WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101912

A New York Times article discusses wildfires still burning in California and the Pacific Northwest in a year which may break all records, with 10 million acres burned (1); and on the technology front, the next article takes a look at advances in wildfire simulation software (2). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Andrew Madsen, Public Affairs Officer for Southern California's Los Padres National Forest, said that although the cause of Santa Barbara's Lookout Fire was still under investigation, the 44-acre blaze was fully contained (3); the next article profiling a P-2V pilot involved in the aerial firefight over that blaze (4); while the Oakland Wildfire Prevention Assessment District Advisory Committee has made treatment of vegetation in the Sibley Triangle a priority (5); but a 300-acre wildfire in Lake County has forced closure of Highway 29 (6). A lawsuit has been filed by residents of Washington state impacted by the Taylor Bridge Fire against a contractor accused of starting the blaze that scorched 23,000 acres, destroying dozens of homes (7). A tally of prescribed burns in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest is provided by the next item (8); while an article from Payson points out that the fire season is not yet over in that state (9). Heavy air attack was the order of the day on wildfires in southwest Colorado (10). Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands reported a 100-acre wildfire in Morgan County (11); and a 2,000-acre blaze was also reported in Summit County (12). Firefighters in Austin, Texas, coordinated mock wildfire attacks with a STAR Flight helicopter Thursday (13); but homeowners in Bastrop County, already dealing with the loss of their homes to wildfires, now have a contractor who seems unable to rebuild them! (14) In Montana, Ravalli County and the Bitterroot National Forest will be lifting fire restrictions at midnight (15); even as wildfire smoke begins to thin out in the Bitterroot and Missoula valleys (16). A summary of wildfire activity across South Dakota is provided by the next article (17). Nebraska Emergency Management Agency reported wind-driven wildfires burning in seven counties (18); including one outside of Crookston that has closed Highway 20 (19); the next article taking a look at how farmers and firefighters worked as a team to battle a 3,500-acre blaze outside of Sutton (20). A new study from Spain's University of Barcelona suggests that precipitation and temperature conditions regulate fuel flammability and fuel structure in wildfires (21); while a five-hectare bushfire outside of Wairarapa, New Zealand, may take weeks to put out (22). With 20 bushfires already burning in New South Wales, Australia, forecasts of high temperatures and low humidity auger more in the coming days (23); but evacuees from Euleilah, Queensland, are being allowed to return home after fire crews stopped a bushfire short of the town (24). And finally, Smokey Bear is making the rounds of kindergartens with the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry Forest Fire Service!

(1) Why the Wildfires Still Rage

(2) Wildland Fire Simulation: An Improvised Software Solution

(3) Lookout Fire contained ahead of schedule

(4) Firefighting Pilots Play Key Role in Lookout Fire Containment

(5) Sibley project targets wildfires

(6) Wildfire burns 300 acres in Lake County; Hwy 29 closed

(7) Lawsuit Filed in Washington's Taylor Bridge Fire

(8) Prescribed Fires on the Kaibab National Forest

(9) The Fire Season Seems To Be Hanging On

(10) Air forces take aim at fires

(11) Brush fire in Morgan County grows to 100 acres

(12) Bush fire near Echo Canyon

(13) Austin firefighters, STAR Flight train for wildfires

(14) Bastrop homeowners: Burned by wildfires, now by contractor

(15) Fire restrictions lifted on Bitterroot National Forest

(16) Weather calms smoke from MT, ID wildfires

(17) 100-acre fire near Custer, winds continue to gust

(18) Nebraska firefighters battle blazes in 7 counties

(19) Wildfire forces residents to evacuate Crookston

(20) In Sutton, teamwork stands in face of windswept wildfire

(21) Forest Fires Linked to High Temperatures Two Years Before

(22) Forest fire hard to extinguish

(23) Bushfire danger high for weekend

(24) Central Qld town saved from bushfire

(25) Smokey the Bear teaches kids all about fire safety