2018 Wildfires

waltky · Mar 19, 2018

Massive coastal bushfire chases Aussies to the beach...

Australians flee to the beach to avoid a massive coastal bushfire
Mon March 19, 2018 - A massive bushfire has engulfed a small town in southeastern Australia, destroying more than 100 buildings and forcing hundreds of residents to flee to beaches or evacuate to nearby towns, authorities said.

The fire, which has burned 1,200 hectares of bush, hit the coastal town of Tathra in New South Wales (NSW) on Sunday evening. Extreme heat and strong winds contributed to the quick spread of bushfire, leading to mass evacuations, according to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. There are no reports of residents missing or seriously injured, though a number of people have been treated for smoke inhalation, she said. Firefighters saved approximately 400 houses from the flames, but 69 homes were destroyed and 39 damaged.

Residents fled to the beach to avoid the flames.

The fire also destroyed 30 caravans or cabins, according to the Rural Fire Service. Some residents fled to the beach to avoid the flames, as the temperature rose to 41 degrees Celsius (106 Farenheit), as reported by Reuters. "I walked to the beach for 5km with over 200 people to try to get away," a local, Simone Ward, told CNN. Ward, who later evacuated to the nearby coastal town of Bermagui, praised the community spirit in the Bega Valley, saying the quick thinking of the locals has been "phenomenal." "Everyone wants to help. Everyone who's seen those flames and that fire is so brave. It was so scary to be so close, you could see the flames and the explosions."

Debris from destroyed homes and a burnt-out car covers the ground in Tathra, Australia.

Chris Bowles, a tourist who is road-tripping around Australia in a van, posted on Instagram pictures of the flames rising above the trees and the houses in Tathra. Dozens of homes destroyed in bushfire "We could see houses on fire as we drove away," he wrote.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/19/world/australia-bushfire-intl/index.html
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waltky · Jul 14, 2018

Firefighter dies fighting Yosemite fire...

California firefighter dies battling blaze near Yosemite National Park
July 14, 2018 -- A California firefighter died Saturday while battling a blaze near Yosemite National Park, the statewide fire authority said.

Braden Varney, 36, a heavy equipment operator with Cal Fire, died on site after a bulldozer rolled while fighting the Ferguson Fire. He leaves behind a wife and two small children, Cal Fire said.Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said Varney "was a community member. That's where he lived, protecting the area where he grew up." Varney, with Cal Fire's Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit for a decade, was fighting the Ferguson Fire, one of the newest of dozens of wildfires burning across California and the West.

Firefighters battle the Valley Fire Sunday in San Bernardino County, Calif., one of several wildfires burning thousands of acres across the state. On Saturday, a firefighter died while battling the state's newest fire, the Ferguson Fire, a fire that was reported Friday near near Yosemite National Park.

The fire was reported late Friday and has burned about 130 acres in the Sierra National Forest near El Portal, close to the Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite. It was 5 percent contained Saturday morning. McLean said Varney's death is still under investigation. His job involved operating bulldozers and he was working on the line with teams trying to contain the fire when he was killed. The area where the firefighters were working has steep terrain and is largely inaccessible. Last year, firefighter Cory Iverson died of burns and smoke inhalation while fighting Ventura County's Thomas fire.

On Thursday the County Fire, the largest wildfire burning in California, was nearly 100 percent contained, fire officials said. It has burned 90,288 acres in Napa and Yolo counties.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/201.../?utm_source=upi&utm_campaign=mp&utm_medium=3
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modernpaladin · Jul 14, 2018

I dont get why people dont clear combustible material away from their house in dry, hot regions. A couple hours with a rake will prevent your house from burning in a wildfire 95% of the time. I just dont have a lot of sympathy here...

waltky · Jul 21, 2018

Sweden struggling to control wildfires...

Sweden seeking foreign assistance to combat raging wildfires
July 19, 2018 -- Sweden called on other European countries to help it battle a series of wildfires raging throughout the country Thursday.

Italy, France and Norway sent aircraft to assist Swedish helicopters in combatting the 44 wildfires burning nearly 50,000 acres of forest in the country. Officials evacuated residents from Gavleborg, Jamtland and Dalarna counties. The largest fire in Fagelsjo-Lillasen has burned more than 6,000 acres.

In addition to receiving aid from other European countries, hundreds of residents from the municipality of Ragunda and other areas have volunteered to assist firefighting efforts. "There are at least 100 people helping every day to go and see what fires are left that need to be put out and then relating this information back to the firefighters," Ragunda municipality spokeswoman Karina Landin said. "There are also other volunteers helping with providing food and such things. We couldn't be doing this without them."

Sweden sought assistance from other European countries to combat more than 40 wildfires raging in the country on Thursday.

Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency also appealed to the Red Cross for help organizing volunteer efforts. We have extensive experience in organizing voluntary efforts and are now scaling up our work immediately," Swedish Red Cross Secretary General Martin Ärnlöv said. Ärnlöv called for anyone interested and able to help to contact the organization to help with "assistance in evacuation, distributing supplies and spreading information about the ongoing evacuation efforts."

Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin offered thanks to those who were combatting the fire. "A big thank you to all the heroes, professional and volunteers who are fighting to extinguish the wildfires in this heat. Your efforts are invaluable," she said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=14
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Idahojunebug77 · Jul 21, 2018

I'm not sure you understand wildfire behavior in dry, hot regions. Often the fire does not creep along the ground inching ever closer to your house, it can travel by leaps and bounds even jumping large fire breaks hundreds of feet wide. A rake and a garden hose is no match for a wildfire.

tecoyah · Jul 21, 2018

modernpaladin said: ↑

I dont get why people dont clear combustible material away from their house in dry, hot regions. A couple hours with a rake will prevent your house from burning in a wildfire 95% of the time. I just dont have a lot of sympathy here...
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Yeah.....nothing like a good rake to stop a fire.

mamooth · Jul 21, 2018

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/17/yarnell-hill-arizona-wildfire-brush/2524419/
---
YARNELL, Ariz. — Almost all buildings in the path of the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire that had been adequately cleared of surrounding brush survived, according to the first known study of the blaze.

