WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 080612

A 125-acre wildfire is burning near Lake Piru in Southern California's Los Padres National Forest (1); two others being reported in Sequoia National Forest (2); current fire conditions prompting officials to impose fire restrictions in the Sierra National Forest (3); while four hand crews cut line around a 200-acre wildfire burning near Smith Valley (4); and a 330-acre wildfire burning in Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests is expected to be contained today (5); a quartet of lightning-sparked wildfires being reported in Tahoe National Forest as well (6); while a 16 mi.² wildfire in the Plumas National Forest prompted evacuations from Belden (7). A 4,000-acre wildfire burning near Chelan, Washington, is threatening structures (8). The Red Cross received a check for nearly $8,000 from Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado to help wildfire survivors (9); while agents from the ATF and FBI are continuing their investigation into the Waldo Canyon Fire (10). Wildfire activity across Idaho is summarized by the next article (11); where nearly 50 MAFFS drops by C-130s stationed at Boise Air Terminal were ineffective on a blaze in the Boise National Forest (12); and a 35-acre wildfire burning near Banks may force evacuations (13). The next article chronicles Utah's wildfires (14); where a 47-acre blaze is being blamed on human agency (15). Firefighters in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, battled a rash of wildfires which destroyed 50 structures over the weekend (16); where the Red Cross swung into action setting up evacuation centers (17); but evacuees were finally getting to return home (18); meanwhile, firefighters are requesting help in the form of donations for bottled water and Gatorade (19). Montana Department of Natural Resources reported that a wildfire near Seeley Lake has grown to between 25 and 30 acres in size (20). US Forest Service's new policy of attacking even small fires early would have helped prevent Minnesota's Pagami Creek Fire which scorched 93,000 acres near Ely last year (21); while Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be distributing $540,000 in grants to141 rural fire departments across the state (22); but a wildfire was reported in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, over the weekend (23). Although about 200,000 acres have burned across the Last Frontier this year, Alaska Interagency Coordination Center cites it as being the second quietest in the past dozen years (24). Spanish firefighters were besieged with wildfires that broke out on the Canary Islands of La Gomera and La Palma, as well as in western Spain (25); threatening Garajonay National Park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site (26). Wildfires in Romania's Bucegi Massif which had been nearly extinguished burst to life again over the weekend (27); while Tunisian Civil Defense teams have been busy roping in wildfires in that North African nation (28). Australian electricity utility SP AusNet is the target of a Black Saturday bushfire class-action suit by residents of Marysville, Victoria (29); but the utility is disputing the police report which says that its equipment sparked a deadly bushfire in Murrindindi (30). And finally, in a sign of our times, a vintage fire grenade was misidentified as a terrorist weapon in Denver, Colorado!

(1) Los Padres National Forest fire: 125 acres charred

(2) Twin wildfires burn in Sequoia National Forest

(3) Sierra forest orders fire restrictions

(4) The R-C Morning Report

(5) Dillon Fire containment expected today

(6) Lightning sparks fires in Tahoe forest

(7) Plumas forest fire grows

(8) Wildfire burns 4,000 acres near Chelan

(9) Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado and Its Employees Assist Wildfire Victims

(10) Two investigations moving forward into cause of Waldo Canyon fire

(11) Fires Continue To Burn In The Salmon-Challis National Forest

(12) Idaho fire grows despite retardant

(13) Boise National Forest fire crews battle new blaze near Banks

(14) Wildfires continue to burn across Utah

(15) Authorities: Fire that threatened Layton homes likely caused by humans

(16) Firefighters battle hotspots as fire threat continues

(17) Wildfire Aftermath--How You Can Help

(18) Many wildfire evacuation orders lifted in Oklahoma

(19) Oklahoma firefighters need help

(20) Crews battle wildfire near Seeley Lake

(21) US Forest Service to fight small fires harder

(22) Pa. DCNR Bureau of Forestry Announces Funding for Rural Firefighters

(23) Forest fire in Hamilton

(24) Alaska's wildfire season limps to a close

(25) Firefighter Killed, Four Others Injured Battling Wildfires in Spain

(26) Wildfire threatens Canaries World Heritage site

(27) Forest fires in Romania’s Bucegi Massif flare up again

(28) Tunisia: Beja Governorate - Several Fires Under Control

(29) Bushfire class action

(30) SP AusNet rejects police report that assets caused 2009 bushfire

(31) Vintage Firefighting Equipment Sparks Bomb Scare