WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070412

A growing body of scientists sees Global Warming as the mechanism causing increasingly worse wildfires across the western US (1); where NASA’s Terra satellite snapped some striking photos of wildfires (2); however, firefighters are conflicted about today: on the one hand they hope the calmer weather will help their battles, but on the other hand they're worried about the impact of fireworks (3); US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell weighing in on the additional risks fireworks bring to the wildfire equation in the next article (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ty Bonnar, Vice President of Global Operations for Flexible Alternatives, Inc., passed along an article in which Wildfire NOTD subscriber Moni Basu, a Writer/Editor at CNN, interviewed Wildfire NOTD subscriber Max Moritz, an Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist for UC Berkeley's Center For Fire Research and Outreach, discusses his study on global fire risks (5). Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters knocked down a 250-acre wildfire burning near the Southern California community of Palmdale (6); fire officials in Los Padres National Forest clamping down on open fires due to the wildfire danger (7). An article from Washington state takes a look at how wildfires are being sparked by guns across the West, a worry where many celebrate Fourth of July with gunfire (8). Firefighters near Grand Junction, Colorado, have brought containment of the 13,920-acre Pine Ridge Fire to 95% (9); while providential rainfall helped firefighters bring the 18,247-acre Waldo Canyon Fire to 80% containment (10); and as life begins to return to normal, an unusual extravaganza is planned (11); Eagle Lake Camps offering scholarships to the children of firefighters who saved their property (12); a New York Times article taking a look at wildfire insurance coverage on Colorado homeowner policies (13); where an estimated $110 million in insurable losses have been incurred (14); and a National Geographic article takes a look at the threat to Colorado's water supply posed by areas burned by recent wildfires (15); but at least one former fire chief was not surprised by the Waldo Canyon Fire (16); the next article taking another look at the aging air-tanker fleet, with Colorado's governor weighing in on the fact that air-tankers have to hit the fires earlier, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for patience as USFS tries to put its firefighting house in order (17); in the meantime, the city of Basalt is mounting special patrols just in case new wildfires break out (18); and a Washington Post video shows how troops from Fort Carson are being trained to fight Colorado's wildfires (19). A 2,900-acre wildfire near Alpine, Utah, has forced evacuations of hundreds of homes (20); but a teenaged volunteer firefighter has been arrested in Utah County in connection with a number of wildfire arsons (21). The next article takes a look at some Austin, Texas, suburbs that are considered to be at high risk from wildfires (22); followed by an update on wildfire activity in Wyoming, where hundreds of people have been evacuated (23). Northern Rockies Coordination Center estimated that the cost of battling wildfires in Montana has reached the $11 million mark (24); the next article profiling South Dakota's Bear Mountain Hand Crew, which has had some tough firefighting in the Black Hills lately (25). Firefighters have nearly contained a 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands (26); but the problem of fireworks sparking wildfires in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest is complicating a situation in which arson may be the cause of some blazes (27). Arkansas Forestry Commission firefighters have fully contained a 550-acre wildfire burning in Pope County (28); while a firefighter was injured battling a 20-acre grassfire in Rutherford County, Tennessee (29); and a 1,288-acre wildfire burning in Virginia's George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is now 60% contained (30). Although Canadian firefighters have knocked down a wildfire in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Highlands National Park, they're still keeping an eye out for reignition (31). Firefighters continue to grapple with forest fires that destroyed thousands of hectares of timber outside of Valencia, Spain (32); while Bulgaria's Chief of the Fire Brigade and Civil Protection Directorate is facing some criticism over a wildfire in the mountains above the capital of Sofia (33). In another provocation for their Middle Eastern neighbor, Syria's military forces are believed to have caused a wildfire that burned across the border into Turkey in order to smoke out insurgents (34); and it's been a busy wildfire season in China, where 45,000 wildfires were extinguished between January and June (35). In Australia, Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment's Chief Fire Officer is calling it quits after 40 years on the job (36); but despite the fact it's wintertime, Queensland's Community Safety Minister recommended that property owners begin preparing for bushfire season (37); while an inquest into a fatal crash that occurred in 2008 due to a bushfire detour took a surprise turn in Western Australia (38). And finally, it was a happy ending for Daisy the pit bull, who was rescued by firefighters racing against the clock in Gresham, Oregon!

(1) Global warming seen as a factor in wildfires

(2) Wildfire Images Captured On Nasa Satellite

(3) Western firefighters hoping for calmer weather

(4) Forest Service chief: July 4 brings additional fire risks

(5) Study warns of continued rise in wildfires in western U.S., elsewhere

(6) Wildfire Burns 250 Acres of Ranchland North of LA

(7) Fire restrictions take effect in Los Padres forest

(8) Guns blamed for sparking some wildfires in West

(9) Colorado Wildfires: Pine Ridge fire 95 percent contained

(10) Rain helps firefighters at Waldo Canyon fire, now 80 percent contained

(11) From wildfire disaster to Fourth of July extravaganza

(12) Firefighters' Kids to Benefit After Colo. Camps Saved

(13) Wildfire Damage is Generally Covered by Homeowners’ Policies

(14) Waldo Canyon Fire toll hits $110 million for lost homes in Colorado wildfire

(15) Colorado Wildfires Threaten Water Supplies

(16) Colorado wildfire: Former chief feared blaze like Waldo Canyon

(17) Tanker crash shows US firefighting fleet badly needs overhaul, critics say

(18) Basalt firefighters start special wildfire patrols

(19) Army Soldiers Join Wildfire Fight

(20) Crews battle Alpine wildfire; homes still evacuated

(21) Volunteer firefighter arrested in connection with arsons

(22) Woodlands, Magnolia at high risk for wildfires

(23) Wyoming wildfires force hundreds to evacuate

(24) Montana wildfire costs reach $11 million

(25) Wildland Firefighting: Working The Line

(26) Authorities closing in on central Neb. forest fire

(27) Mark Twain fire could be arson, authorities say

(28) Western Ark. wildfire contained, 550 acres burned

(29) Firefighter treated after grass fire burns in Rutherford Co.

(30) Firefighters report progress destroying forest fire fuel source

(31) Crews keep watch on forest fire site in C.B. Highlands National Park

(32) Forest fires engulf tourist destination

(33) Firefighting Operation in Bulgaria's Vitosha Well-Organized - Chief

(34) Turkish firefighters, helicopters battle blazes along Syrian border

(35) Firefighters put out 45,000 fires in Jan-June

(36) Victoria DSE fire chief Waller quits

(37) Prepare for bushfire season now

(38) Surprise witness in fatal crash inquest

(39) Firefighters Pull Dog to Safety from 200-Foot Deep Quarry