WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090513

US Forest Service has decided to end this year's operations by military C-130 Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System throughout the US as wildfire activity wanes (1); a wildland firefighter providing some photos from the firelines in the West in the next article (2). CAL FIRE battled a 9-acre wildfire near the Southern California community of Hemet yesterday (3); and fire crews have finally contained the 413-acre Gobblers Fire in the San Bernardino Mountains (4); while the number of firefighters battling Yosemite's 237,300-acre Rim Fire decreased in number from a high of 5,100 to the current 3,975 personnel (5); Gizmodo taking a look at some of the equipment being used to fight the blaze (6); an editorial from Marin County praising local firefighters who headed off to fight that fire (7); but despite early reports that a marijuana grove may have been the source of the fire, it appears that it was really a hunter's illegal campfire (8); meanwhile, fire crews brought containment to 67% on the 12,000+ acre Corral Complex burning in Six Rivers National Forest (9). A 280-acre wildfire was reported in Arizona's Tonto National Forest (10); while the City of Prescott announced the removal of an informal memorial for the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots killed defending Yarnell (11). Volunteers continued their search for a missing firefighter in New Mexico's Santa Fe National Forest (12). Suppression costs on a wildfire in Colorado's Red Canyon have passed the $1 million mark (13); but a letter to the editor argues for more air-tankers and more logging/grazing of forest land to reduce wildfires (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Schultz, Director of Idaho Department of Lands, commented on how wildfires did substantial damage even to areas which were thinned prior to the fires (15); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Mikel Robinson, Executive Director of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along an invitation to the upcoming Large Wildland Fires conference which takes place in Missoula, Montana, May 19-23, 2014 (16). The efforts of fire crews from Wisconsin on firelines in the West is explored by the next article (17); while a letter to the editor from Madison discusses how carbon taxes could help control wildfires (18). Scott Hawkins, Public Information Officer for South Carolina Forestry Commission, issued a press release about prescribed burning certification classes which will be offered in the fall (19); a wildland firefighter from Midlands recounting his experiences fighting fires in the West in the next article (20). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Britt Coulson, Aviation Manager at Coulson Aircrane, discusses their Next Generation air-tanker, a C-130Q, in an article from Canadian Skies magazine that examines Canadian air-tankers in use in the US (21); more details on British Columbia's heretofore quiet wildfire season being revisited by the next article (22); although a few wildfires have cropped up, including a trio in Valhalla Provincial Park (23). Over two dozen wildfire starts were reported in the European nations of France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey (24); a seventh firefighter having died from injuries sustained battling wildfires that charred over 94,000 hectares in Portugal in August alone (25). A researcher at Australian National University posited that solar farms could reduce the bushfire risk in the Australian Capital Territory (26); and in December, University of Melbourne will host a conference, Fire Stories, which examines how bushfires have impacted thinking Down Under over the years (27). Queensland Rural Fire Service is gearing up to help homeowners prepare for bushfire season in Gympie (28). And finally, firefighters in Russia show how to get a cat out of a tree without a ladder or cherry picker!

(1) Forest Service Ends Military Firefighting Aircraft Activation

(2) Fiery Photos From the Front Lines of America’s Biggest Blazes

(3) Fire Crews, Aircraft Help Contain Blaze South of Hemet to Nine Acres

(4) Gobblers fire in San Bernardino mountains is fully contained

(5) Rim fire: Number of firefighters decreases as crews gain control

(6) The Gear Crews Use To Snuff Out The Rim Fire

(7) Editorial: Local firefighters respond to call for help

(8) USFS: Hunter caused huge wildfire near Yosemite

(9) Firefighters Shift to 'Direct Attack' on Corral Complex

(10) Pinion Fire Burning South Of Tonto Basin

(11) Prescott to remove informal memorial for Hotshots

(12) Search Resumes in for Missing NM Firefighter

(13) Red Canyon Firefighting Costs Top $1 Million

(14) Letter: Government should invest in air tankers, log forests for fire breaks

(15) Idaho wildfires snare even managed areas

(16) Large Wildland Fires: Social, Political and Ecological Effects Conference

(17) Wisconsin Assisting Western States with Forest Fires

(18) Dan Slick: Policy changes, carbon tax could help control forest fires

(19) Prescribed Burning Certification Class Offered By Forestry Commission

(20) Midlands Man Helps Fight West Coast Wildfire

(21) Next gen air tankers take flight

(22) B.C. fire season a relatively quiet affair

(23) Three fires burning in Slocan Valley forests

(24) EFFIS - Current Situation

(25) Portuguese forest blazes claim life of 7th firefighter after hot, windy August

(26) Solar farms will 'cut' bushfire risk

(27) Blazing tales: Australia’s relationship with bushfire

(28) Flood volunteers preparing to save us from bushfires

(29) How Firefighters Get Cats Out Of Trees In Russia [Video]