WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080412

A pair of Southern California Congressmen have joined a dozen others in sponsoring a bill which would transfer C-27 Spartan transports from the military to US Forest Service for firefighting purposes (1); but following an NIFC report about the fire danger across the state, Los Angeles-based Fire Protection Group discussed how to protect homes from wildfires (2); the next article taking a look at wildfire activity in Northern California (3); where fire officials will be imposing fire restrictions on the Eldorado National Forest this next week (4); which is probably a good idea, since the National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch for communities along the Sierra Nevada mountain range on both the California and Nevada sides (5). After a slow start to the fire season, Washington state has reported several major fires (6); while Arizona power utility SRP is working with customers to help re-forest parts of that state ravaged by wildfires (7). A summary of wildfire activity in Colorado is provided by the next article (8); where military C-130 air-tankers joined the fray fighting wildfires in the Rockies (9); the Chief Executive of Aspen Center for Environmental Studies weighing in on the impact of climate change on wildfires in the West (10). A 150-acre wildfire was reported near Cambridge, Idaho (11). Fire crews continued to make progress on wrapping up wildfires across Utah (12); where several national parks and forests have had their fire restrictions lifted due to the onset of monsoonal weather (13); while fire agencies will be working with the citizens of Summit County, Utah, to formulate a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (14). Wind-driven wildfires forced hundreds to evacuate in four Oklahoma counties (15); Gov. Mary Fallin imposing burn bans in all 77 counties (16); then touring the town of Luther, which lost 56 homes to an arson wildfire (17). Wildfires in a trio of East Texas counties have all been contained, according to Texas Forest Service (18). Wildfires continued to blaze across Montana (19); but favorable weather is allowing firefighters in Lewis and Clark National Forest to make progress on a 15,666-acre wildfire there (20); even as Neptune Aviation begins shakedown flights of its second BAe-146 air-tanker from Missoula International Airport on Monday (21). Five dozen wildfires are burning in Saskatchewan, Canada, bringing the total this year to 336 (22); while Russian IL-76 air-tankers flew several sorties battling more than four dozen wildfires in Krasnoyarsk Krai (23). Firefighters on the Indian Ocean island nation of Sri Lanka pressed Air Force helicopters into helping battle a wildfire in Ohiya Forest (24); and Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency has formulated a plan for cutting down on the number of forest fires which includes the seeding of rainclouds beginning next weekend (25). A devastating drought with increased bushfire activity may be in the cards for Australia's eastern regions later this year (26). And finally, Virginia Department of Forestry will be helping Smokey Bear to observe his 68th birthday August 9th!

(1) Local Reps Introduce Bill to Snag Military Planes for Fighting Fires

(2) Wildfire Risk Report Urges Continued Vigilance through September

(3) Wildfires: 900 acres burned along I-5 and 4,800 acres near Quincy

(4) Fire restrictions go into effect in Eldorado Forest

(5) After wildfire smoke hazed Reno's skies, lightning could bring new fire danger

(6) Wildfires burning in central, southeast Washington

(7) SRP customers help reforest areas devastated by Arizona fires

(8) Wildfires blaze in parched northwest Colorado

(9) More C-130 tankers called on to fight fires

(10) Guest Commentary: Stopping the loss of the West's forests

(11) Wildfire near Cambridge threatens structures

(12) Crews contain Dallas Canyon blaze; fire danger still high

(13) Fire restriction changes; affects Dixie National Forest, National Parks, BLM, BIA and other defined lands

(14) Residents asked to help prepare wildfire plan

(15) Wind-whipped Oklahoma wildfires destroy homes

(16) Enid volunteers aid firefighting efforts

(17) Oklahoma governor tours town burned by wildfire

(18) Forest Service: Fires in Cass, Van Zandt, Shelby counties contained

(19) Wildfires in Bob Marshall, Scapegoat slowed by old burn areas

(20) Firefighters make gains on Augusta blazes in Lewis and Clark forest

(21) Neptune Aviation gets 2nd firefighting jet, but contract protest delays use

(22) Province not concerned by the rise in forest fires

(23) More than 50 bushfires in Krasnoyarsk Krai

(24) Ohiya forest fire continues

(25) Disaster Agency Completes Plan to Prevent Forest Fires

(26) Big wet may take back seat as El Nino looms high and dry on horizon

(27) Virginia Department of Forestry: Smokey the Bear turns 68 on Aug. 9; agency recently reorganizes