Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 060512

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for Associated Aerial Firefighters, sent along a safety notice about a new airworthiness directive by the FAA in regards to CL-215 and CL-415 air-tankers that discusses cracking issues (1). A 15-acre wildfire burning in Southern California's Angeles National Forest near Mount Baldy Village was contained (2); while a small wildfire was reported in the San Bernardino National Forest as well (3); and aircraft are still on alert at Porterville Air Attack Base as efforts to contain the 2,000-acre George Fire, burning in Sequoia National Forest, continue (4); where cooler weather may work to the firefighters' advantage as they brought containment to 35% (5). Proper forest thinning practices are credited with keeping a wildfire near Orient, Washington, manageable (6); and the Department of Natural Resources will be offering a Media Wildfire Orientation seminar June 12th in Olympia to prepare reporters for conditions on the fireline (7). As wildfires continue to burn across the Southwest, Arizona's Prescott National Forest will be increasing fire restrictions June 8th (8). NASA satellites snapped a dramatic photo of smoke plumes from New Mexico's 377 mi.² Whitewater-Baldy Fire from space (9); which was visited by US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell (10); even as a U.S. Congressman representing New Mexico's Second District commented on the need for responsible forest management by US Forest Service (11); the grounding of air-tankers after crashes over the weekend already impacting a 182-acre wildfire burning in the Santa Fe National Forest (12); however, several roads will reopen soon (13); but some parts of Cibola National Forest may be closed due to the fire danger (14); and smoky air has forced officials to close Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (15). The next article provides an update on wildfires in Colorado (16); where air-tankers joined the fray over a 200-acre wildfire burning in Larimer County (17); and in the fourth installment of a series from Pagosa Springs, the deadly wildfire that burned on Storm King Mountain in 1994 is revisited (18). A trio of wildfires in Idaho have scorched 6,500 acres (19); as friends remembered the two Boise air-tanker pilots killed in the crash of Tanker 11 on Sunday (20). National Transportation Safety Board personnel began inspecting Tanker 11's crash site in Utah (21); some wondering if this bodes ill for the future of the air-tanker industry as a whole (22); the following article providing a retrospective on air-tanker crashes over the years (23); while the next provides an update on wildfires burning across Utah (24). Rookie firefighters got their first taste of wildland firefighting in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest (25). As firefighters brought Michigan's 21,094-acre Duck Lake Fire to 76% containment, Department of Natural Resources officials recommended fire-resistant landscaping to homeowners in the Upper Peninsula to help their homes survive wildfires (26); air-tanker drops accounting for a large percentage of the $600,000 spent on that wildfire (27). Arkansas Forestry Commission revealed that 150 wildfires burned over 1,500 acres in that state in May, a six-fold increase from normal (28). The New York National Guard will be testing a new wildfire-fighting helicopter along the Mohawk River in Saratoga County (29); and a restoration company is providing its services to help wildfire survivors repair damaged homes (30). A Florida-based wireless concern has received $2 million in orders for their equipment from US Forest Service to assist wildland firefighters with their communications on the fireline (31); but two dozen homes were evacuated as a 1,000-acre fire on Oahu, Hawaii, spread from Lualualei Valley to Waianae Valley (32). Firefighters in the Scottish Highlands remained on high fire alert after a pair of wildfires broke out (33); and as winter in southern Africa approaches, Namibia National Farmers Union warned members about the heightened veld fire danger (34). In India, Uttarakhand's Chief Minister stated that over 9,000 km of fire breaks would be established around forested areas threatened by wildfires (35); meanwhile, fire officials are nervously watching temperatures rise in the Himalayas (36); and fires continued to rage in Jammu and Kashmir, as well (37). In Australia, the Victorian Emergency Services commissioner indicated that trials of a bushfire siren in the town of Lorne will be starting soon (38); but a disturbing report about a controlled burn conducted under dangerous conditions in South Australia's Wirrabara Forest is detailed in the next article (39). And finally, firefighters from Rutherford County Fire and Rescue in Tennessee, received a fire call for a familiar location: their own fire station!

(1) AD: Bombardier Inc. Airplanes

(2) Brush fire burns 15 acres in Angeles National Forest

(3) Fire erupts in San Bernardino National Forest

(4) Air Tankers on standby to return to George Fire

(5) Cooler weather aids firefighters in Sequoia forest

(6) Forest thinning kept brush fire small

(7) Media Wildfire Orientation offered in Olympia June 12

(8) Prescott National Forest Enters Stage II Fire Restrictions June 8th

(9) Huge wildfire in New Mexico spotted by NASA satellite

(10) US Forest chief surveys record-setting fire in NM, expected to address fatal tanker crash

(11) Their View: Responsible forest management is imperative

(12) Bear Springs fire threatens structures

(13) Fires burn in Jemez as forest roads reopen

(14) Fire danger growing in Nat'l Forest

(15) Wildfire smoke forces landmark closure

(16) Small tanker, helicopters help fight Colo. fire

(17) Larimer County fire to get heavy air support Tuesday

(18) In the Line of Fire, Part Four

(19) 6,500 Acres Burned by Wildfire over Weekend

(20) Friends remember crewmen killed in air tanker crash

(21) Deadly crash of air tanker fighting Utah wildfire probed

(22) Firefighting Plane Crash Cause for Concern in Fleet

(23) Aging air tankers crashing

(24) Investigators visiting scene of fatal air tanker crash in western Utah

(25) Rookie firefighters get hands-on training

(26) DNR recommends steps to limit U.P. wildfire damage

(27) Officials: Seney refuge wildfire in Michigan's Upper Peninsula cost more than $600K to fight

(28) Dry May saw higher than usual forest fire numbers

(29) NY Army Guard to test firefighting helicopter on Mohawk River

(30) Weather Alert: Mascon Restoration Provides Repair Services as Wildfire Season Hits America

(31) RELM Wireless Receives $2.0 Million in Orders From U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service & National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)

(32) Homes in the back of Waianae Valley evacuated as fire approaches

(33) Fire brigade remain on alert after wildfires break out in Highlands

(34) Namibia: Fire Hazard Warning

(35) Bahuguna expresses concern over rising cases of forest fire

(36) Dry weather, soaring mercury cause forest fires

(37) Fire spreads in Nowshera forest area, destroys flora and fauna

(38) Lorne siren sounding very soon

(39) Bushfire raised in parliament

(40) Firefighters get call their station is on fire

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