WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 072913

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Lasser, a retired Lieutenant Colonel with the California National Guard, sent along a podcast in which a pilot from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing discusses fighting wildfires with C-130s equipped with MAFFS (1); researchers praising the recent Mountain Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest for cleaning out a century's worth of excess vegetation (2); while patrons of a saloon in San Diego County were raising money for the families of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, killed in a burnover in Arizona last month (3); but as a 9,000-acre wildfire in the Sierra National Forest continues to expand, hiking trails and recreational areas in the Kaiser Wilderness have been closed (4); while nearly 2 dozen wildfires were sparked by lightning in the Klamath National Forest (5). Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are the focus of the next article (6); and as a 17,000-acre wildfire continues to burn in Klickitat County, Washington, the next article provides a summary of wildfires in that state (7); but quick-thinking campers are being credited with extinguishing a small blaze along the shores of Baker Lake (8). A researcher at University of Nevada Las Vegas is conducting a study to show how a century of fire suppression led to the catastrophic wildfire on Mount Charleston (9); while a commentator with Arizona roots discusses how suppression of wildfires coupled with reduced logging contributed to the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire (10). A Colorado Springs nursery donated plants to people impacted by Colorado's Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires (11). Idaho Highway 46 was closed due to an 8,500-acre wildfire near Gooding on Sunday (12); but rainfall helped firefighters gain the upper hand on wildfires in southern Utah (13). One year on, residents of Creek County, Oklahoma, are still struggling in the aftermath of a 58,500-acre wildfire (14). A quartet of wildfires scorched 36 mi.² in Montana (15); where back burns are credited with helping rope in a 1,750-acre wildfire in Jocko Canyon outside of Arlee (16). Although a wildfire near Fairbanks, Alaska, damaged power and data lines at Eielson Air Force Base, Red Flag exercises are still planned to go forward (17). Heading to Canada, residents of Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, are on evacuation alert as a nearby wildfire continues to spread (18); while fire crews and aircraft continued to battle an 81-hectare wildfire in the Slocan Valley (19); but a 5,300-hectare wildfire near Lake Athabasca has forced evacuations from Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan (20); and wildfires in northern Manitoba prompted Environment Canada to issue health advisories due to smoke in the region (21). Wildfires continued to multiply across Europe, with blazes reported in France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Croatia, Serbia, and Turkey (22); a wildfire on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca forcing evacuations of 700 tourists (23); a photo spread showing wildfires burning across Greece and Crete (24); tourists taking to their boats to escape a wildfire on the Greek island of Serifos as well (25); while 133 paratroopers of Russia's aviation forest security service (Avialesookhrana) were dispatched to deal with over 170 wildfires that have burned 53,000 ha in Siberia (26). In Victoria, Australia, homeowners will have to disclose if their property is in Bushfire Prone Areas when conducting home sales (27); Queensland Fire and Rescue Service firefighters continuing to monitor a wildfire on Mount Morgan that briefly threatened homes (28); while a new book will chronicle Tasmania's bushfire history (29); but the psychological impact of those bushfires on kids is the focus of the next article (30). And finally, a new videogame app allows gamers to battle wildfires without getting burned!

(1) Episode 258 – MAFFS: Fighting Wildfires with the C-130

(2) Forest passes trial by fire

(3) Fundraiser held in Mission Beach for families of 19 Arizona firefighters killed last month

(4) Fire in Sierra National Forest northeast of Fresno keeps growing

(5) 1,400 lightning strikes spark 23 fires in Klamath National Forest

(6) Firefighters try to get a handle on blazes in Oregon, Washington

(7) 17,000-acre wildfire over Satus Pass threatens Klickitat County homes

(8) Quick-thinking father and son put out Baker Lake forest fire

(9) Blame damage on Smokey Bear

(10) Yarnell Hill Fire Might Be the Government's Fault

(11) Thousands of plants donated to Waldo Canyon Fire and Black Forest Fire victims after flash flooding

(12) Wildfire shuts down Idaho Highway 46

(13) Rain helps crews fight southern Utah wildfires

(14) One year after Creek County wildfires, some people still feeling burned

(15) 4 Montana wildfires burn over 36 square miles

(16) Burnout operations hold 1,750-acre Jocko Canyon wildfire in check

(17) Wildfire damages military power, data lines

(18) Uncontained wildfire prompts evacuation alert near OK Falls

(19) Efforts continue on Slocan Valley fire despite fuel spill

(20) Evacuees take refuge from smoky forest fire in northern Sask.

(21) Forest fires creating health concerns for people in northern Manitoba

(22) EFFIS - Current Situation

(23) Forest fire leads to evacuations in Spain

(24) Wildfires on the Greek islands – in pictures

(25) Tourists escape by boat as wildfire threatens Greek island

(26) Forest fires in Russia reach about 53,000 hectares radius

(27) Home sale warnings for residents in Bushfire Prone Areas

(28) Firefighters keep close watch on Mount Morgan bushfire

(29) Book to chronicle bushfire history

(30) Bushfire fallout tests kids' mental health

(31) New Firefighting Simulation Game “FireFight” from Impossible Visions Features Multiple Scenarios, Great Gameplay, and Awesome Sound and Graphics