However, only 63 structures out of 569 in the community, or 11%, were properly defended, according to researchers at the Pacific Biodiversity Institute.
---

modernpaladin · Jul 21, 2018

tecoyah said: ↑

Yeah.....nothing like a good rake to stop a fire.

Click to expand...

That's some excellent, ratings-making footage of extreme wildfire moments.

This is what wildfires affecting residential areas more typically look like.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...CA107B366D30AA880CC6CA107B366D30&&FORM=VRDGAR

Short grass and shrubs burning around your house will not substantially damage it if it is of modern construction. The siding materials that houses are typically built with over the last 50+ years are fire resistant and require far more prolonged exposure to flames to 'catch' than a routinely mowed yard can provide. Paint is also an excellent fire barrier as far as short-spanned grass fires are concerned. House paint requires a lot of heat for it to break down into combustible chemicals. In short, there simply isn't enough fuel in a well-maintained yard to maintain a fire suitable to spread to the average house. As I said before- a few hours with a rake can make your house essentially wildfire-proof in the vast majority of circumstances. People just aren't willing to clear the combustible debris from their house, instead hoping the fire crews will do all the work for them (they won't).

Wildfire crews 'dig line' to manage the spread of fires. This 'line' is typically about a 6 foot wide section of ground with all combustible material scratched away down to non-combustible dirt, and very seldom does fire 'jump the line.' A similar line around your house or property would have a similar effect. Wildfire crews are little more than landscapers with specialized equipment and maybe a weeks worth of training, which is more oriented around chain-of-command structure and the use of safety equipment than it is fighting actual fire. The tools they use to 'dig line' are little more than landscaping tools- picks, axes and rakes. Most wildland firefighters are just landscapers who sometimes landscape near fire. The average person is fully capable of creating a fire line around their home or property in less than a day using precisely the same method that the firefighters do to contain wildfires.

There are of course extenuating circumstances- other structures nearby like sheds or unprepared neighbors that your house could be exposed to if they catch, dead trees or large-mass shrubs, even large areas of peeling paint and/or exposed dryrot could create a 'purchase point' for a grassfire to transfer to your house without a lot of necessary external fuel source. That's one of the reasons that its important to keep your house well-maintained, is to prevent fire.

tecoyah · Jul 22, 2018

modernpaladin said: ↑

That's some excellent, ratings-making footage of extreme wildfire moments.

This is what wildfires affecting residential areas more typically look like.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...CA107B366D30AA880CC6CA107B366D30&&FORM=VRDGAR

Short grass and shrubs burning around your house will not substantially damage it if it is of modern construction. The siding materials that houses are typically built with over the last 50+ years are fire resistant and require far more prolonged exposure to flames to 'catch' than a routinely mowed yard can provide. Paint is also an excellent fire barrier as far as short-spanned grass fires are concerned. House paint requires a lot of heat for it to break down into combustible chemicals. In short, there simply isn't enough fuel in a well-maintained yard to maintain a fire suitable to spread to the average house. As I said before- a few hours with a rake can make your house essentially wildfire-proof in the vast majority of circumstances. People just aren't willing to clear the combustible debris from their house, instead hoping the fire crews will do all the work for them (they won't).

Wildfire crews 'dig line' to manage the spread of fires. This 'line' is typically about a 6 foot wide section of ground with all combustible material scratched away down to non-combustible dirt, and very seldom does fire 'jump the line.' A similar line around your house or property would have a similar effect. Wildfire crews are little more than landscapers with specialized equipment and maybe a weeks worth of training, which is more oriented around chain-of-command structure and the use of safety equipment than it is fighting actual fire. The tools they use to 'dig line' are little more than landscaping tools- picks, axes and rakes. Most wildland firefighters are just landscapers who sometimes landscape near fire. The average person is fully capable of creating a fire line around their home or property in less than a day using precisely the same method that the firefighters do to contain wildfires.

There are of course extenuating circumstances- other structures nearby like sheds or unprepared neighbors that your house could be exposed to if they catch, dead trees or large-mass shrubs, even large areas of peeling paint and/or exposed dryrot could create a 'purchase point' for a grassfire to transfer to your house without a lot of necessary external fuel source. That's one of the reasons that its important to keep your house well-maintained, is to prevent fire.
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Or...I don't know...maybe....uh....WIND, Terrain, Shrubs, the physical and unpredictable properties of fire...etc....

If you will not accept video evidence of my point....oh well, no point continuing as you also believe unicorns and Santa are real.

Have A Nice Day

Josephwalker · Jul 22, 2018

tecoyah said: ↑

Or...I don't know...maybe....uh....WIND, Terrain, Shrubs, the physical and unpredictable properties of fire...etc....

If you will not accept video evidence of my point....oh well, no point continuing as you also believe unicorns and Santa are real.

Have A Nice Day
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Brush clearing works.

SUN VALLEY >> Hratch Kozibeyokian’s brush clearing skills saved his home.

The 67-year-old Shadow Hills resident, who has lived on his 3-acre property for 18 years, was prepared for the La Tuna fire when it started Friday.

“We’ve been waiting for this to happen for the past 18 years,” said Hozibeyokian, who had a small hot spot burning behind his property Wednesday afternoon. “That’s why you see all this [brush] clearance. The key is the clearance — that’s the strategy. The fire came to us. When it was reduced, we just extinguished it. I extinguished it with this hose. Why? Because we prepared. It was a piece of cake.”

"Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Nathan Sweet said Hozibeyokian did a great job of clearing the brush behind his house.

“It didn’t really have much room to burn,” Sweet explained. “Brush clearance is probably the No. 1 thing. It will make the biggest difference if the fire continues and burns houses or if it stops. If this was brush instead of cut grass, he couldn’t have been able to contain this. It made it move much slower. We were able to dig it up.”

