WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 082013

A summary of wildfires burning in 11 Western states is provided by our first article today (1); a press release from Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association, interviewing several helicopter and air-tanker contractors who are supplying the aerial firefighting resources battling these blazes (2). Lightning was blamed for over a dozen wildfires in Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest (3); CAL FIRE reporting a 12-acre wildfire near Interstate 15 in Fallbrook (4); while nearly a dozen California National Guard aircraft joined the fight against wildfires in Northern California (5); the next article indicating size and location of the blazes (6); where lightning strikes were blamed for a dozen new wildfires in the Sequoia National Forest (7); but hundreds of evacuees were allowed to return home in Butte County (8); and fire managers are concerned about the potential for a 2,500-acre wildfire burning in the Stanislaus National Forest (9); forcing closure of Highway 120 into Yosemite (10); while the National Weather Service warned that approaching storms could bring lightning to Humboldt County (11); lightning being blamed for 14 wildfires in Plumas County (12); the Butler and Salmon River Complex fires racking up $36 million in suppression costs between them (13); and as the 1,995-acre Swedes Fire is brought to 45% containment, evacuees are being allowed to return home (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ed Story, CEO of Aerial Fire Response & Research Network, sent along an article from Oregon Public Broadcasting which details the use of air patrols over that state to provide early warning of wildfires (15); but a resident of The Dalles was reluctant to evacuate as the 2,700-acre Blackburn Fire approached (16); a 20-acre wildfire on Government Island proving to be a tough fight for firefighters from multiple agencies (17); but a nine-acre wildfire in the Mt. Washington Wilderness is currently 30% contained (18). A 250-acre wildfire in Chelan County, Washington, may force evacuations (19). A 615-acre wildfire near Yarnell, Arizona, is now 5% contained (20); but fire managers in the Coconino National Forest plan to let a 450-acre wildfire burn for ecological purposes (21). Firefighters were battling a small 1.7-acre wildfire outside of Canon City, Colorado (22); and a six-acre wildfire which caused evacuations in Jefferson County should be wrapped up today (23); meanwhile, the Black Rose Acoustic Society will be putting on an all day music festival to benefit Black Forest Fire survivors on Saturday (24); and in a return to normalcy, students in Colorado Springs attended classes at Edith Wolford Elementary School, which was damaged by the Black Forest Fire (25). The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, increased the wildfire preparedness level Tuesday to its highest point in five years (26); but as some were evacuating in the path of Idaho's wildfires, others chose to stay and fight (27); a four-acre wildfire in Idaho Panhandle National Forest drawing the attention of SEATs and firefighters on the ground (28); a CBS News video segment discussing the impact of wildfires on that state's tourism (29); and as storms approached, floods may also be a consideration for residents and visitors to the area (30). Fire crews in Utah were gaining the upper hand on wildfires that have scorched 70,000 acres (31); allowing some evacuees to go home (32). Wildfire activity on the outskirts of Missoula, Montana, is summarized by the next article (33); while Nebraska's governor remarked that he was glad the state hadn't needed to call on a SEAT stationed at Chadron due to a mild fire season this summer (34). A wildfire and a landfill fire in British Columbia, Canada, sparked evacuations in the Interior (35); but a 20-hectare wildfire near Richter Pass has been fully contained (36); the Wildfire Management Branch using the recent wildfires to highlight the current wildfire risk in the Okanogan Valley (37). A total of 13 new wildfires were reported in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Cyprus (38). After 10 years in development in Australia, the innovative Bushfire Pro system is now available for rural, residential and commercial bushfire protection in Queensland and Northern New South Wales (39). And finally, firefighter safety rules are finding application in an unusual place: data protection!

(1) Wildfires rage in 11 Western states

(2) Multi-State Wildland Fires Stretch Airborne Firefighting Fleets

(3) Lightning sparks small fires in San Bernardino National Forest

(4) Brush fire burns near I-15 in Fallbrook

(5) CalGuard aircraft fighting wildfires

(6) Wildfires still burning northern half of state

(7) Lightning-caused fires burning in forest

(8) Evacuees Allowed To Return Home As Butte County Wildfire Is 64% Contained

(9) Rim Fire crosses Tuolumne River Updated 2,500 acres

(10) Wildfire forces officials to close California 120 near Yosemite

(11) Weather Service extends lightning warning to Humboldt County; Northern California wildfires near 36K acres

(12) Voluntary Evacuations After Several Forest Fires in Plumas County

(13) Firefighting costs top $36 million

(14) Swedes Fire evacuations lifted

(15) Eyes In The Sky Patrol For Wildfires

(16) A Blackburn fire evacuee: 'I'm not leaving until I see a firetruck parked in my front yard'

(17) Government Island blaze presenting a tough fight for firefighters

(18) Willamette National Forest keeps heat on Hand Lake fire

(19) Winds push blaze along Eagle Creek

(20) Wildfire near Yarnell grows to 615 acres

(21) Wildfire on Mogollon Rim allowed to burn

(22) Officials fight small blaze near Canon

(23) Firefighters hope for full containment of Glencoe Valley Fire Tuesday

(24) Black Forest Fire Benefit

(25) Black Forest Fire Victims Return To School Spared By The Fire

(26) Idaho wildfires top firefighting priority list

(27) Little Queens Fire threatens, but residents in Atlanta, Idaho, stay to fight

(28) Firefighters storm Marie Creek blaze near Wolf Lodge

(29) Wildfires turn Idaho tourism spots to ghost towns

(30) Floods may add to woes in wildfire-hit Idaho

(31) Crews gain on Utah wildfires, buoyed by wet weather forecast

(32) Rockport residents go home but other Utah wildfires smolder

(33) Highway 12: Schoolhouse fire grows to 250 acres

(34) Gov. Heineman fortunate state hasn't used air-tanker 'this summer'

(35) Forest fire, landfill blaze keep firefighters busy in B.C. Interior

(36) Grass fire contained

(37) Wildfires highlight current risk in the Okanagan Valley

(38) EFFIS - Current Situation

(39) Fire prevention invention to soak rural areas

(40) A 'Two-In, Two-Out Rule' For Data Protection?