WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091812

A new report shows a disturbing increase in wildfires across the US which have already burned 30% more acreage this year than average (1); while the next article takes a closer look at the contribution thousands of private firefighters make in the war on wildfires across the West (2). The CL-415 Super Scoopers which fight fires from Southern California's Van Nuys Airport are profiled in the next article (3); but San Diego Gas & Electric has agreed to pay $6.4 million to the federal government to cover costs associated with wildfires in the Cleveland National Forest in 2007, part of $1.55 billion the utility has already paid out for wildfire claims (4); CoreLogic's wildfire report showing that homes in the communities of Ramona and Murrieta could be at extreme risk from future wildfires (5); while air-tankers joined firefighters on the ground in battling a wildfire in Big Sur (6). Despite the fact that we are well into September, the fire season continues to rage in the Pacific Northwest (7). A wildfire in Douglas County, Oregon, has burned between 5 and 6 acres (8); smoke from the 16,500-acre Pole Creek Fire continuing to sully the air in the Willamette Valley (9); while fire restrictions are being implemented in the communities of Forest Grove and Cornelius (10); and extreme fire danger has also forced restrictions to commercial operations in the Umpqua National Forest (11). As wildfires continued to pummel Central and Eastern Washington, air quality is suffering (12); an article from Colorado taking a look at US Forest Service's 15-year-old plan to eradicate overgrown forests nationwide by 2015 (13). One house was destroyed and a dozen evacuated due to Idaho's 75-acre Karney Fire (14); NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite providing a bird's-eye view of wildfire smoke from that state's blazes (15). The bear cub nicknamed ‘Boo Boo’, who was injured in a wildfire in Idaho, has been remanded to the custody of a wildlife sanctuary as he continues his recovery (16); and wildfire activity in Utah is the focus of the next article (17). Fire officials in Glencoe, Oklahoma, have been unable to determine the cause of August wildfires which destroyed 53 homes (18). Firefighters continued mop up operations on the 10,675-acre wildfire that burned near Ekalaka, Montana (19); while fire crews grappled with a 2,029-acre blaze on Condon Mountain which is now 50% contained (20); the next article taking a look at how environmental concerns have hobbled mechanical thinning of forests outside of Bozeman (21); the one which follows providing a look at the byproducts of wildfires which have created 7 million tons of emissions in Montana alone this year (22); veterinarians in Butte giving advice to homeowners concerned about wildfire smoke's impact on their pet's health (23). The impact of massive wildfires that have cost Nebraska $11.2 million is examined by the next article (24); while two score firefighters from Pennsylvania have returned from battling wildfires in Montana (25). A post-op report on British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley wildfire praised firefighters for their coordination and rapid deployment (26); but a new blaze at Tomslake has burned 20 ha (27). As the Australian summer approaches, fire officials are pondering what the bushfire season will hold (28); while Victoria's Bushfire Response Minister indicated that 87% of Black Saturday bushfire survivors have begun (or completed) rebuilding of their homes (29); the danger posed by bushfires to koalas along New South Wales' Tweed Coast being examined by the next article (30). A striking photo of a fire whirl outside of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, is up next (31); even as Western Australia's Emergency Services Minister indicated that their fire agencies are better prepared for bushfires this year (32). And finally, fire crews in Portland, Oregon, spent six hours performing a tricky extrication operation: getting a kitten out of a 4-inch-wide sewer pipe!

(1) Report: The Age of Western Wildfires

(2) Over 3,000 private firefighters fight fires in the West

(3) The water beneath its wings

(4) San Diego utility to pay $6M for 2007 wildfires

(5) HOUSING: Wildfires could scorch more houses than previously thought

(6) Brush fire in Big Sur

(7) Wildfire season continues in Pacific Northwest as blazes rage on

(8) New wildfire burning near Scottsburg

(9) Air apparent

(10) Forest Grove, Cornelius fire departments implement ban on all outdoor burning

(11) Extreme fire danger shuts down public land use

(12) Wildfires hurting air quality across Washington

(13) Disastrous wildfire era set to continue in Colorado

(14) House destroyed, residents evacuated due to fire

(15) Wildfires in Idaho

(16) Bear cub nicknamed ‘Boo Boo’ that was burned in wildfire recovering in central Idaho sanctuary

(17) Utah firefighters tame one blaze, but new wildfire out of control

(18) Glencoe wildfire cause unknown, investigators say

(19) Crews continue mopping up on Dugan fire near Ekalaka

(20) Condon Mountain at 2000+ acres, meeting planned

(21) Fire: Environmentalist’s Way To Thin The Forests

(22) Montana wildfires release 7 million tons of emissions

(23) Wildfire smoke can be dangerous for pets

(24) Nebraska wildfires burn hole in agency budgets

(25) Firefighters return from battling Montana fires

(26) Response to Peachland wildfires fire ‘fast,’ well co-ordinated, B.C. ministry says

(27) Forest Fire south of Tomslake

(28) Summer forecast: dry and bushfire hot

(29) Black Saturday survivors rise from ashes

(30) Fire a threat to koala population

(31) Australian Outback bushfire spawns amazing fire tornado

(32) WA 'much better prepared' for bushfire threat

(33) Firefighters rescue kitten from 4-inch sewer pipe