WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091212

A wildfire which has burned 6.5 mi.² in Southern California's Angeles National Forest is now 91% contained (1); after costing $9 million to fight, one third of that cost attributed to air-tanker activity (2); a summary of wildfire activity in Northern California being provided by the next article (3); where CAL FIRE indicated that the 4,618-acre Scotts Fire had been brought to 50% containment (4); and an Op-Ed piece discusses the impact of climate change on wildfire activity, with comments from Wildfire NOTD subscriber Max Moritz, a Scientist at UC Berkeley's Center For Fire Research and Outreach (5). A summary of wildfire activity across Oregon is up next (6); followed by an update on wildfires in Washington state, where the impact of wildfire smoke on air quality is a concern (7). An overview on wildfires burning in several western states is provided by the next article (8); while firefighters from several departments quickly squelched a small wildfire on the grounds of Fort Carson, Colorado (9). Idaho's Mustang Complex Fire grew to 300,000 acres in the Salmon-Challis National Forest (10); while health officials were concerned about the impact of wildfire smoke on air quality in the region (11); and smoke from a 4,000-acre wildfire burning in the Payette National Forest is making for hazy skies in Adams County as well (12). The theft of a US Forest Service trailer in Cache County, Utah, led to an illegal drug bust (13). Statistics on the fire danger to residents of Oklahoma are provided in a Wildfire Hazard Risk Report from CoreLogic (14); where a photographer is providing free family photo sessions to wildfire survivors (15). Texas Forest Service’s Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal shows that a high wildfire risk exists between Fort Worth and San Antonio (16). An update on Wyoming's Sheep Herder Hill Fire, which has burned 24 mi.², destroying seven homes and threatening hundreds more, is provided by the next article (17); while the DC-10 joined other firefighting aircraft flying out of Casper/Natrona County International Airport to battle wildfires in that state (18). An Op-Ed piece from Montana complains about Canadian air-tankers taking business away from American firms (19); meanwhile, a 26-acre wildfire was reported on Moose Mountain (20). A segment from Minnesota Public Radio takes another look at the massive wildfire which raged through the Superior National Forest last year as a harbinger of things to come (21); the next article exploring how firefighting tactics have changed since that fire (22). Fire crews quenched a 200-acre wildfire burning near Utica, Illinois (23). Canadian firefighters have brought containment on a 200-hectare wildfire burning outside of Peachland, British Columbia, to 85% (24); while a much smaller blaze which occurred in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve was quickly snuffed (25); and residents of Lethbridge County, Alberta, were allowed to return home as firefighters gained the upper hand on a 5000-hectare wildfire (26); while twenty wildfires continue to burn in Northeastern Ontario (27). As wildfire activity continued to diminish in the Mediterranean Basin, wildfires were reported in Spain and Turkey (28). Several communities in Victoria, Australia, will be using schools as bushfire refugees (29); even as firefighters in Melbourne protested proposed cuts to firefighting budgets on the eve of bushfire season (30); while the next article takes another look at the impact of proposed cuts in Queensland Rural Fire Service's ranks (31). And finally, First Responders may be getting an assist from an unlikely source in future natural disasters: cyborg cockroaches!

(1) Wildfire northeast of LA 91 percent contained

(2) Williams Fire costing nearly $9 million; 100 percent contained

(3) Ward Fire burns about 460 acres south of Castella

(4) Firefighters gain more control of Scotts Fire; Cal Fire updates county supervisors on incident

(5) Climate change means more wildfires (2)

(6) Central Oregon wildfire emits hazardous smoke as other blazes around state near full containment

(7) Air quality 'hazardous' at Wenatchee Complex wildfires

(8) Stubborn wildfires vex crews in Northwest, Calif.

(9) Firefighters contain wildfire at Fort Carson

(10) Wind, lightning test firefighters

(11) Officials: Smoke from Idaho wildfire poses health risk

(12) Wesley Fire grows, smoke fills New Meadows

(13) Stolen Forest Service Trailer Leads to Utah Drug Bust

(14) CoreLogic finds Oklahoma at lowest risk for wildfire among Western states

(15) Green Country Photographer Offers Free Sessions To Wildfire Victims

(16) High wildfire risk between Fort Worth and San Antonio

(17) Casper Mountain fire claims 7 homes; air tankers, helicopters, dozers poised to attack blaze

(18) DC-10, other firefighting aircraft rally from Casper airport

(19) Guest opinion: Reliance on Canadian aircraft leaves U.S. firefighters out of work

(20) Fire crews get handle on Moose Mountain fire

(21) Last year's Pagami Creek blaze part of trend of worsening fires

(22) Fire fighting tactics in BWCAW more aggressive

(23) UPDATE: Wildfire burns 200 acres (Video)

(24) Peachland wildfire: Firefighters are getting a handle on a massive fire

(25) Rapid response douses Saturna Island forest fire

(26) Evacuees return home as province's wildfires doused

(27) Air action taken in Wawa-area forest fire

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Schools to be Vic fire refuges

(30) Firefighters to rally in Melbourne

(31) State sacks more than half of Rural Fire Service uniformed officers

(32) Cyborg cockroaches to be future emergency responders