WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090413

A New York Times article posits that California's Rim Fire may be a portent of things to come on a global scale, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Max Moritz, a Fire Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley commenting on how climate change could impact wildfires in the tropics (1); water issues in the West raised by wildfire activity being examined by an Op-Ed piece (2). Female inmate wildland firefighters from San Diego County's Puerta La Cruz Conservation Camp are profiled in the next article (3); and the National Institute of Standards and Technology teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service in a study of 2007's Witch Fire which focused on structure survivability (4); while scientists from the Western Regional Research Center published a new study in Agricultural Research magazine about a mixture of sodium bentonite clay, cornstarch, and water which may protect homes from wildfires as well as any commercially-available firefighting gel for about 30 minutes (5); and favorable weather has allowed firefighters to bring containment to 80% on the massive 235,841-acre Rim Fire burning on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park (6); while the smoke in Yosemite Valley has finally dissipated (7); the following article examining how the Rim Fire grew so large in the first place (8); but the dubious relationship between marijuana farms and California wildfires is explored by the London Times (9); and the cause of two small wildfires in Lake County is under investigation (10); while the 12,272-acre Corral Complex Fire, burning in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, is now 56% contained (11); the California Fire Science Consortium sending along their September Newsletter (12). A summary of wildfire activity in Oregon, where the 48,700-acre Douglas Complex Fire has been contained, is provided by the next article (13); wildfires this year costing the state $111 million so far (14). Several Central Washington counties have banded together to ask for federal funding to outfit a sheriff's helicopter for firefighting duty (15). Arizona's governor plans to appeal Pres. Obama's denial of a major disaster declaration for the Yarnell Hill Fire that killed 19 Hotshots last June (16). The plight of New Mexico's wildlife in the aftermath of wildfires and monsoons is the focus of the next article (17); meanwhile, the search for a firefighter who was patrolling the perimeter of a wildfire in the Santa Fe National Forest continues (18); the Little Bear Forest Reform Coalition, which was formed in the aftermath of the devastating Little Bear Fire, held an educational seminar in the Ruidoso Public Library (19). A firefighter from Montrose, Colorado, unveiled a collection of photos from the firelines in the West (20); while Pikes Peak Brewing is doing its part to raise funds for families impacted by the Black Forest Fire (21). As several major blazes continue to burn in Idaho, a rainstorm drenched Boise, but did little to diminish wildfire activity (22). On the second anniversary of the Labor Day wildfires in Bastrop County, Texas, people impacted by the blazes paused for reflection (23); but Michigan's Department of Natural Resources reported that two wildfires in Kalkaska and Antrim Counties burned 17 acres between them (24). Troops from the Army's elite 101st Combat Aviation Brigade began training to fight wildfires at Fort Campbell, Kentucky (25). A Canadian Skies article profiles the C-130Q Next Generation air-tanker fielded by Wildfire NOTD subscriber Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Aircrane (26); and as summer wanes, fire officials in British Columbia feel they have dodged a bullet after so few wildfires this season (27). Wildfires were reported in the European nations of France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey (28). Rainstorms across the Indonesian island of Sumatra have diminished wildfire activity enough that nearby Malaysia should be smoke-free for the next week (29); this at a time when Muarojambi Disaster Mitigation Agency opened a command post to handle raging forest fires in the region (30). Despite warnings by fire officials in Australia to formulate plans on whether to stay or go as a bushfire approaches, Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre has found that only 1% of thousands surveyed in Victoria were prepared (31); firefighters setting back burns to protect homes from a bushfire outside of Townsville, Queensland (32); even as fire crews from Fire and Rescue NSW quickly knocked down a one-hectare bushfire outside of Swansea, New South Wales (33); bushfire smoke from blazes in Hastings and Kempsey prompting health alerts (34); the next article taking a closer look at the parts of New South Wales most in danger from bushfires this coming season (35). Evacuees have finally been allowed to return home in Western Australia's Kimberley region following a 240-hectare bushfire in Fitzroy Crossing (36). And finally, fire crews battling Idaho's Beaver Creek Fire got a special treat: lunch furnished by actor Bruce Willis!

(1) Wildfires and Climate Change

(2) VIEWPOINT: Wildfires Pose A Major Threat To Our Clean Water

(3) Inmates Vital in Firefighting

(4) Knowing exposure risks important to saving structures from wildfires

(5) Temporary coating may help protect homes from wildfires

(6) California wildfire at 80 percent containment as some evacuations lifted

(7) Smoke gone from Yosemite Valley; some firefighters sent home

(8) How California's Rim Fire Grew So Big

(9) Up in smoke: cannabis farmers are blamed for forest fires

(10) Two small wildland fires contained; causes under investigation

(11) Corral Complex: Containment at 56 percent

(12) September Newsletter

(13) 1 of Oregon's 4 large wildfires declared contained

(14) Oregon general fund will be hit with forest fire bills

(15) Funding sought to outfit local helicopter for rescues, fire fighting

(16) Arizona Gov. Brewer reportedly to appeal feds' denial of wildfire aid

(17) NM wildlife left homeless after fires, monsoons

(18) Search Continues in for Missing NM Firefighter

(19) Little Bear Forest Reform Coalition hosts seminar

(20) Montrose Firefighter Battles Wildfires, Captures Dramatic Images

(21) Pikes Peak Brewing to hold fundraiser for Black Forest fire victims

(22) Wildfires dodge downpour, but cooler weather aids firefighters

(23) Memories Not Extinguished: Two Years Since Labor Day Wildfires

(24) Forest fires burn nearly 20 acres in Kalkaska, Antrim counties

(25) Fort Campbell’s 101st Combat Aviation Brigade trains to fight wildfires

(26) Coulson and SkyTrac partner on Next Generation Air Tanker program

(27) Fewer forest fires in sunny B.C. summer

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Rain keeps haze away, clear skies likely for next 7 days

(30) Muarojambi opens post to tackle forest fires

(31) Indecision on stay or go with bushfire threats

(32) Firefighters control Shaws Rd bushfire

(33) Swansea bush fire extinguished

(34) Health warning over bushfire smoke

(35) Bushfire outlook for North Coast better than rest of state

(36) Kimberley homes saved from bushfire

(37) Bruce Willis helps feed Beaver Creek firefighters