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/20...aved-home-in-la-tuna-fire-blaze-80-contained/

waltky · Jul 24, 2018

At least 74 killed as wildfires sweep through Greece...

At least 74 killed as wildfires sweep through resorts in Greece
Jul 24, 2018 — Wildfires raging through seaside resorts near the Greek capital torched homes, cars and forests, killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. Twenty-six of the dead were groups of families or friends found huddled together, some of them clasp in hugs. Others swam out to sea to escape the inferno and some never came back.

Greece endures wildfires every year but the fires that broke out Monday were the deadliest to hit the country in decades. Fueled by gale-force winds, they trapped thousands of people on beaches, roads and in homes. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras declared three days of national mourning for those killed as officials feared the death toll could rise even further, as there was no definitive count of how many people were missing. Coast guard boats patrolled the shores near fire-hit areas Tuesday after over 700 people trapped by quick-moving fires had to be rescued from beaches or the sea, where six of the dead were found.

A wildfire rages in the town of Rafina, near Athens, Greece. Photo by Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters

While Greek authorities urged the public to contact them if they were looking for loved ones, many people took to social media, posting pictures of those they were looking for and their last known location before the fires hit. Fire service spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri announced Tuesday afternoon that the death toll had jumped from 50 to 74. In addition, 164 adults and 23 children were still being treated in hospitals for injuries, mainly burns. Of the adults, 71 remained hospitalized Tuesday afternoon, 10 of them in serious condition, while 11 of the children also remained hospitalized.

A local stands next to burnt cars following a wildfire at the village of Mati, near Athens, Greece

Twenty-six of the dead were found at first light Tuesday huddled together in one compound near the sea in the community of Mati, near the port of Rafina. Red Cross rescuers who found them said they appeared to be families or groups of friends, as they were found hugging in groups of threes and fours. Although the fires had largely abated by Tuesday afternoon, they were far from out. Firefighters, aided by water-dropping aircraft from the sky, were tackling the remaining areas in the two main blazes near the capital: one northeast of Athens near Rafina, where most of the casualties appeared to have occurred.

A local sprays water with a hose on a burnt car following a wildfire at the village of Mati, near Athens, Greece.

Stavrinidis, his wife and four friends swam out into the sea to escape the smoke, but they quickly became disoriented, losing sight of the shore and being swept out further by the wind and currents. Two of the group didn’t survive. “It is terrible to see the person next to you drowning and not being able to help him,” Stavrinidis said, his voice breaking. The remaining survivors were picked up by a fishing boat with an Egyptian crew who jumped into the water to rescue them.

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waltky · Jul 26, 2018

Major wildfires across Israel...

Record heat starting major wildfires across Israel
July 25, 2018 -- Israeli firefighters worked Wednesday to put out fires along the border with Gaza, as the country dealt with a record-breaking heat wave.

Officials said one fire was sparked by an incendiary balloon and the rest were brush fires ignited by the intense heat. The largest blaze is burning near Kibbutz Re'im, where seven firefighting crews and four planes are involved in the fire, the Times of Israel reported. Fires are also burning in the northern Ahihud Forest, the central Horshim Forest and the southern Churchill Forest.

An Isreli firefighter takes a break while battling flames near the Gaza border. High temperatures from an enduring heat wave sparked brush fires along the border and blazes in three of Israel's largest forests

Another fire, in the West Bank settlement of Karmei Tzur, was started by a barrage of Molotov cocktails thrown at a settlement security fence, the Israeli army said. Flames ultimately spread to nearby homes and forced residents to evacuate. The fires occurred during a major a heat wave. The Red Sea resort city of Eliat recorded a temperature of 109 degrees Wednesday, the Israel Meteorological Service said. A high temperature of 105 degrees in Gaza is the highest ever recorded for July.

The Israel Electric Corp. said Wednesday the heat has been accompanied by a surge to record electricity usage. Israel's Health Ministry warned the elderly and those with chronic illnesses to stay out of the sun, and the public to refrain from unnecessary physical activity until the temperatures cool.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-.../?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=4
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waltky · Jul 30, 2018

Six dead, seven missing as California wildfire nears 90,000 acres...

Six dead, seven missing as California wildfire nears 90,000 acres
JULY 29, 2018 -- Six people people were killed and seven remain missing as a wildfire in Northern California that burned hundreds of structures grew to nearly 90,000 acres Sunday.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said a sixth person died as a result of the Carr Fire, during an afternoon press conference. Bosenko didn't provide any further details about the victim, but said the case was under investigation.
He added seven people remained missing after nine had been found safe on Sunday. "We're finding that there are a lot of communication issues" making it hard to locate residents," Redding Police Sgt. Todd Cogle said, according to CNN. "We spoke with several people who left their cellphones at their residences and in this day and age people don't remember people's phone numbers."

The Carr Fire grew to 89,194 acres and remained at 5 percent containment, as 3,388 total fire personnel worked to combat the blaze that began on Monday, according to Cal Fire. "Extreme fire conditions continue to challenge firefighters last night," Cal Fire said. "Erratic winds and hot dry conditions resulted in greater growth and increased fire behavior during night operations."

Five people, including 70-year-old Melody Bledsoe and her two great-grandchildren, were confirmed dead Saturday after they had been missing since Thursday and three Marin County Fire Department firefighters were injured. Authorities have ordered many evacuations and closed dozens of roadways due to the fire. The blaze has also destroyed 517 structures and damaged 135 more. Cal Fire said 5,012 structures are threatened by the fire.

Several other wildfires burned throughout the state on Sunday, including the River Fire in Mendocino County, which has burned 11,028 acres and destroyed four residences and one outbuilding since it began on Friday. The Ranch Fire, which also started in Mendocino County on Friday, grew to 13,242 acres and was at 5 percent containment Sunday, Cal Fire said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/201...ildfire-nears-90000-acres/7361532876995/?mp=2
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See also:

Unchecked Northern California Fire Claims Sixth Life
July 29, 2018 - The wildfire burning almost unchecked in Northern California has claimed it's sixth victim.

