WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070513

The supervisor of Kern County, California's, Rio Bravo Hotshots has been dispatched to Arizona to help with the investigation into the deaths of 19 fellow Hotshots (1); and goats did their part to protect San Francisco Airport from wildfires (2). A summary of wildfires burning in eastern Oregon and Southern Idaho is provided by the next article (3); while Oregon's US Senator Ron Wyden, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, slammed the Obama administration proposal to cut hazardous-fuels reduction funds from $502 million down to only $296 million (4). Favorable wind patterns helped firefighters keep a 100-acre wildfire away from homes outside of Lyle, Washington (5). The 1,300-acre Bison Fire forced evacuations in Douglas County, Nevada (6); but full containment was expected on the 25-acre Tarnahan Hills Fire near Carson City tonight (7). The Northern Arizona Incident Management Team indicated that the 6,000-acre Dean Peak Fire is now 20% contained (8); and the 8,400-acre Yarnell Hill Fire is now 80% contained as well (9); while law enforcement agencies from across the state are helping out police in Prescott, who have been overwhelmed by ceremonies regarding the deaths of 19 wildland firefighters last Sunday (10); the situation not helped by the fact that VP Biden will attend Tuesday's firefighter memorial (11); volunteers from Tennessee arriving to help relief workers (12); but a woman from Yarnell recounts her terrifying escape just ahead of the wildfire which would destroy her home (13); a former firefighter discussing the erratic behavior of that deadly fire (14); while the governor of Utah ordered flags flown at half mast in honor of the fallen (15); a University of Arizona professor explaining how wildfires are changing the landscape in the next article (16); and in one of the more bizarre articles, an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group is claiming credit for the Arizona wildfires (17). All but forgotten in the publicity for the deadly Arizona wildfires, several blazes in New Mexico continue to burn (18). A 160 mi.² wildfire in Southern Colorado continued to expand (19); the next article taking a look at the tactics being used by firefighters on the West Fork Complex (20); while federal authorities are increasing fire restrictions in the San Juan National Forest (21); a reporter commenting on his impressions on the aftermath of the Black Forest Fire (22). A trio of lightning-sparked wildfires were reported in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest (23). Heading to Canada, fire authorities in Ontario remarked on the quiet wildfire season so far (24); but Québec's Société de protection des forêts contre le feu indicated that more than a dozen wildfires have burned over 257,000 ha (25); causing power outages across 10% of the province (26); and lightning has ignited new wildfires near Wemindji (27); even as Newfoundland and Labrador were engulfed in smoke from those blazes (28); authorities shutting down the Trans-Labrador Highway near Wabush due to forest fire activity (29). In Europe, wildfires continued to burn in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey (30); an interactive map provided by the Center for International Forestry Research using NASA satellite data to display wildfires that have raged across Indonesia's Sumatra Island (31). An elderly resident of Hargraves, New South Wales, Australia, was sentenced for accidently sparking a 198-hectare bushfire (32); while a 556-hectare bushfire ignited by fireworks threatened buildings near Tennant Creek Airport in Northern Territory (33); but as winter arrives in Dunalley, Tasmania, some bushfire survivors are having a hard time keeping their spirits up as they live in tents and caravans where their destroyed homes once stood (34). And finally, a firefighter in Tehachapi, California, found a unique way to rescue a trapped woman: breaking through a wall with his bare hands!

(1) Local firefighter sent to Arizona to investigate deaths of hotshots

(2) Goats invade San Francisco airport to prevent bush fire

(3) Idaho / Oregon wildfire update for evening of July 4, 2013

(4) Congress eyes wildfire-prevention money

(5) Winds help keep Gorge wildfire away from homes

(6) Update: Prospect of losing structures in Bison Fire "remains low"

(7) Full containment of Tarnahan Hills Fire near Carson City expected tonight

(8) Wildfire grows near Kingman; 300+ homes evacuated

(9) Arizona wildfire that killed 19 is 80 percent contained

(10) Police help Prescott after firefighter deaths

(11) Biden To Attend Arizona Firefighter Memorial

(12) East Tennessee volunteers to help with Arizona wildfires

(13) Yarnell woman barely escapes before wildfire destroys home

(14) Witness to Arizona wildfire: 'It was erratic ... a freak of nature'

(15) Utah lowers flags for 19 Arizona firefighters

(16) Expert says severe wildfires could forever change the landscape

(17) Al Qaeda Linked Gaza Terrorist Group Claims Credit for Arizona Wildfires

(18) NM wildfires slow as crews eye flood controls

(19) Southern Colorado Wildfires Expand, Evacuations Remain

(20) Firefighters use diverse tactics to match shifting wildfire challenges

(21) San Juan National Forest, BLM up fire restrictions

(22) Covering Colorado: A personal look at the Black Forest Fire

(23) Lightning sparks 3 small Black Hills forest fires

(24) Quiet forest fire season ... so far

(25) Raging fires in northern Quebec isolate Eastmain, close mine

(26) 10 per cent of Quebec lost power Thursday afternoon due to forest fires

(27) Lightning sparks new fires near Wemindji, Que.

(28) Forest Fire Haze Blankets Province

(29) Labrador fires shut down highway, affect air quality

(30) EFFIS - Current Situation

(31) Interactive web map makes facts behind Sumatra fires transparent

(32) Man sentenced for Hargraves bushfire

(33) Bushfire threat near airport

(34) Bushfire recovery hits mental danger time

(35) A rookie firefighter breaks a wall with his bare hands and pulls woman to safety