WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 061412

In Southern California, San Bernardino County Fire Department battled a 20-acre wildfire near Hesperia Airport this morning (1); while a 3-acre wildfire that burned near the San Diego County community of El Cajon was quickly squelched by firefighters on the ground and in the air (2); but an Op-Ed piece touches on the link between forest plantation practices and increasingly severe wildfires in Northern California (3). A press release from Oregon by the National Wildfire Suppression Association laments the fact that 10,000 firefighters are sitting idle while wildfires scorch the West (4); and a 1,500-acre wildfire was reported in Grant County, Washington, yesterday (5). A summary of wildfire activity in Arizona, where four major blazes continue to burn, is provided by the next item (6). Fire officials are concerned about the damage wildfires in the Sandia and Manzano mountains could cause to that state's communications, basically "knocking New Mexico's mass communications system back into the dark ages" (7); where firefighters continued to battle a 37,000-acre blaze burning in the Lincoln National Forest (8); while US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell discussed introducing fire back into the forestry equation (9). The 490,000-acre High Park Fire, which is burning in Larimer County, Colorado, is now 10% contained (10); but it may take weeks to finally bring it under control (11); the next article providing a slide show of air-tankers in action over the blaze (12); followed by a firefighter's perspective on the fire (13); a video segment giving one a bird's-eye view of the fires (14). Of 19 human-caused wildfires reported this season in Idaho, Boise District Bureau of Land Management believes four were sparked by exploding shooting targets (15). An update on wildfires in Utah is provided by the next item (16); where homes were damaged by a wildfire that burned between 15 and 20 acres in Washington County (17); but although the final report will not be ready for months, National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report indicates that Tanker 11 veered off course from its lead plane before crashing into a mountain in that state, killing the crew (18). The cost of fighting a 33 sq mile wildfire in Michigan's Upper Peninsula that destroyed 136 structures has been pegged at $3.5 million (19); and a debris fire turned into a wildfire in Fort Wayne, Indiana (20). Teenagers playing with a lighter sparked a 1-acre wildfire in Blount County, Tennessee (21); while trains were stopped by a wildfire in Seneca County, Ohio, that may have been sparked by a passing train (22). An Op-Ed from Washington, DC, argues for changes in the federal forest strategy (23); while President Obama signed a bill which will expedite the air-tanker contracting process, allowing fire managers to add more aircraft to the depleted ranks of heavies (24); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tyler Miller sending along two articles on the topic: the first naming air-tanker companies that won new contracts (25); the second providing more details on Neptune Aviation's contract, with comments by Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Snyder, President of Neptune Aviation, and details on Tom Harbour's decision not to extend exclusive-use contracts to any VLATs (26). In Canada, Labrador's Department of Natural Resources is concerned about the growth of a wildfire north of North West River and Sheshatshiu (27); while a 1,072-hectare wildfire was reported in Spain's Valencia province (28). Teak trees in the Philippine's Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve will be trimmed back to reduce the danger from wildfires (29); and Cambodia has banned smoking in its Angkor temple archaeological site to reduce the danger of wildfires (30). In Western Australia, Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan is under scrutiny in regards to his testimony about events during the Perth Hills bushfire (31). And finally, a group of young people is hoping to raise $15,000 for bushfire survivors in Margaret River through the Pritchard Francis Perth to Surf continuous walk!

(1) Brush fire threatens homes

(2) Brush fire burns close to homes in El Cajon

(3) Sue Lynn: Logging practices stoke fire risk

(4) National Wildfire Suppression Assoc. Claims 10,000 Firefighters Are Sitting As Wildfires Rage

(5) Wildfire burns 1,500 acres near Othello

(6) Arizona wildfires: More containment on 4 blazes

(7) East Mountain fire could put Sandia Crest communications system at risk

(8) Firefighters hold line against destructive New Mexico blaze

(9) US wildfires fuel urgency for forest restoration

(10) Colorado wildfire now over 49,000 acres, containment at 10 percent

(11) Long-feared Colo. wildfire may take weeks to control

(12) High Park fire air attack a yo-yo ride (slide show)

(13) Colorado Firefighter Details Fighting A Wildfire

(14) Colorado wildfires seen from above

(15) Federal land managers say exploding targets fuel wildfires

(16) Crews hem in Utah wildfires; open fires ban in place statewide

(17) Brush fire comes too close for comfort in Wash. County neighborhood

(18) Report: Air tanker crashed into mountain

(19) Big wildfire in Michigan's UP could cost DNR $3.5M

(20) FWFD puts out small brush fire

(21) Firefighters put out brush fire, warn of hot, dry conditions

(22) Brush Fire Stops Train Traffic

(23) Forest-fire prevention not meeting the need

(24) New bill targets aging airtanker fleet

(25) USDA Forest Service Announces Award of Large Air Tanker Agreements; Federal Partners to Have New Resources to Suppress Wildfires

(26) Neptune Aviation wins contract for 2 more retardant bombers

(27) Forest fire puts Labrador communities on alert

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Teak trees in Buhisan to be pruned

(30) Cambodia bans smoking around famous Angkor temples to prevent fires, aid health of visitors

(31) CCC to release O'Callaghan bushfire report

(32) Perth to Surf walk for fire funds