At a news conference Sunday, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said the victim, who was not identified, didn't evacuate despite receiving an evacuation warning. Other victims included two children and two firefighters. He said seven others are still missing in the Carr Fire near Redding, a city of 90,000 about 370 kilometers northeast of San Francisco.

The National Weather Service has predicted continued hot and dry conditions, with wind gusts expected late Sunday afternoon. "Right now, it's going everywhere. We still have a lot of open line,'' said Anthony Romero, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

A firefighter surveys a wildfire-damaged neighborhood, Sunday, July 29, 2018, in Keswick, Calif.

The fire has already forced tens of thousands to flee from their homes. Local officials estimate at least 517 structures have been destroyed and another 135 damaged -- a majority of them were homes. Keswick, a mountain town of about 450 people, was almost burned to the ground, officials said.

The Carr Fire is the largest fire burning in the state Sunday, threatening more than 5,000 structures. The fire is just 5 percent contained. Wildfires across California have forced more than 50,000 people from their homes, said Lynne Tolmachoff, a Cal Fire spokeswoman. About 12,000 firefighters are battling 17 significant fires, she said Sunday. "We are well ahead of the fire activity we saw last year,'' Tolmachoff said. "This is just July, so we're not even into the worst part of fire season.''

https://www.voanews.com/a/unchecked-northern-california-fire-claims-sixth-life/4505398.html
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waltky · Jul 30, 2018

Lapland confronts wildfires...

Everyone’s a firefighter as Lapland confronts wildfires
Jul 31, 2018 - Until this month, nobody would have imagined that the bucolic Lapland town of Jokkmokk could be home to one of the world’s busiest fire brigades.

Nestled beside a bank of pink willowherb and the start line of the Arctic 220km ski marathon, the fire station normally has just three full-time employees and a team of volunteers. During the dark, freezing winters, that is enough hands to deal with the usual electric fires and traffic accidents. During the 24-hour sunlight of the summer, they can usually manage with the aftermath of lightning strikes and barbecue accidents. However, after two freakishly hot, dry months in Sweden and much of the Arctic and Europe, this station has found itself alarmingly overstretched. In just 12 days, the firefighters have had to tackle eight wildfires, the biggest of which tore across an area of boreal forest the size of 900 soccer pitches and sent smoke billowing through the Lule valley.

To cope, they have called in reinforcements from neighboring regions, army personnel, home guard members and volunteers from the small local community, including refugees. They have hired helicopters, bulldozers and excavators. On some days, the team has swollen to 130 members. “We have forest fires every year, but never so many big ones in such a short time,” said Acting Fire Station Chief Gunnar Lundstrom, who went 43 hours without sleep during the peak period of the recent blazes. Earlier in the day, he surveyed the damage from a helicopter. “Look at the fire line,” he said, showing one mobile phone image of green forest meeting black and brown canopies. He then flicked over to another on the ground. “See? The streams have dried up,” Lundstrom said.

Soon after he returned to the station, he was called off to another fire. It was almost midnight when he sat back in the canteen to explain the weather conditions that have turned this region into a tinderbox. “It’s an extraordinary summer. We’ve hardly had rain in two months and it’s been very hot. We never used to get temperatures above 30°C,” he said. It has been a similar story across much of the world this summer, as temperature records are broken in North Africa, California and Georgia, droughts threaten the UK and Europe, and deadly heatwaves have killed hundreds of people in Greece and Japan. The Arctic Circle and surrounding northern climes might once have been considered a refuge, but global warming is more pronounced in these regions than elsewhere. Satellites have recently tracked massive fires in Siberia that have sent clouds of smoke across the north pole to Greenland and Canada.

Norwegian authorities have reported three times more wildfires already than are normal in an entire year. Sweden has been hit by more than 60 forest fires this month, forcing the evacuations of three communities, disrupting train services and prompting appeals for help under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. France has dispatched soldiers, Italy sent water bombing aircraft, while Denmark, Norway and Estonia also provided firefighters and equipment. Most of the fires are in south and central Sweden, but even Lapland in the north has suffered. Overextended fire services have relied on local communities for help near the frontline. Among Jokkmokk’s population of 3,100, this has meant teachers, students, holidaymakers and asylum seekers taking up hoses to douse down the forest near the fires.

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waltky · Aug 1, 2018

How to help the victims of the California wildfires...

How to help the victims of the California wildfires
Aug 1, 2018 - Fast-moving wildfires in California have claimed the lives of at least eight people and have destroyed more than 1,000 homes and buildings.

The fires have been fueled by shifting winds, dry vegetation and record-setting temperatures. To date, they’ve burned through more than 260,000 acres of land, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people across the state. The largest blaze, the Carr Fire in Northern California, has burned more than 100,000 acres alone and is just 30 percent contained, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Officials say it’s already one of the 10 most destructive fires in California history. As firefighters struggle to contain the active flames, additional fires erupted overnight, threatening more structures.

This all comes just less than a year after the worst fire season in California’s history, according to CalFire. Late last year, wildfires killed 44 people, burned more than 500,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes and cost the state $9 billion in insurance claims. Californians are still recovering from those fires, and thousands more will need additional assistance recovering from the blazes that are currently burning across the state — from San Bernardino in the south to Shasta County in the north.

A firefighter uses a hose to knock down flames while battling the Ranch Fire (Mendocino Complex) north of Upper Lake, California, U.S., August 1, 2018.

Here are some organizations seeking help in their recovery efforts.

The Salvation Army has deployed disaster response teams to help evacuees and first responders in Redding, California, where the Carr Fire has has already destroyed hundreds of buildings and threatens thousands more. The organization is collecting monetary donationsfrom the public, which it says will go directly toward relief efforts.

