WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072412

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist with the USGS Western Ecological Research Center, sent along a new study on the role wildfires play in alien plant invasions in San Diego County's Cedar Fire burn area (1); but although firefighters had nearly contained a 520-acre wildfire in Yolo County, 2,400 lightning strikes resulted in 50 new fires to the north (2). A new study from US Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station published in the journal Ecological Applications revealed that Washington state could lose as much as one third of its carbon storage by 2040 due to wildfires (3); while the Bureau of Land Management reported on wildfires burning in Nevada (4). One heavy air-tanker had to return to base with engine trouble as firefighters continued to grapple with a 514-acre wildfire in Colorado (5); where a meeting of post-fire damage control experts will convene in Denver in August to discuss how best to prepare for the rainy season in wildfire burn areas (6). Wildfire activity in South Dakota, where the heat is beginning to abate, is covered by the next article (7); but a lightning-sparked wildfire has blazed across 50,000 acres in north-central Nebraska (8). Three firefighters were injured when their tanker overturned on the way to a woods fire in Taney County, Missouri (9); a prediction of thundershowers later in the week putting fire officials on edge in northwest Missouri (10). As 77 wildfires continue to burn in Manitoba, Canada, 800 Manitoba First Nations residents were evacuated to Winnipeg and Brandon (11); while Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources provides an update on wildfire activity in that province in the next article (12). Wildfires in Spain, Croatia, and Romania continued to rage (13); but more favorable weather in Spain may help them get a handle on their wildfires (14); nevertheless, Europe continues to bake, as the following fire map demonstrates (15). In Australia, officials in Whittlesea, Victoria, are recommending revamping the bushfire zone map to save 17,000 residences from costly bushfire alterations (16). And finally, the tragedy of a Charlotte, North Carolina, firefighter whose bagpipes were stolen had a happy ending!

(1) Fire-driven alien plant invasion in a fire-prone community

(2) Forest Fire nears full containment; firefighters around state deal with lightning strikes

(3) Washington's forests will lose stored carbon as area burned by wildfire increases

(4) Wildfires burning in Lee, Pine Nut Mountains

(5) UPDATE: Air Park Fire

(6) Water Quality Conference Coming to Denver, Focuses on Clean Water Act Compliance, Green Infrastructure and Emergency Mitigation Measures Following Wildfires

(7) South Dakota firefighters hope impending 'cold front' of low 90s will help battle blazes

(8) Nebraska wildfire scorches 50,000 acres

(9) Missouri Tanker Overturns En Route to Brush Fire

(10) Wildfire danger high in ongoing drought

(11) Hundreds forced from homes due to forest fires

(12) Dry conditions lead to more forest fires

(13) Forest fires rage across Europe

(14) Spain wildfire: Officials hope to tame Catalan blaze

(15) EFFIS - Current Situation

(16) Whittlesea leads push for 'costly' bushfire zone revamp

(17) Firefighter's stolen bagpipes replaced