WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090712

The 4,180-acre Williams Fire burning in Southern California's Angeles National Forest is now 72% contained (1); while a striking photograph shows a CL-415 Super Scooper in action over the Palos Verdes Peninsula (2); but a trio of small wildfires were reported in Riverside County's Lamb’s Canyon (3); a summary of wildfire activity in the Golden State being provided by the next item (4); where more roads have been closed in the Stanislaus National Forest due to a nearby wildfire (5); while a 12,500-acre wildfire burning in Colusa County forced the evacuation of Native American residents at the Cortina Rancheria (6); but an Op-Ed piece argues that trees should be harvested not burned in Northern California (7). An update on a 1,200-acre wildfire burning in Eastern Washington's Columbia River Gorge is provided by the next article (8); followed by one which discusses the hard road ahead for people in Cle Elum trying to recover from the Taylor Bridge Fire (9); continued hot weather reminding residents of Eastern Washington that the wildfire season has not yet ended (10). Firefighters are mopping up two small wildfires which broke out in Colorado's Pikes Peak region (11); but a Denver Post article takes a look at the troubled history of the Fire Program Analysis system implemented after a committee discovered that firefighting resources were being incorrectly allocated to fight wildfires in the US (12). A 61-acre wildfire near the town of Wanship, Utah, has been nearly contained (13); and although FEMA granted wildfire relief funds to Creek County, Oklahoma, Gov. Fallin questioned why the same courtesy was not extended to wildfire survivors in Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Payne counties (14). An angry Op-Ed piece from Montana laments the US Forest Service policy of letting wildfires burn (15); but after a summer of fire, Lewis and Clark National Forest is imposing some fire restrictions on visitors (16). A synopsis of wildfire activity in Minnesota's Superior National Forest is provided by the next item (17). In Southern Europe, wildfires were reported in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and Albania (18); but the Asian city-state of Singapore is once again choking on wildfire smoke from Indonesia (19). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer for Australia-based Bushfire CRC, sent along a link to a study on the effect of prescribed burning on forest carbon and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere (20). A veteran bushfire researcher with 25 years of experience blasts the Victoria state government's plans to open national parks to commercial development, including placing living accommodations inside high-risk bushfire areas (21); while the United Firefighters Union is protesting against $66 million in cuts to fire agencies responsible for battling bushfires in that state (22). Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority warned that the Gold Coast was facing the worst bushfire season in a decade (23); but a survey of residents living in South Australia's Mitcham Hills found that the vast majority would leave rather than defend their homes during a bushfire (24). And finally, here's an unexpected wildfire smoke hazard: lower birth rates!

(1) Williams Fire 72 percent contained, firefighters shifting 'mop-up' mode

(2) Photo of the Day: Super Scooper

(3) Three vegetation fires in Lamb’s Canyon, two contained

(4) Wildfires rage in north, south

(5) Stanislaus National Forest (NF) Supervisor Susan Skalski Announces Ramsey Fire Area Closed for Public Safety

(6) Thousands more acres burned by 16 Complex fires Thursday

(7) Annarae Arjo-Luevano: Harvest the forests; don't let them burn

(8) Firefighters contain Eastern Wash. blazes

(9) Victims of Taylor Bridge Wildfire slowly trying to rebuild

(10) Hot weather fuels more wildfires in Eastern Washington

(11) Crews tackle two small wild fires in Pikes Peak region

(12) Wildfire budgeting tool scrapped after agency resources threatened

(13) Northern Utah wildfire nearly contained

(14) Oklahoma Governor Appeals to FEMA for Wildfire Aid

(15) Wildfires: Letting forests burn not healthy

(16) Fire restrictions ahead for Lewis and Clark forest lands

(17) Officials monitoring nearly a dozen fires in Boundary Waters

(18) EFFIS - Current Situation

(19) Singapore chokes on smoke from Indonesia

(20) Environmental impacts of prescribed and wildfire - emissions management

(21) Bushfire expert slams Baillieu plans to open national parks for development

(22) Vic firefighters to rally against cuts

(23) Fire danger critical all over Coast

(24) Mitcham Hills residents say they are more likely to flee a bushfire than defend homes

(25) WILDFIRES: Smoke linked to lower birth weights