GoFundMe has created a list of verified campaigns that are raising money for those impacted by the Carr Fire. Donors can send money to help families, residents and firefighters.

Facebook has launched a crisis response page for those affected by the fires in Northern California. Users can create public posts on the page to request, find or offer help. They also have the option to donate money directly to relief efforts such as GlobalGiving.

The Shasta Regional Community Foundation is accepting donations for its Community Disaster Relief Fund. The money collected will be funneled to local nonprofits and disaster relief organizations.

The American Red Cross is providing shelter and aid for fire victims in Northern California. Those who want to help the organization can make $10 donations to the Red Cross by texting REDCROSS to 90999 or by visiting its website, redcross.org.

The Wildfire Firefighter Foundation is accepting donations to help families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and to assist injured firefighters and their families.

CNN’s Impact Your World initiative has created a page to collect donations that will go toward seven organizations working on helping the victims of California’s wildfires. The organizations include The Community Foundation Sonoma County, Convoy of Hope and Direct Relief.

The California Community Foundation has created a list of resources to help Southern California residents impacted by the Cranston and Rock fires in San Diego and Riverside counties. People can use the list to support relief organizations and send donations.

The Haven Humane Society has evacuated and rescued hundreds of pets and other animals from the Carr Fire. The organization is asking the public for donations, including food and supplies, to further help the animals. A full list of supplies can be found on its Facebook page.

United Way of Northern California has established the Shasta County Fire Relief Fund to help victims of the Carr Fire. To donate, people can text CARRFIRE to 91999 or visit the organization’s website.

California Volunteers, a state office that manages volunteer programs in California, has created a list of services and donation options to help victims affected by the Carr, Ferguson, Mendocino Complex and Cranston fires. People can use the list to find information about donations and volunteering.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-to-help-the-victims-of-the-california-wildfires
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waltky · Aug 2, 2018

Wildfires destroy homes, land and California’s budget...

Wildfires destroy homes, land and California’s budget
Fri, Aug 03, 2018 - Just a month into the budget year, the state has already spent more than one-quarter of its annual fire budget, at least US$125 million, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Mohler said on Wednesday.

Following years of drought and a summer of record-breaking heat, immense tracts of forests, chaparral and grasslands have become tinder that allows even a small spark to explode into a devouring blaze, authorities said. “We’re being surprised. Every year is teaching the fire authorities new lessons,” Californian Governor Jerry Brown said at a news conference. “We’re in uncharted territory.”

More than 13,000 firefighters are battling fires with the help of crews from as far away as Florida, but Brown repeated predictions from fire officials that California can expect a future of devastating fires, in part because of the changing climate. “People are doing everything they can, but nature is very powerful and we’re not on the side of nature,” Brown said.

The largest blaze burned in the Redding area, in Shasta County north of Sacramento. Six people, including two firefighters, have died and the fire has destroyed 1,058 homes and nearly 500 other buildings, state fire officials said. Tens of thousands of people remain under evacuation orders.

The fire, which is nearly twice the size of Sacramento, was only 35 percent contained after more than a week. “Unstable conditions, shifting winds, steep terrain and dry fuels continue to challenge firefighters,” a state fire update warned, noting that 56.3kph wind gusts were expected on ridge tops that could whip up the flames.

Meanwhile, at least three new fires erupted in the Sierra Nevada region, including a blaze in Placer County that had consumed 4km2 of land. North and east of San Francisco, two wildfires that began on Tuesday near the communities of Covelo and Yuba City continued to burn through grass, brush and timberlands. The fire near Covelo prompted evacuation orders for about 60 homes in the farming and ranching area on the edge of the Mendocino National Forest.

Twin fires also burned in Mendocino and Lake counties. They burned 14 homes and threatened 12,000 more. A 259km2 fire near Yosemite National Park prompted evacuation orders for the community of Wawona inside the park, which has fewer than 200 residents. Yosemite Valley and other areas of the park have been closed to tourists since July 25.
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http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2018/08/03/2003697920
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waltky · Aug 6, 2018

Portugal fights major wildfire as Europe’s heat wave lingers...

Portugal fights major wildfire as Europe’s heat wave lingers
Aug 06,`18 - Authorities said that more than 1,100 firefighters with 327 vehicles and eight aircraft were battling the blaze that erupted amid a heatwave caused by a mass of hot air from North Africa.

Emergency services in Portugal kept up their fight Monday against a four-day wildfire on the south coast that threatened to engulf a hillside town overnight, as sweltering weather continued in Europe. The Civil Protection Agency said 44 people required medical assistance as the blaze passed by the outskirts of Monchique, 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Lisbon, in the dark. A 72-year-old woman was seriously hurt. Authorities said that more than 1,100 firefighters with 327 vehicles and eight aircraft were battling the blaze that erupted amid a heatwave caused by a mass of hot air from North Africa. The rest of Europe has also felt the torrid recent weather.

In France, where four nuclear reactors have been temporarily closed due to the heat, three cities banned the most polluting cars from the roads because of heat-linked ozone pollution. The heat wave in France is expected to last until Thursday, with temperatures peaking Tuesday. In Norway, authorities warned motorists to watch out for reindeer and sheep taking shelter from the heat in tunnels. Neighboring Sweden has been fighting an uncommon number of wildfires this summer, even above the Arctic Circle, and a European Union official pointed his finger at climate change.

Firefighters help to put out a forest fire next to the village of Monchique, Portugal August 6, 2018.

After four days of intense heat that broke some records in Portugal, with temperatures surpassing 45 C (113 F), Portuguese authorities forecast a cooler period beginning Monday. The Algarve wasn’t expected to exceed 30 C (86 F), while Lisbon was expecting 33 C (91 F). Parts of the south and northeast of the country remained at “extreme risk” of wildfires, however, according to the national weather agency’s forecast. The falling temperatures helped create “much more favorable” conditions for firefighters tackling the Monchique blaze, local fire chief Abel Gomes told a news conference.

