WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090512

Firefighters continued to increase containment lines around a 3,600-acre wildfire burning in Southern California's Angeles National Forest (1); where seven firefighters have been injured (2); fire crews hoping for a little tropical rainfall, but worried about accompanying lightning strikes (3); in the meantime, Los Angeles County Supervisors and fire officials showed off several firefighting aircraft at Van Nuys Airport yesterday (4); while San Diego Gas & Electric has renewed a $300,000 lease on an Erickson Air-Crane helicopter which will be at the disposal of firefighters in San Diego County (5); and a 270-acre wildfire burning in Kern County is now 50% contained (6); while wildfire activity in Northern California, where a 19,500-acre wildfire was reported in Colusa County, is the focus of the next article (7); followed by a behind-the-scenes look at Chester Air Attack Base in Plumas County (8); the California Fire Science Consortium sending along their September newsletter (9). In Oregon, Coos Forest Protective Association responded to a wildfire near Allegany (10). Aircraft were requested to help with a five-acre wildfire burning in Larimer County, Colorado (11); and authorities in Idaho County, Idaho, implemented voluntary evacuations of the community of Dixie due to an approaching wildfire (12). Scores of wildfire survivors in Creek County, Oklahoma, received information on how to apply for grant money to help with rebuilding Tuesday night (13); while Travis County, Texas, has improved wildfire safety in the Balcones Canyonland Preserve, earning it a 2012 Firewise Community Award (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Lasser, a retired Lt. Colonel in the California National Guard, sent along an article discussing the National Interagency Fire Center's deactivation of two C-130s from the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing who had done yeoman work on wildfires in Idaho and the West (15); and they could probably use their help at home, where the Kinney Fire has grown to over 1,300 acres in size (16). Wildfire activity across Montana is the focus of the next article (17); where the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation worried that humans were causing altogether too many wildfires (18). Firefighters are finally bringing wildfires in western Nebraska, which have burned nearly 90,000 acres, to heel (19); allowing some firefighters to head home (20). The wildfire burning in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area has increased to 40 acres in size, as several blazes have been reported across the northern part of the state (21). Rain from Hurricane Isaac has allowed officials in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest to lift fire restrictions (22); while firefighters battling a wildfire on the slopes of Vermont's Mount Mansfield hoped that rainfall might help quench the blaze (23). Five new wildfires have been reported in Ontario, Canada, where 876 wildfires have burned over 50,000 ha so far this year (24). In Southern Europe, wildfires were reported in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, and Albania (25); aircraft from Spain and France assisting hundreds of firefighters on the ground battling over 200 wildfires in Portugal (26); as Europe's summer of fire continues (27); where Russia will be instituting firebreaks around 65 locations in Perm Krai to reduce the damage done by wildfires (28). Australian bushfires raged across Victoria, and New South Wales, driven by gale-force winds (29); damaging and destroying historic buildings in Snowy River, New South Wales (30); and South Australia's Country Fire Service Volunteer Association cautioned homeowners against becoming complacent about the bushfire danger (31); bushfire activity in the Northern Territory forcing campers to evacuate Ormiston Gorge in the West MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs (32). And finally, the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation unveiled a pilotless aircraft that could help fight bushfires in the future!

(1) Wildfire near LA remains in wilderness area

(2) 7 firefighters sustain minor injuries battling fire above Azusa

(3) Chance of rain, lightning over Los Angeles fire

(4) County Fire Dept. Demonstrates 'Super Scooper' Aircraft as Fire Season Opens

(5) SDG&E Renews Air-Crane Support For Regional Firefighters

(6) Slides wildland fire draws swift response from Forest Service firefighters

(7) Wildfire burns 19,500 acres in Colusa County

(8) Chester Air Attack Base addresses community concerns

(9) CFSC September 2012 Newsletter

(10) Fire crew contains forest fire near Allegany

(11) Chopper, Air Tanker Requested For Larimer County Fire

(12) Wildfire nears Idaho County community; some flee

(13) Financial Help Offered to Wildfire Victims

(14) Steiner Ranch safer after wildfires

(15) Two Firefighting C-130s Head Home

(16) Kinney Fire grows to more than 1,300 acres

(17) Area fires slow down

(18) New Montana wildfires caused by humans

(19) Western Nebraska wildfires burn nearly 90,000 acres

(20) Firefighters go home as fires abate

(21) Boundary Waters fire still burning

(22) Mark Twain National Forest lifts fire restrictions

(23) Mt. Mansfield Forest Fire Burned Two Days

(24) Five new forest fires confirmed today in Wawa area

(25) EFFIS - Current Situation

(26) Foreign aircraft drafted in as Portugal fights forest fires

(27) Summer wildfires put firefighters to test

(28) 65 localities of Perm Krai will protect against forest fires

(29) Wild winds wreak havoc across southern Australia

(30) Historic home burns as fires hit NSW

(31) Mitcham Hills and Upper Sturt bushfire zone 'a disaster waiting to happen'

(32) Campers flee as fire sweeps Ormiston Gorge

(33) Remotely Piloted Aircraft will help in fight against bushfires