WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 070813

An ABC News article profiles wildland firefighters in our first article today (1); one from the New York Times exploring some of the technology US Forest Service researchers are developing to deal with wildfires (2); but even though insurance companies have paid out hundreds of millions in wildfire claims, premiums for homeowners living in wildfire-prone areas are unlikely to increase substantially (3); a National Public Radio segment takes a look at the causes of worsening wildfires (4). Fire crews continued to grapple with the 2,500-acre Chariot Fire near the Southern California community of Julian (5); and a pair of wildfires in Kern County slowed traffic on Interstate 5 Sunday (6); while a crown fire in a giant redwood has forced closure of the Congress Trail in Sequoia National Park (7). CAL FIRE S-2T's operating out of Stead Air Tanker Base saw some action over a 6,330-acre wildfire burning in Douglas County, Nevada (8); even as a 14,458-acre wildfire continued to churn across Mount Charleston (9). In Oregon, the Forest Grove Fire & Rescue Department plans to shut down an information line that provides Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recommendations to property owners conducting controlled burns (10); but a 3 sq mile wildfire near Manson, Washington, is now 50% contained (11). A member of the Prescott Fire Department recalls the 'horrific honor' of bringing the bodies of 19 fallen firefighters out of the Yarnell Hills Fire burn area (12); while a solemn procession of hearses brought the bodies to Prescott for tomorrow's memorial service (13); the Wildland Firefighter Foundation honoring the fallen with a ten-foot tall statue (14); even as evacuees from Yarnell were allowed to survey their losses (15); wildfire experts weighing in on how more controlled burns could help reduce massive wildfires in a USA Today article (16). Researchers discuss whether Colorado's 4.3 million acres of beetle-decimated forests really increase the fire danger in the next article (17); fire marshals emphasizing the importance of mitigation in the wildfire-ravaged Pikes Peak region (18). A lightning-sparked wildfire outside of Declo, Idaho, has expanded to 175 acres in size (19); while a dozen lightning-sparked wildfires burning in South Dakota's Black Hills have been contained (20). Residents of Bastrop County, Texas, supported a new burn ban as they reflected on the damage wrought by wildfires in 2011 (21). The impact of the Arizona tragedy on New York State Forestry Rangers' training program is examined by the next article (22); and as North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing deployed to fight wildfires in Arizona, crew members reflect on the loss of MAFFS-7 last year in South Dakota in light of the 19 firefighter deaths in Arizona this year (23). A 100 sq mile wildfire burning near Fairbanks, Alaska, forced the evacuation of hundreds of people (24); firefighters from the Northeastern US deploying to help (25). Several new wildfires have been reported in Ontario, Canada (26); while a 7.2-hectare wildfire was burning outside of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland (27); but the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary announced that they were able to open a portion of the Trans-Labrador Highway closed by a 270 km² wildfire outside of Wabush, Labrador (28); and the 911 service has been restored to Labrador West (29). Heading to Europe, wildfires were reported in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Croatia (30); a press release from the European Response Centre providing some details on wildfire reporting in the EU (31). Russia borrowed $40 million from the World Bank to help fund its $121.26 million Forest Fire Response Project (32); and in Indonesia, the Riau Police indicated that they will name a plantation company responsible for rampant wildfires on the island of Sumatra as soon as they finish interviewing 18 witnesses (33). A new study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters details how Global Warming will produce a fivefold increase in Australian heatwaves, elevating the bushfire danger (34); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Bushfire CRC, sent along their July newsletter (35). In one of the most dangerous bushfire zones in Victoria, the Hepburn Rural Fire Brigade continues to wait for funds necessary to build an adequate shelter for their appliances after the Hepburn Shire Council voted down a funding measure (36). And finally, an unusual incendiary device was used to ignite a forest fire in South Australia: a teddy bear stuffed with sparklers!

(1) For Firefighters, Answer to Why Is: Someone Has To

(2) A Technological Edge on Wildfires

(3) Despite Hefty Payouts, Fire Insurance Costs Hold Steady

(4) The New World Of Firefighting: Politics, Climate And Humans

(5) Firefighters continue to battle 2,500-acre blaze burning in an area southeast of Julian

(6) Wildfires slow I-5 traffic to a standstill for hours

(7) Fire prompts partial trail closure in Sequoia National Park

(8) Air resources attack Douglas County Nevada wildfire

(9) For Mount Charleston evacuees, some answers about the nation’s top-priority wildfire

(10) Forest Grove Fire & Rescue to end Washington County burn line

(11) Firefighters containing wildfire near Lake Chelan

(12) It Was A 'Horrific Honor' To Recover 19 Firefighters' Bodies

(13) Yarnell Hill Fire: Fallen firefighters' procession home

(14) Wildland Firefighter Foundation honors the lives of 19 fallen firefighters

(15) Arizona wildfire: Yarnell reopens to residents unsure of losses

(16) Wildfire experts call for more controlled burns

(17) Link between beetle kill and forest fires draws closer look

(18) Fire marshals stress importance of mitigation

(19) Ranch Potentially in the Path of Wildfire Near Declo, Threat Not Imminent

(20) Lightning sparks wildfires in Black Hills region

(21) Bastrop Co. residents welcome burn ban after 2011 wildfires

(22) Arizona wildfire tragedy refocuses NY forest fire battle

(23) For N.C. firefighters, the mission goes on

(24) Hundreds of people, sled dogs evacuated to escape Alaska wildfire

(25) Northeast Firefighters Deploy To Alaskan Wildfires

(26) More new fires in north

(27) Fire burns 7.2 hectares near Happy Valley-Goose Bay

(28) Gains made in stabilizing forest fires near Wabush

(29) 911 service restored in Labrador West following forest fire

(30) EFFIS - Current Situation

(31) Fighting forest fires in Europe – how it works

(32) Russia borrows $40 million from World Bank to fight forest fires

(33) Police to name company suspect

(34) Australian heatwaves 'five times more likely due to global warming'

(35) July 2013 Bushfire CRC Fire Update

(36) Hepburn fire station's summer fears

(37) Bushfire caused by teddy bear stuffed with sparklers