Spain sent two Canadair water-dropping planes across the border Monday to help efforts around Monchique. Overnight, dozens of homes and a hotel were evacuated around the town of about 2,000 people which is known for its spa. The wind-driven fire has been racing across tinder-dry pine and eucalyptus forest in a largely inaccessible hill range behind the famous beaches of Portugal’s Algarve vacation region. Plumes of black smoke have blown across beaches popular with European tourists.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/portugal-fights-major-wildfire-as-europes-heat-wave-lingers
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Mendocino Complex becomes largest wildfire in California history - state officials
6 Aug.`18 - The Mendocino Complex became the largest wildfire in California state history on Monday as it raged at the southern tip of the Mendocino National Forest, state wildfire officials said.

The Mendocino Complex Fire, made up of two separate conflagrations that merged, has burned 283,800 acres (114,800 hectares) and was still growing, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

The complex took over the top spot from the Thomas Fire, which burned 281,893 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in 2017.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-u...ifornia-history-state-officials-idUKKBN1KS09A
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waltky · Aug 7, 2018

Australia And New Zealand helping out w/ western US wildfires...

Western Fire Crews Get An Assist From Australia And New Zealand
August 7, 2018 - Resources are wearing thin as wildfires burn in 11 western states. Firefighters are getting an international assist from Australia and New Zealand. Teams from the two countries spent the weekend in Idaho training before being deployed to the West Coast to battle flames in California, Oregon and Washington.

Before they hit the fire lines, the 140-member team got an orientation and some last-minute training at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. Across the western U.S., fires are burning on roughly 1.6 million acres. The National Preparedness Level is at five — the highest the index goes. That means there's a high level of wildfire activity across the country and that many resources have been committed to fight fires. Level 5 also lets fire managers call in help from the military and abroad. The last time firefighters were brought in from Australia and New Zealand was 2015.

Techniques and tools

In a field at the complex near the edge of town, training specialist Matt Skudlarek leads a practice involving personal fire shelters. Deploying one is a decision of absolute last resort when a fire is closing in. Skudlarek outlines a scenario where flames are bearing down on a group from the north. He points south, down the field, to a couple of cardboard boxes and says that's a good area to deploy the shelters. The drill begins and the visiting firefighters bolt down the field. "Let's go for it," Skudlarek calls out. "Drop those packs!" The firefighters drop to the ground and wrap themselves in what looks like a cross between a bright orange tarp and a sleeping bag. For most, it's the first time using a shelter. While standard issue here, they're uncommon in Australia and New Zealand. With only 25 shelters to go around, the group has to meticulously refold and repack them before the next bunch can practice.

Firefighters conduct a controlled burn to defend houses against flames from the Ranch Fire, as it continues to spread toward the town of Upper Lake, Calif., last week.

Peter McKechnie is watching the group perform the fire shelter drills. He's the liaison between the two South Pacific nations and the U.S. He says the personnel that've traveled half way around the world aren't the rank and file. "They're all supervisory in some ways," McKechnie says. "There's people looking after helicopters, people looking after crews. So, it is a mix in terms of the skills that have come across." The firefighting partnership between Australia, the U.S., and New Zealand dates back more than 50 years. McKechnie says ties are strong between the three nations and that the U.S. has answered the other countries' calls for assistance in the past. In a big warehouse across the base, another group of firefighters collect gear in what looks like a buffet line of equipment.

Taking in the scene is Chris Eagle, a liaison officer from the Melbourne area. He says fighting fires Down Under is similar to here, but there are some differences — like terminology. "We were laughing because if we ask for a tanker at home, we get a truck with wheels on it," Eagle says with a smile. "If you ask for a tanker in America, you'll get an airplane to drop water on top of you. So it's things like that that if you don't know those little, little things, it gets a bit embarrassing when you get the wrong thing you didn't think were coming."

"Ready to get out there"
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waltky · Aug 7, 2018

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Become Mainstay of Wildfire Firefighting...

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Become Mainstay of Wildland Firefighting
7 Aug 2018
-- Five years after a proof-of-concept mission to use the California Air National Guard's remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) in support of domestic wildland firefighting operations, the MQ-9 Reaper has developed into a key asset in California's fight against wildfires, including the Carr and Mendocino Complex Fires, which are currently burning in Northern California. "It's a technology I never thought I'd see," said Jeremy Salizzoni, a fire technical specialist with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) who embedded with the Cal Guard's 163d Attack Wing at March Air Reserve Base, California, during 2013's devastating Rim Fire.

More than a quarter of a million acres burned in August 2013 as the Rim Fire raged in Tuolumne County, California, to become the state's third largest wildfire on record, at the time. More than 100 structures were lost in the blaze, which took nine weeks to fully contain. Eleven days after the Rim Fire started, the wing launched a first-of-its kind mission to overfly the fire with an MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted reconnaissance aircraft and beam back real-time video footage of the fire to Salizzoni and wing intelligence analysts working in an operations facility at March. Through the Predator's footage, Salizzoni, who was used to driving for hours through rugged terrain to access overlook points and put eyes on the leading edge of a fire, could see any area of the fire he wanted, in real time and without ever leaving the operations facility.

An aircrew from the 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, fly an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft to the Mendocino Complex Fire in Northern California, Aug. 4, 2018, during a mission to support state agencies.

The remotely piloted aircraft's thermal imaging camera provided a view of the fire unlike anything he'd ever seen. Traditional aerial assets are important, but encounter limitations due to smoke, fuel, altitude and field of view, he said. "It was such a dramatic change from anything I'd seen in my career," Salizzoni said. "It was like being blind and then having vision in the blink of an eye." Salizzoni and his colleagues knew they had a new tool in their firefighting toolbox. "We saw things over the course of that fire that you couldn't have made up," he said. "I don't think there's a better intel resource at our disposal right now." During its eight-day emergency activation for the Rim Fire, the 163d Reconnaissance Wing -- the unit's name at the time -- logged more than 150 hours of fire support and was credited with helping firefighters expedite containment.

