WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082112

An NBC News segment summarizes wildfire activity across the western US, where smoke plumes are even visible from space (1). Firefighters have completely contained a 500-acre wildfire that blazed through Southern California's Riverside County (2); while a CBS News video provides a summary of wildfire activity in Northern California (3); where a timely shift in the wind helped firefighters protect three small towns (4); the situation not helped, however, by flareups on a wildfire in Tehama County (5); but with 276,252 acres already burned across the state, the dry winter is being blamed for the ferocity of the wildfires this season (6); an Op-Ed piece from Redding asking what forest officials were thinking about as the devastating Reading Fire continues to burn (7); the contribution of California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing in fighting wildfires in Butte County being explored by the next article (8). Firefighters are making progress at last on numerous wildfires burning in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington (9); while lightning has been busy starting wildfires in southwestern Colorado (10). Although the National Guard has joined the fight against Idaho's 94,718-acre Trinity Ridge Fire, an incoming cold front could bring gusty conditions complicating the battle (11); even as the governor joined a group of dignitaries to tour the firelines (12); but the death of a firefighter in Idaho is leading to some uncomfortable questions for fire managers on a blaze fought in terrain which elite US Forest Service HotShot crews refused to enter for safety reasons (13). Firefighters in Utah are racing against the forecast of Red Flag conditions predicted in the northwestern part of the state to commence this afternoon (14). A summary of wildfire activity in Montana is up next (15); where firefighters worked overnight to complete firelines around a 2,000-acre blaze burning outside of Billings (16); a pair of CL-215s seeing some action near Flathead Lake as well (17). Lightning storms have sparked numerous wildfires across British Columbia, Canada (18); and Environment Canada sees more wildfires in BC's future, as hot, dry conditions and thunderstorms persist (19). Firefighters quickly squelched a small bushfire burning in Havant, UK (20). In the Mediterranean region, wildfires were reported in Spain, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and the North African nation of Algeria (21); the budget situation in Spain hampering firefighting efforts (22); while fire crews on the Greek island of Chios are still coping with an out-of-control wildfire which has scorched an estimated 12,000 ha (23); the plethora of fires in Greece prompting an investigation by the Greek Secret Service (24). Sri Lanka's Air Force has been called to action helping firefighters battled numerous blazes that have cropped up on that small Indian Ocean nation due to a persistent drought (25); while the difficulties of fighting wildfires in Thailand's peat swamps is examined by the next article (26). In Australia, Queensland Fire and Rescue's Prepare.Act.Survive program is highlighted by the next article (27); and with an early start to the bushfire season, firefighters in Channel Country are on high alert (28). New South Wales' Rural Fire Service is investigating a score of deliberately-set bushfires as a bushfire emergency was declared in Macleay Valley (29). And finally, the trials and tribulations of being the parent of two firefighting sons is discussed by an article from Colorado.

(1) Wildfires wreak havoc across Western US; smoke visible from space

(2) Firefighters contain 500-acre brush fire in Riverside County

(3) Wildfires threaten thousands of homes in Northern Calif.

(4) Firefighters make stand against massive wildfire

(5) Flare-ups cause flurry of activity at Mill Fire

(6) Dry winter helped fuel California's wildlands fires

(7) Mary Mitchell: 'Natural' forests must be managed

(8) 129th Rescue Wing Helps Fight Forest Fire in Butte County

(9) New wildfires flare as crews make progress in Northwest

(10) Air tankers help crews fighting 1 of wildfires started by lightning in southwestern Colorado

(11) Trinity Ridge Firefighting Effort Now Includes National Guard

(12) Idaho governor to tour state's biggest wildfires

(13) Grim Idaho officials hear report on fire, death

(14) Crews look to cloudy skies for help on wildfires

(15) Morning Fire Update: Lindbergh Lake Reopens; Reservation Fires Hold Steady

(16) Firefighters work overnight to build lines around Highway 87 fire

(17) Scoopers part of fire fight

(18) Lightning storms stoke wildfires throughout B.C.

(19) Thunderstorms keep B.C. forest firefighters on alert

(20) Bush fire in Havant

(21) EFFIS - Current Situation

(22) Spain fights raging wildfires, firefighting budgets cut

(23) Wildfire out of control on Greece's Chios island

(24) Greek secret service to investigate wildfires

(25) Air Force aid for forest fire-fighting

(26) Wildfires in peat swamp prove tough to contain

(27) New online bushfire initiative

(28) Channel Country on bushfire alert

(29) Bushfire emergency in Macleay Valley

(30) Father worries about his wildland firefighting sons