WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072713

A wildfire in California's Sierra National Forest continues to fill the area around Huntington and Shaver Lakes with smoke (1); but a CAL FIRE firefighter was injured in a fall in Auburn after encountering an electric fence while battling a two-acre wildfire (2); while a grass fire in Rancho Cordova has been deemed suspicious (3); and a 160-acre wildfire was reported south of Petaluma as well (4); an update on two wildfires burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest being provided by the next article (5). Fire crews managed to bring a 76 mi.² wildfire in Central Oregon to 60% containment Friday night (6); another pair of blazes being reported near Oakridge (7); and as air-tankers continued to grapple with wildfires in Josephine and Douglas Counties, the next article takes a behind-the-scenes look at Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest's Medford Air Tanker Base (8); but as more wildfires are in the offing, the head of Oregon Department of Forestry discusses the recently-passed Wildfire Protection Act in a radio segment (9). Several brushfires broke out in King County, Washington, the same day burn restrictions were put in place (10); fire restrictions also being imposed in Cle Elum, Wenatchee River, Entiat and Chelan ranger districts (11); while a 7-square-mile fire outside of Goldendale threatened 180 homes (12). A video segment from Reno, Nevada, profiles a RAVEN (Regional Aviation Enforcement Unit) helicopter pilot who is often the first to engage wildfires in the area (13). Although the 24,000-acre Thompson Ridge Fire destroyed some instruments being used by researchers from the University of Arizona in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, a new $4.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation allows researchers to continue their work (14); but scientists feel that ash and sediment in monsoon runoff from the 300,000-acre Whitewater-Baldy Fire could suffocate invasive trout in New Mexico's Gila Wilderness, giving the endangered Gila trout population an unexpected boost (15). With a disaster declaration from Pres. Obama, areas impacted by Colorado's Royal Gorge and Black Forest Fires can now receive federal aid (16); the following article taking a closer look at how drones could help firefighters move beyond"fighting wildfire the way we did in the 1950s" (17). An update on wildfire activity in Utah is provided by the next article (18); while a new book chronicles the battle against a 76,000-acre wildfire in Nebraska's Niobrara River Valley last year (19). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Mikel Robinson, Executive Director of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along an update on their International Smoke Symposium, scheduled to take place at the University of Maryland in October (20); and firefighters quickly extinguished a 1/4-acre wildfire in Kearny, New Jersey, Friday afternoon (21). Residents of a community in northern Georgia are considering implementing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (22); but following 221 wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui so far this year, officials are asking for the public's help in identifying those responsible (23). Over a dozen aircraft assisted firefighters on the ground battling a 1,600-hectare wildfire on Spain's Mediterranean island of Mallorca (24); while Norway coped with over 20 wildfires sparked by lightning (25); and army and civil defense firefighters battled two wildfires near Bint Jbeil, Lebanon (26). Heading to Australia, the Victorian Supreme Court is expected to begin distributing the first of $32.8 million to claimants from the Beechworth Black Saturday class-action suit following a hearing on Monday (27); while Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, along with Rural Fire Services Queensland, will be continuing their bushfire education forums (28). And finally, our last article provides a behind-the-scenes look at the CDF Firefighters Honor Guard!

(1) Shaver Lake visitors cope with smoke from Aspen Fire

(2) Firefighter shocked by electric fence at canyon blaze

(3) Firefighters Call Rancho Cordova Grassfire Suspicious, Have Suspect Descriptions

(4) Grass fire scorches 160 acres south of Petaluma

(5) UPDATED: Fires burning in Shasta-Trinity National Forest

(6) Crews make progress on Sunnyside Turnoff fire

(7) Small forest fire discovered near Oakridge

(8) Air Tankers Take Off to Fight Fires

(9) Firefighters Brace For More Wildfires As They Battle Flames

(10) Firefighters Combat Brush Fire on Mt. Si

(11) Forest Service bans fires outside of campgrounds

(12) Firefighters battle blazes across Wash.

(13) RAVEN Pilot Gets Bird's-Eye View of Northern Nevada Wildfires

(14) Researchers see opportunity in NM wildfire

(15) Wildfire and sedimentation could help Gila trout make a comeback

(16) Royal Gorge and Black Forest fires approved for aid

(17) Drones: The next firefighting tool

(18) Crews continue fighting southern Utah wildfires

(19) Interest in book spreading like wildfire

(20) International Smoke Symposium Update

(21) Wildfire scorches about a quarter-acre of brush in Kearny

(22) Fire Chief Kimbrell seeks support for Wildfire Protection Plan

(23) Hawaiian Officials: "Idiots" Cause of Many Wildfires

(24) Italian firefighters battle to extinguish forest fire on Mediterranean island

(25) Increasing number of forest fires

(26) Wildfires extinguished in south Lebanon

(27) Beechworth's Black Saturday bushfire pay-out is close

(28) Bushfires affect everyone, not just the man on the land

(29) Carrying their own: Local firefighters travel to honor fallen hotshots