In the five years since, the 163d has changed its name and the kind of airplane it flies, but one thing hasn't changed: the wing's dedication to domestic disaster response missions right here at home. The unit remains impassioned to innovate and provide first responders with instantaneous insight into what a fire is doing. RPAs are no longer just trying to prove their worth, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Mike Baird, the senior intelligence officer at the 163d. The wing's MQ-9 Reaper RPAs -- a big-brother to the recently-retired Predators -- are an in-demand incident awareness and assessment asset preferred by California's civil authorities when disaster strikes. The wing has supported more than 20 wildfires since 2013, but it takes more than just airplanes, Baird said. Keeping California safe takes a wing-wide effort. "What we've been doing behind the scenes from maintenance and communications to refining our deployment and personnel processes has led up to our ability to provide an unprecedented level of MQ-9 support," Baird said.

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Active-Duty Army Engineers Being Sent to Fight California Wildfires
6 Aug 2018 | About 200 troops from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion at JBLM will get a course in becoming "wildland firefighters."

About 200 active-duty troops from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, will get a quick course in becoming "wildland firefighters" to battle the deadly wildfires devastating wide swaths of California, the Pentagon said Monday. The 200 troops, plus command and support staff, will get one day of classroom training from firefighters at JBLM this week and then two more days of field training once it's decided which of the 18 major wildfires burning across California they will be asked to help contain. The expectation is that the JBLM engineers will be on the ground in California by Aug. 13, said Army Col. Rob Manning, the Pentagon's director of press operations. "The soldiers will be outfitted with wildland fire Personal Protective Equipment and all of the gear they will need to serve as wildland firefighters," U.S. Northern Command said in a statement.

A U.S. Air Force plane drops fire retardant on a burning hillside in the Ranch Fire in Clearlake Oaks, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018.

The fledgling wildland firefighters from JBLM will be organized into 10 teams of 20 soldiers each, Manning said, but they won't be sent to battle a blaze on their own. While supporting the overstretched California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), they "will be accompanied by experienced wildland fire strike team leaders and crew bosses from wildland fire management," NORTHCOM said in a statement. It is not the first time active-duty troops from JBLM have been sent to help with California wildfires. Last August, JBLM soldiers gave support in battling blazes in northern California, said Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. The 18 large wildfires burning across California have consumed about 559,000 acres, destroyed homes and forced thousands to evacuate.

One of the wildfires, the "Carr fire" near Redding, California, on the Sacramento River about 120 miles south of the Oregon border, has claimed seven lives, destroyed more than 1,000 homes and scarred more than 163,200 acres, according to CAL FIRE. In Redding, the Northern California Health Care System (NorCal) of the Department of Veterans Affairs has battled to keep open the Redding Outpatient Clinic, which serves about 11,000 veterans in the area, despite Redding clinic employees losing their homes and being forced to evacuate. About 177 of the clinic's 199 staff have continued to report to work, NorCal said last Friday. "The VA NorCal staff in Redding has set a standard in their commitment to local veterans," said VA NorCal Director David Stockwell in a statement. "Despite personal loss in many cases, they've managed to not only keep open the Outpatient Clinic's doors, but travel deep into the community to ensure displaced veterans are receiving the care they need and deserve."

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waltky · Aug 8, 2018

Greek emergency chiefs resign amid blame for wildfires that killed 91...

Greek emergency chiefs resign amid blame for wildfires that killed 91
Aug. 6,`18 (UPI) -- Greek authorities have replaced multiple emergency chiefs in the wake of criticism over the wildfires that killed nearly 100 people near the capital, Athens.

Yiannis Kapakis, the country's civil protection chief, resigned Monday over growing public criticism that the Greek government failed to warn residentsto evacuate ahead of the fire. Kapakis' resignation follows the resignations of the police and fire chiefs Sunday. Officials said Lt. Gen. Vasileios Matthaiopoulos will be Greece's new fire chief, replacing Sotirios Terzoudis. The prime minister's press office announced Lt. Gen. Aristides Andrikopoulos will take over as police chief, replacing Constantinos Tsouvalas.

Firefighters and volunteers battle a wildfire near Athens, Greece. Criticism over failure to warn residents led to the resignations of Greece's civil protection, police and fire chiefs.

A couple days earlier, Greek Civil Protection Minister Nikos Toskas resigned. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipiras accepted Toskas resignation, and Interior Minister Panos Skourletis will act as his replacement, his office said. The destructive wildfires spread rapidly due to strong winds and forced hundreds to escape to the coast. The government blamed arsonists for starting one of the fires and illegal construction for blocking escape routes.

Tsipras took responsibility last month for the fires amid mounting criticism. "We have serious indications and significant findings of criminal activity concerning arson," Public Order Minister Nikos Toskas said. "We are troubled by many factors, and there have been physical findings that are the subject of an investigation." Toskas, though, said no "grave operational mistakes" were made by emergency services. The fires have been the deadliest Greece has seen in decades.
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https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...wildfires-that-killed-91/2701533555075/?sl=10
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Greece to demolish 3,200 illegal structures after deadly wildfire
Aug. 7,`18 (UPI) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsirpas announced thousands of illegal buildings will be demolished after the country's deadliest wildfire.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsirpas announced thousands of illegal buildings will be demolished after the country's deadliest wildfire. Tsirpas said 3,200 buildings in the Attica region will be demolished immediately, after authorities said unlicensed construction hampered attempts to escape areas affected by the fire in Mati last month, which killed 91 people. "Whatever represents a danger will be torn down," Tsirpas said. "It is our duty to our dead, but more so towards the living."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced plans Tuesday to demolish 3,200 illegal buildings in the aftermath of a wildfire that killed 91 people.

