WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 071612

An editorial from San Bernardino County revisits the issue of US Forest Service prohibitions against fighting wildfires from the air at night on federal land in Southern California (1); followed by a Los Angeles Times article that provides an update on two wildfires burning in Northern California (2); where firefighters have brought a 2,500-acre wildfire burning in Placer County to 30% containment (3). The Conservation Director of the Oregon Natural Desert Association discussed the damage wrought by Oregon's largest wildfire in a century on wildlife habitat (4); and a pair of wildfires have scorched more than 2,000 acres near Mansfield in Central Washington (5). Firefighters in Colorado recounted the warning signs detected early in the Waldo Canyon Fire that this was going to be a catastrophic blaze (6). A summary of wildfire activity in Utah is provided by the next article (7); where a wildfire that burned over 19,000 acres near Minersville is now 100% contained (8); and wildfire activity has tallied up to over $47 million in suppression costs (9). Wildfire activity in Wyoming, where a 12 mi.² blaze threatens to burn into Glendo State Park, is up next (10); but the following article takes a look at preventative measures property owners can take to reduce the danger of wildfires in Montana, which has seen only 26% of normal rainfall so far this year (11). Wildfire activity in Upstate New York, where a three-acre blaze along the Adirondack Scenic Railroad is nearly extinguished, is provided by the next article (12); while Alaska Fire Service has unveiled a new lightning detector system to get a better handle on wildfires in the interior (13). Heat and dry conditions have firefighters worried about more blazes across Central and Eastern Canada (14); where, after a hot weekend, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development reported a dozen wildfires in the vicinity of Fort McMurray (15); and Québec's Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) reported nearly 2 dozen wildfires burning in the province (16); where 79% of the wildfires are started by people (17); while a video segment shows that quick work by firefighters on Prince Edward Island prevented a suspicious vehicle fire from becoming a forest fire (18). Firefighters on Spain's Canary Island of Tenerife are battling an 1,100-hectare wildfire burning in Teide National Park (19); and hot temperatures have caused a rash of wildfires in Greece and the Aegean Islands (20); as well as in the Central European nation of Montenegro (21); while firefighters in Russia's Far East have extinguished a bakers dozen of wildfires in a region which has seen 200,000 ha go up in smoke since the beginning of summer (22). The chaotic actions of first responders to a 10-hectare wildfire in Jerusalem, Israel, has people worried about their response to a major wildfire (23); the impact of veld fires on Zimbabwe's seed orchards being the topic of the next article (24). Over three years after Australia's Black Saturday bushfires, five Country Fire Authority volunteer firefighters were honored for their bravery after shielding a family of three from the blazes (25); while town hall meetings will be held across Moorabool Shire to discuss trials for new bushfire alert sirens in the region (26); but the plight of a Belgrave family underscores the problems with insuring property in bushfire-prone parts of that state (27). Heavy rains in New South Wales have provided an abundance of fuel for the bushfires of summer (28). And finally, our last article today answers a burning question for many people: where the heck do they come up with the sometimes-bizarre names for wildfires?

(1) Forest Serve must release report on flying at night

(2) Firefighters battle 2 fires in Northern California

(3) Firefighters hope to combat winds, terrain as Robbers Fire continues

(4) Wildfires Leave Wake Of Damage For Wildlife

(5) Two wildfires burn 2,000 acres near Mansfield

(6) "Tornado" of fire had Colorado firefighters fleeing Waldo Canyon

(7) 3 Utah wildfires corraled, Seeley Fire to be contained Monday

(8) Baboon Wildfire 19,032-acres Burned;100-Percent Contained

(9) Burning through money: The cost of Utah wildfires

(10) Wildfire starts on Wyoming guard training ground

(11) Fuel reduction and fire restrictions help prevent property loss

(12) Railroad forest fire could be declared out today

(13) Wildfire managers enlist new lightning detector

(14) Extreme heat, dry conditions prompt concerns in Central and Eastern Canada

(15) Wildfire hazard levels higher

(16) 22 forest fires in Quebec

(17) Forest fires started by people on the rise as Montreal heat wave in 4th day (with photos)

(18) Suspicious fire close call on P.E.I.

(19) Forest fire rages near Tenerife tourist park

(20) Searing heat prompts power cuts, forest fires

(21) Montenegro wildfires threaten ancient forest

(22) Thirteen Wildfires Put Out in Russia’s Far East

(23) 'Firefighters took 2 hours to respond to J'lem fire'

(24) Zimbabwe: Veld Fires Deal Forestry Commission a Blow

(25) Late honour for bushfire heroes

(26) Bushfire alert sirens on trial for use in Moorabool towns

(27) Bushfire risk too great to insure Belgrave couple

(28) 'Unprecedented' bushfire threat

(29) How wildfires get their (sometimes strange) names