WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051912

"Air Fest 2012: Thunder over the Empire" at March Air Reserve Base in Southern California's Moreno Valley is expected to feature the DC-10 VLAT (1); but aside from one case of heat exhaustion, CAL FIRE announced that a 600-acre wildfire that burned across the Mexican border into San Diego County has been contained (2); one of two wildfires reported in the county (3). A 27 mi.² wildfire burning in northern Nevada is now 50% contained (4). As Arizona's Gladiator Fire neared 10,000 acres in size, evacuation warnings went out to the communities of Pine Flat and Cleator (5); firefighters on the ground getting an assist from air-tankers based at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (6); the smoke from the wildfires causing visibility problems for motorists on Arizona's highways (7); drought conditions prompting fire officials to ban open fires in the Tonto National Forest (8); and a radio segment with US Sen. Jon McCain discusses the need to replace aging air-tankers in the federal fleet (9). Rugged terrain challenged firefighters battling a 410-acre wildfire in New Mexico's Gila National Forest (10). As temperatures dropped and humidity increased, firefighters battling a 12 mi.² wildfire outside of Fort Collins, Colorado, announced that they had achieved 45% containment of the blaze (11); said blaze apparently having been sparked by a camp stove (12). A 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Tooele County, Utah, was apparently sparked by a faulty catalytic converter (13); while the Dixie National Forest is asking for public comment on its proposed Fuelbreaks Improvement Project (14). Members of the Texas Wildfire Prevention Task Force are gathering data on wildfire damage incurred in that state last year to better prepare for wildfires of the future (15). A 216-acre wildfire burning in Minnesota's Superior National Forest is now 60% contained (16); the contribution of air-tankers in helping to corral it being chronicled by the next article (17); the BBC broadcasting information about the fire to 140 countries (18). It has been revealed that last year's wildfires moved faster than information conveyed to Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and other responding agencies (19); followed by an article that covers wildfire activity in Sudbury, Ontario (20). A bushfire in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, that briefly threatened a home was apparently started to clear land for a garden (21). And finally, Ontario, Canada's, Ministry of Natural Resources has a request for recreational boaters in areas near wildfires: just stay away from the water-scooping aircraft and nobody will get hurt!

(1) Nearby Moreno Valley Air Show to Draw Nearly 400,000 People This Weekend

(2) Crews close lines around border-area wildfire


(3) Two Wildfires in San Diego County Keep Fire Crews Busy


(4) Wildfire in Remote NV Range Burns 27 Square Miles


(5) UPDATE: Gladiator fire spreads to 9,900 acres


(6) Air tankers refuel at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport


(7) Wildfire causes heavy smoke, reduced speed on AZ roads


(8) No fires allowed in Tonto National Forest


(9) McCain: "Looming serious situation" with old air tankers


(10) Wildfires heating up in N.M., neighbors


(11) Cool weather aids in fight against Colo. wildfire


(12) Colorado wildfire started on camp stove


(13) Rains help firefighting efforts in Tooele County


(14) Dixie National Forest Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Community Fire Fuelbreaks Project Adjacent to Central New Harmony and Pine Valley


(15) Staples tours western wildfire damage


(16) Forest fire in NE Minnesota 60 percent contained


(17) Rescue-ready aircraft helped save Ely from wildfire


(18) Thanks to BBC crew, Ely wildfire gained worldwide attention


(19) Alberta wildfires outstripping information


(20) Firefighters combat bush blazes


(21) Bushfire Extinguished Before It Could Reach Nearby House


(22) Watch for waterbombers, boaters advised