WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082412

A summary of wildfire activity in Northern California, where air-tankers helped firefighters battling wildfires in difficult terrain, is provided by our first article today (1); firefighters in Solano County roping in a 45-acre wildfire (2); while fire crews in Tehama County have finally contained a 1,675-acre wildfire (3); but an 18,500-acre wildfire in the Mendocino National Forest is only 10% contained (4); said wildfire making for smoky skies across Mendocino County (5); while Butte County Fire Safe Council received $100,000 from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to help reduce fuels (6). The dwindling number of volunteer firefighters available to fight wildfires in the Pacific Northwest is examined by the next item (7); and although fire crews have made progress on the 23,500-acre wildfire burning outside of Cle Elum, Washington, full containment is not expected until next week (8). A National Public Radio segment takes a look at the impact of wildfires on New Mexico's Santa Fe National Forest (9). A video segment from Idaho showing a quartet of military C-130s fighting fires from Boise Air Tanker Base (10); but favorable weather is helping fire crews in Utah contain the last two major wildfires burning in that state (11). A recent wildfire in Creek County, Oklahoma, revealed communications problems between various agencies fighting the blaze (12); while the next article provides some useful information from FEMA to wildfire survivors in that region (13). A Wyoming inmate firefighter discusses his contribution to fighting wildfires in a National Public Radio segment (14); but after six wildfires were sparked by lightning in the Bighorn National Forest, firefighters are on high alert due to abundant dry fuel (15). Residents of a small community west of Drummond, Montana, credited firefighters, and especially aircraft, with helping save their community from a wildfire which scorched between 40 and 60 acres (16); while a firefighter battling the 4,000-acre Ditch Fire in the Bitterroot National Forest who was bitten by a rattlesnake has been released from the hospital (17). Heading to Canada, a 420-hectare wildfire burning near Clinton, British Columbia, is now 20% contained (18); that article followed by a summary of wildfire activity in Ontario (19); where a firefighter was injured while battling a grass fire outside of Mississauga (20). In the Mediterranean basin, wildfires were burning in Italy, Greece, Bosnia, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, and the North African nations of Algeria and Morocco (21); a Serbian Orthodox Christian Bishop calling on parishioners to pray for rain as 260 wildfires causing an estimated $540 million in damage, exploding land mines in that county, as well as in Bosnia and Kosovo, hampering firefighting efforts (22); wildfires on the Greek island of Chios impacting the mastic tree plantations, which provide an important commercial export (23). Windy conditions have made firefighting difficult for Australia's NSW Rural Fire Service fire crews along Coffs Coast (24). And finally, a professor at Australia's University of Adelaide is trying to help vintners keep bushfire smoke from ruining their crop!

(1) Air crews make dent in massive Calif. wildfire

(2) Overnight wildfire near Vacaville contained

(3) Mill Fire fully contained; others are still burning

(4) North Pass Fires grow to 18,500 acres

(5) Smoky conditions, extreme fire behavior plague firefighters and residents

(6) Butte Fire Safe Council could get $100,000 for wood chipper program

(7) Rural Firefighting Forces Harder To Maintain

(8) WA wildfire full containment pushed to next week

(9) In Southwest, Worst-Case Fire Scenario Plays Out

(10) Military C-130s flying hundreds of fire missions from Boise

(11) Utah wildfires: Crews contain two stubborn blazes

(12) Emergency responders had trouble communicating during fires

(13) Wildfire victims must call FEMA for aid

(14) An Inmate Firefighter Finds His Proudest Moment

(15) Very high fire danger continues on the Bighorn National Forest

(16) Wildfire near Drummond causes anxious moments

(17) Firefighter released from hospital after treatment for snake bite

(18) B.C. wildfire that quadrupled in size in one day is now 20 per cent contained (with photos)

(19) Two more fires reported locally

(20) Firefighter cut during grass fire

(21) EFFIS - Current Situation

(22) Serbs told to pray to rain as wildfires scorch Balkans

(23) Greek island fire ravages unique export industry

(24) Strong winds fanning bushfires

(25) Doctor reveals a nose for innovation