WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070213

As the Western US continues to bake, wildfire conditions after weeks of heat remain elevated (1); a Washington Times editorial commenting on conditions which have allowed 1.3 million acres to burn across seven states so far this year (2); but despite the damage done by wildfires so far, the season is actually below average in number of fires and acreage burned (3). CAL FIRE announced the arrest of a man accused of setting nine wildfires in Southern California's Inland Empire (4). Fire crews in Arizona continue to grapple with a deadly 8,400-acre wildfire outside of Yarnell (5); but four military C-130 MAFFS aircraft are being dispatched to help battle the blaze (6); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Christine Pelisek, a Reporter for Newsweek's The Daily Beast, providing an insightful look into how the disaster which claimed 19 wildland firefighters' lives came about (7); the following article focusing on how the victims families are coping with their losses (8); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association, expressing the aerial firefighting community's condolences in a press release (9); United Way of Yavapai County setting up a fund to help families impacted by the tragedy (10); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Max Moritz, a Fire Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, weighs in on new technology that could reduce the danger to firefighters (11); a Discovery Channel exposé taking a closer look at Hotshots (12); a Christian Science Monitor editorial stating that this tragedy should refocus attention on the scope and nature of wildfires in the United States (13); elsewhere in Arizona, the Mohave County Board of Supervisors issued a fire emergency declaration as the 1,500-acre Dean Peak Fire continued to expand (14). An update on wildfires still burning in Colorado is provided by the next article (15); where twenty homes spared by last year's Waldo Canyon Fire were damaged or destroyed by flash flooding from the burn area (16); the next article looking at the cost of having homes in areas threatened by wildfires (17). Although several lightning-sparked wildfires in Utah continued to challenge firefighters, they were gaining the upper hand (18); and despite injuries suffered fighting a wildfire in Texas over the weekend, the Magnolia Beach Fire Chief was ready to go battle a flareup as he was preparing to head to the hospital for treatment (19). Fire crews from the Kansas Forest Service are deploying to Western wildfires (20). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ty Bonnar, Vice President of Global Operations for Southern California-based Flexible Alternatives, sent along a press release from South Dakota about an interpretive memorial unveiled in honor of Air National Guardsmen killed when their C-130 MAFFS aircraft crashed fighting that state's White Draw Fire last year (21); and a link to a memorial painting as well (22). A Michigan Department of Natural Resources official discusses how crews prepare for wildfires in that state (23); the importance of wildfire safety being addressed by officials from Illinois' Shawnee National Forest (24). As wildfire smoke from Canada drifted south, Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued air quality warnings (25). South Carolina Forestry Commission sent along an announcement that they are taking orders for seedlings ahead of the winter planting season (26). The role of Canadian air-tankers in the US Forest Service's "Next-Generation" air-tanker program is examined by the next article, with comments from Wildfire NOTD subscriber Britt Coulson of Coulson Aircrane (27); but heavy smoke from wildfires burning in Manitoba may force the evacuation of the small town of Gillam (28); as wildfire smoke from wildfires in northern Québec pollute the skies of Eastern Ontario (29); triggering smog warnings in Montréal, Québec, as well (30); but providential rainfall has helped firefighters battling a blaze outside of Wabush, Labrador, as fire crews and aircraft continued to pour into the area (31). Wildfires continue to crop up across Europe, with blazes being reported in France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus (32); but not surprisingly, firms identified by Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency as being responsible for massive wildfires across the island of Sumatra that shrouded the region in smoke proclaimed their innocence (33). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Bushfire CRC, sent along their latest Fire Note, which outlines research into community preparedness undertaken in Western Australia's Perth Hills over the 2011/2012 bushfire season (34); Queensland Fire and Rescue Service was preparing to conduct controlled burns on Mount Archer to reduce bushfire fuel (35); and Tasmania's Bushfire Recovery Task Force has released a report on the bushfires that burned more than 100,000 hectares and destroyed over 200 homes (36).

(1) Elevated Wildfire Risk Continues in West

(2) EDITORIAL: No taming the Western wildfires

(3) Wildfire season actually below average

(4) Banning man arrested for IE wildfire arsons

(5) Firefighters look for weather break in deadly Arizona wildfire

(6) Four C-130s being sent to help fight Arizona fires

(7) Inside the Yarnell, Arizona, Fire: How It Happened, and the Questions Still Unanswered

(8) Arizona Yarnell Hill wildfire ‘hotshots’ deaths: Families speak of heroes’ sacrifice

(9) Aerial Firefighters Express Condolences To Families Of Fallen Arizona Firefighters

(10) How you can help the Arizona firefighters' families

(11) New Firefighting Technologies: Drones, Super Shelters

(12) Wildfire Hotshots: Heroes on the Front Lines

(13) Loss of Arizona firefighters must spur new thinking on wildfires

(14) County declares fire emergency

(15) Multiple Colorado wildfires still burning

(16) About 20 Homes Flooded at Site of Colo. Wildfire

(17) Despite wildfires, more homes built in forests

(18) Firefighters gain upper hand on Utah wildfires, brace for more

(19) Texas Chief Burned in Wildland Fire That Rekindles

(20) Several Kansans on the front lines battling wildfires in West

(21) Interpretive site for N.C. National Guard MAFFS-7 Airmen to be dedicated

(22) MAFFS 7 MEMORIAL PAINTING

(23) How do crews prepare for wildfires in West Michigan?

(24) Wildfire Safety For Forest Firefighters

(25) Warning issued after smoke from Quebec forest fires pushed into Maine

(26) Forestry Commission Now Taking Orders for Seedlings

(27) Next gen air tankers high in Canadian content

(28) People ponder temporary move from smoke-plagued northern Manitoba town

(29) Distant forest fires cause wave of polluted air here

(30) Quebec forest fires trigger smog warning in Montreal

(31) Labrador fires still burning, as rain helps ease fears

(32) EFFIS - Current Situation

(33) Firms Doubt Data on Forest Fires As Government Investigation Underway

(34) Defend or evacuate? Why residents delay this decision

(35) Crews prepare for bushfire season with burns on Mount Archer

(36) Bushfire taskforce plots recovery progress