighter jet (21). A Senate bill which would transfer 14 C-27 aircraft from the military to the US Forest Service for firefighting duty has been introduced into the House of Representatives in Washington DC (22); an update on the firefighting fleet strength of the US Forest Service being provided by the next article (23); UN scientists warning the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee about the impact of climate change on wildfires (24). Yet another wildfire has forced evacuations in Spain, this one east of Madrid (25); while Russian firefighting aircraft were busy pummeling blazes in the Siberian Federal District (26). Heading to Australia, a mayor from Victoria's Otway Ranges is appealing to the state government for more help with bushfire refuges (27); but Western Australia's State Emergency Management Committee has been tasked with reviewing and reporting on how successfully the government has implemented bushfire recommendations (28). And finally, Smokey Bear now has competition from smart phones, thanks to a new app from the University of British Columbia!

(1) Huge house burns to ground, but firefighters close to surrounding Riverside County wildfire

(2) UC Merced study: Wildfire risk to homes will double over 40 years

(3) Wildland fire reported in Indian Valley area

(4) Northern Calif. wildfire threatening 100 homes

(5) Chips Fire in Plumas National Forest explodes

(6) Head to Head: Should California abandon the wildfire prevention fee?

(7) Firefighters issue warning following two brush fires in one day

(8) Wildfire near Pateros grows to 1,000 acres

(9) Gov. Hickenlooper seeks more federal wildfire aid

(10) How to landscape for fire safety

(11) Experts predict high wildfire risk in August

(12) Crews putting finishing touches on Utah wilderness wildfire containment

(13) Wildfires bring destruction, tears to Stillwater residents

(14) Wyo. wildfire burns through bighorn sheep area

(15) New fires flare up

(16) Fire evacuations ordered in Lewis and Clark forest

(17) Fire danger sparks worries about Helena water source

(18) Federal and Local Firefighting Halts Nebraska Fires, but House Leaders Default on Disaster Aid

(19) Firefighters spend four hours Wednesday fighting fire west of Charleston

(20) Lightning more common cause of wildfires in Ark.

(21) Barnegat to get Recompensed for 2007 Forest Fire Costs

(22) WILDFIRES: Calvert introduces air-tanker transfer bill

(23) USFS Boosts Firefighting Fleet

(24) Scientists Warn Congress About Disastrous Effects of Climate Change

(25) Spain battles another forest fire

(26) Forest fires in Siberia stew about 2.2 hectares. people and 18 aircraft

(27) Mayor pleads for bushfire refuge support

(28) Emergency committee to get Margaret River fire report

(29) ‘Only you can prevent forest fires’ … with your smartphone