WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082213

In a year which has seen 31,900 fires burn 3 million acres across the US, a Washington Post article states that the US Forest Service will run out of suppression funds by Friday, forcing them to once again rob fire prevention funds (1); even as 50 major wildfires are burning across the West, one 25 mi.² blaze in California's Stanislaus National Forest continuing to threaten Yosemite National Park (2); NOAA providing an animated graphic that shows how wildfire smoke is spreading across the US (3). Downed power lines are being blamed for an 11-acre wildfire near Lompoc, California (4); but as 7,000 firefighters battle 11 major fires across the state that have burned over 100,000 acres, CAL FIRE warned that this is just the beginning of the Golden State's most-active fire period (5). Oregon's Government Flat Complex fire increased in size to 13 mi.² near The Dalles (6); followed by a summary of wildfire activity in Washington, where a 1,500-acre wildfire continues to expand outside of Leavenworth (7). A 100-acre wildfire north of Reno, Nevada, is now 50% contained (8). Arizona's 836-acre French Gulch Fire near Yarnell is now 75% contained (9); while the next article looks at mounting evidence which indicates that the ill-fated Granite Mountain Hotshots shouldn't have even been there when they were caught in a burnover in June (10). Although monsoonal moisture has helped dampen the fire danger in Colorado, drying conditions coupled with many firefighters fighting fires out of state could pose a danger (11); and changes to the fire code in El Paso County following the Black Forest Fire will increase the cost homeowners incur while rebuilding their homes (12); but this coming Saturday, "The Benefit for Black Forest - Music in the Forest, For the Forest" will do some fundraising for families impacted by that fire (13). Residents of Atlanta, Idaho, did what they could to prepare for the oncoming 10,000-acre Little Queens Fire before evacuating (14); while firefighters battling the 169 mi.² Beaver Creek Fire hoped that rain would diminish its activity so they could get a breather (15); but a historic barn was destroyed by the 600-acre Highland Fire (16). As 126 of the 254 counties in Texas maintain burn bans, Texas Forest Service warned people about the wildfire danger during the upcoming Labor Day weekend (17). Montana's 8,598-acre Lolo Creek Complex fire is now the nation's number one wildfire priority (18); even as Ravalli County volunteer firefighters prays for rain (19); something the folks at US Forest Service's Missoula Fire Lab may be able to help them predict (20); but despite numerous wildfires in Montana this year, the Billings Air Tanker Base has opened for business for the first time (21); and the Montana National Guard is also deploying to help (22); a NASA satellite photo showing smoke plumes from wildfires in Montana and Idaho (23). The exploits of a firefighter from Missouri on the western firelines being captured by the next article (24); and as Pennsylvania's Southern York County Forest Fire Crew prepares to deploy to Idaho to battle wildfires, one firefighter is following in his father's footsteps (25). New Jersey Forest Fire Service is dispatching firefighters to the firelines in the West (26); and a fire crew from Delaware Forest Service is also preparing to depart (27). Crews from British Columbia, Canada, are heading to Idaho to help battle wildfires in the US (28); while aircraft joined firefighters on the ground fighting a small wildfire in Callander, Ontario (29). A suspicious fire in Britain's Coxmoor Woods brought a warning from fire officials in Ashfield about the elevated fire danger due to warm weather (30); and nearly 30 new wildfires were reported in the European nations of France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus (31). Members of the Forest & Rural Fire Association of New Zealand hope that the appointment of a farmer as president will help open channels of communication between fire managers and farmers (32). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Australia's Bushfire CRC, sent along their most recent Fire Note, which outlines a study on the amount of water needed as forests recover after fires (33); but Queensland Rural Fire Service warned residents of Brisbane that smoke from controlled burns authorized by the Brisbane City Council could produce breathing difficulties for senior citizens (34). As several bushfires continue to burn north of Port Macquarie, New South Wales, the 1,200-hectare Limeburners Creek Fire was the largest (35); while a natural hazards expert who has just joined Sydney's School of Geosciences felt that he would have plenty to do studying bushfires in order to reduce the damage they do (36). A 30,000-hectare bushfire in Western Australia's Kimberley region forced tourists at the Kooljaman Tourist Resort at Cape Leveque to help man the firelines (37). And finally, firefighters often perform rescues of civilians, but firefighters in Detroit rescued an entire splash park!

(1) Federal budget to fight wildfires is depleted

(2) Rim Fire outside Yosemite National Park rages beyond firefighters' control

(3) NOAA Model Shows Wildfire Smoke Spread Across the U.S.

(4) Fire sparked by downed power lines

(5) Ominous warnings about California wildfire season

(6) Fourth home burned as wildfire near The Dalles grows

(7) Growing Leavenworth fire one of many across Washington

(8) Crews making progress against brush fire north of Reno

(9) Wildfire near Yarnell now 75% contained

(10) Evidence mounts that Granite Mtn Hotshots shouldn't have deployed

(11) Despite Moderate Danger, Wildfires Still Breaking Out In Colorado

(12) Black Forest fire board approves stronger fire code

(13) Black Rose Acoustic Society holds benefit for Black Forest Fire victims

(14) Atlanta, Idaho residents help firefighters dig lines, then evacuate

(15) Rain could bring relief to Beaver Creek Fire

(16) Locals say historic barn lost to Highland fire flames

(17) Texas A&M Forest Service urges caution with Labor Day fires

(18) Montana's Lolo Creek Complex fire nation's top firefighting priority

(19) Bitterroot Valley’s volunteer firefighters stretched thin

(20) Researchers at Missoula fire lab help forecast deadly fire runs

(21) Air tankers use Billings base for first time this year

(22) Montana Guard deployed to Lolo Creek wildfires

(23) NASA image: Fires in Idaho and Montana

(24) Gray Summit Firefighter Helps Fight Wildfires

(25) Member of Southern York County Forest Fire Crew heads out West

(26) Members of the NJ Forest Fire Service help battle blaze in Idaho

(27) Delaware firefighters battle more forest fires out west

(28) Firefighters head south of border

(29) Callander, MNR fight bush fire

(30) Ashfield crew manager warning over bush fires

(31) EFFIS - Current Situation

(32) FedFarmers joins Forest & Rural Fire Association

(33) Quantifying the impact of fire on tree water use

(34) Bushfire hazard reduction burns continue across south-east Qld

(35) Bushfires continue to burn across hundreds of hectares of mid north coast forest

(36) Natural hazards expert joins School of Geosciences

(37) Kimberley tourists help fight bushfire

(38) Firefighters rescue dried-up Detroit splash park