WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082912

The US military's MAFFS fleet has dropped an astounding 2,152,603 gallons of fire retardant during 899 drops on fires in 10 states so far this fire season (1). Firefighters quickly knocked down a one-acre wildfire in the Southern California community of La Crescenta (2); while an Op-Ed piece takes aim at the controversial fire fee imposed by the legislature (3); and as eight major blazes continued to burn in Northern California, strong winds were making firefighting gains tenuous (4); but at least the 27,676-acre Ponderosa Fire is now fully contained (5); while the California Invasive Plant Council sent along an item on how wildfires can enhance the spread of invasive weeds (6). A summary of wildfire activity in Oregon is provided by the next article (7); where a pair of hunters had to be rescued by helicopter as a fast-burning wildfire cut off their retreat (8). The next article discusses the 65 lookout towers still utilized by US Forest Service in Arizona (9); while in New Mexico, the Ruidoso/Lincoln County Association of Realtors is advocating a new special interest group which would lobby for better wildfire protection for homeowners in the western US (10). Firefighters were struggling to contain a pair of small wildfires in Larimer County, Colorado (11); and government officials will be meeting with homeowners in Fort Collins who lost their homes during that state's wildfires to discuss insurance issues (12). An 18,000-acre wildfire burning in Idaho's Jordan Valley caused some traffic delays (13); the next article exploring a brewing feud between ranchers and firefighting agencies (14). As the first anniversary of the devastating Bastrop County wildfires approaches, Texans reflected on the event (15); while a 7,500-acre wildfire and six small wildfires continued to burn in Wyoming (16). A wildfire which has scorched 5 mi.² between Whitehall and Butte, Montana, forced the evacuation of 100 homes (17); strong winds coupled with low humidity have complicating firefighting efforts on the 40,653-acre Delphia Fire burning near Roundup (18); and the 19 Mile Fire is now 3,000 acres in size (19). Nebraska National Forest reported a pair of wildfires burning in its environs (20); while a SEAT has been prepositioned in Valentine, South Dakota, due to extreme wildfire conditions in the area (21). Wildfires continue to pop up in Southern Illinois despite recent rains (22); a video of SEAT ground operations in Arkansas following that article (23). Heading to Canada, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Development hailed new growth in a 560,000-hectare area burned by the largest wildfire in that province's history (24); but wildfire smoke from British Columbia is sullying the air in Calgary (25); and the fire situation in an Ontario is up next (26). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for the Associated Aerial Firefighters, sent along an interesting video from the BBC which talks about how US Forest Service mules help firefighters battling wildfires (27). In the Mediterranean Basin, wildfires were reported in Spain, Italy, Greece, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania (28); while a segment from Public Radio International provides an update on wildfire activity in cash-strapped Spain (29); the next article showing some sobering statistics about how much has been lost to wildfires in that country so far this year (30); a British expatriate recounting his own experiences with Spanish wildfires (31); the following video segment providing a summary of wildfire activity in Bosnia (32). A debris burn sparked a wildfire which snarled traffic on the Pacific island of Fiji (33). In Australia, local officials in Victoria are protesting the fact that they have to become tax collectors for the state government's new bushfire levy (34); Rural Fire Service's Chief Commissioner providing an outlook on the bushfire situation in New South Wales in the next item (35); Australia Capital Territory's Emergency Services Agency adding that an abundance of fuel will make for a challenging bushfire season (36); but several agencies in the Northern Territory are coordinating their efforts to reduce bushfire arson (37). And finally, firefighters in Florida had a tricky extrication to perform: getting a Jack Russell terrier out of a tortoise hole!

(1) DoD/Forest Service firefighting aircraft see record year

(2) Firefighters knock down La Crescenta brush fire

(3) If we pay fee, put fires out

(4) Strong winds hinder efforts to contain wildfires

(5) Ponderosa Fire finally contained

(6) Fire and Fuel Management

(7) New Eastern Oregon wildfire in national forest

(8) Ore. wildfire traps 2 hunters, helicopter called

(9) From atop their silent perches, fire lookouts standing guard

(10) Lincoln County Realtors Push for New Wildfire Policy

(11) Firefighting resources limited as two small fires burn near Carter Lake

(12) High Park wildfire victims airing grievances

(13) Wildfire near Idaho-Oregon border causes traffic delays

(14) Fire Controversy Brewing Between Ranchers and Firefighting Agencies

(15) One year later, Bastrop still needs help rebuilding after wildfires

(16) Teton Wilderness wildfire puts up lots of smoke

(17) Wildfire forces evacuations near Whitehall

(18) Delphia fire 75% contained; firefighters brace for extreme fire conditions

(19) 19 Mile Fire now at 3,000 acres

(20) (Neb.)-Forest Service Provides Estimates On Panhandle Fires

(21) Fire conditions so extreme, suppression plane housed at Miller Field in Valentine

(22) Firefighters still urge caution when burning

(23) Video: Airtankers refuel for wildfire

(24) New life sprouts at site of largest wildfire in Alberta’s modern history

(25) B.C. forest fires continue to affect Calgary air quality

(26) The latest on regional forest fires

(27) Can firefighting mules balance California's budget?

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Drought causes rash of forest fires in Spain as budget cuts limit firefighting resources

(30) Spain: Forest fires destroy 149,298 hectare so far

(31) Forest fire nearly razed my Spanish home

(32) Wildfires rage in southern Bosnia

(33) Bushfire sparks warning

(34) Councils to become tax collectors with Victoria's new bushfire levy

(35) Bushfire warning for far west NSW

(36) Increased bushfire risk for ACT

(37) NT crackdown on arson

(38) Firefighters rescue Jack Russell terrier from tortoise burrow