Authorities said there were dozens of "afthereta" or "arbitrary" buildings in Mati, which blocked access to the coast during the fire. Such structures are initially constructed without permission from the government, before often being licensed in amnesties. Tsirpas didn't provide an exact timetable for when the process would be complete, but said the government would also focus on illegal fences on private properties. "The chaos of unchecked construction that threatens human lives is no longer acceptable," he said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...ructures-after-deadly-wildfire/1631533688502/
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waltky · Aug 10, 2018

Firefighters race to put out arson fire in California...

Firefighters race to put out arson fire in California
Sat, Aug 11, 2018 - Aircraft turned hillsides red with retardant as homeowners wet their houses with garden hoses in a battle to contain an arson wildfire that prompted evacuation orders for more than 20,000 people south of Los Angeles.

California Governor Jerry Brown on Thursday night declared a state of emergency for Orange and Riverside counties as a four-day-old fire carved its way along ridges and hillsides of the Cleveland National Forest. Brown’s proclamation said that thousands of homes were threatened by the fire in the foothills above Lake Elsinore and nearby communities, and ordered state agencies to help local governments. Firefighters planned to work through the night to gain ground against the blaze before the expected return yesterday afternoon of blustery winds that might drive the flames to new ferocity.

A resident of Holy Jim Canyon in the forest was scheduled for a court hearing yesterday on charges that he deliberately set the fire. Forrest Clark, 51, is charged with arson and other crimes and could face life in prison if convicted. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. Holy Jim Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Milligan told the Orange County Register newspaper that Clark had a decade-long feud with neighbors and sent him threatening e-mails last week, including one that said, “this place will burn.” Ironically, his cabin was the only one in the canyon to survive the flames, the newspaper reported.

Resident Moe Blythe, left, on Thursday wears a makeshift mask to protect himself from smoke as he watches the Holy Fire burn near homes in Corona, California. The fire continued to grow amid a heat wave and had burned 4,142 hectares while remaining just 5 percent contained.

As flames raged closer to foothill homes on Thursday, some residents ignoring evacuation orders stood in driveways or on top of roofs and used garden hoses to wet down their property as smoke billowed around them. Joe Rodriguez, 38, used a power washer on his patio in the McVicker Canyon Park neighborhood. “Until this thing is barking at my door, I’m going to stick with it,” he told the San Bernardino Sun newspaper. Firefighters fought a desperate battle as huge flames came within meters of some homes, feeding on dense, dry chaparral and propelled by 30kph gusts. They want to encircle the fire before it can devour neighborhoods and take lives, as gigantic fires still burning in northern California have done. “Our main focus this afternoon was getting everyone out safely,” said Thanh Nguyen, a spokesman for the crews battling wat has been dubbed the Holy Fire.

Although the fire — named for the canyon where it started — destroyed a dozen cabins after breaking out on Monday, fire crews were able to prevent further losses, but the fire was still virtually uncontrolled as its growth nullified progress in corralling it. Wind speeds and temperatures dropped as night fell, but gusty winds could pick up again yesterday afternoon, the US National Weather Service warned. Meanwhile, two major wildfires — including one called the Mendocino Complex Fire, which is the largest in California history — were burning more than 160km north of Sacramento. Crews turned a corner and achieved 51 percent containment of the Mendocino Complex — twin fires that are being fought together. The fire destroyed more than 100 homes and has blackened an area about the size of the city of Los Angeles.

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waltky · Aug 17, 2018

Fire-Generated Winds Pose Hazards to National Guard Efforts to Fight Wildfires...

Fire-Generated Winds Pose Hazards to National Guard Efforts to Fight Wildfires
15 Aug 2018 - The California wildfires can create their own violent weather, hampering firefighting efforts.

The scope and intensity of the California wildfires can create their own violent wind and weather systems and at times hamper firefighting efforts, California National Guard officials said Wednesday. "They're strong enough to actually pull us down to the ground" if his bucket-carrying helicopter gets too close, Army National Guard Sgt. Julian Ross, a helicopter pilot, said of the downdrafts triggered by fires that have ravaged wide swaths of the state. "There are some dangers," he said, including poor visibility in the towering plumes of smoke coursing up from the forest floor. The phenomenon has been called a "firenado" or "fire whirl," where intense rising heat combines with turbulent winds to create whirling eddies of air and smoke.

Air National Guard Staff Sgt. James Brown, of the 149th Intelligence Squadron, said the smoke and winds generated by the fires also have occasionally interfered with operations of the Guard's MQ-9 Reaperunmanned aerial vehicle, which has provided vital reconnaissance for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The fires have also affected operations of fixed-wing aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules using Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) to drop water and retardants on the fires, Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, deputy adjutant general of the California Military Department, said in a video briefing from California to the Pentagon. About 2,000 California National Guard personnel have been mobilized thus far for the fires that began in early July; 969 are currently serving for a period of about 30 days, Beevers said. The National Guard personnel were joined earlier this week by about 200 active-duty soldiers from the 14th Engineer Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Army National Guard Specialist Gonzalez mans a checkpoint as the Carr Fire burns in Redding, Calif.

The JBLM soldiers are engaged in clearing brush and digging trenches in an effort to contain a fire north of San Francisco, known as the Mendocino Complex fire, considered to be the largest in state history. "We don't anticipate calling up additional soldiers and airmen" for the current spate of fires, Beevers said, but noted that the wildfire season began earlier than usual this year. "It's usually later in the summer or early fall," he said, but "for the last four or five years, the fires have been getting bigger and burning more erratically." To combat the fires, the California National Guard is providing nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, one UH-72 Lakotahelicopter, a C-12 Huron, one MQ-9 Reaper, one RC-26 Metroliner, one HH-60 Pave Hawk Rescue/Medical Evacuation Aircraft, and four MAFFS.

The California National Guard is also providing more than 100 vehicles and military police to aid in traffic control. In Oregon, about 400 National Guard personnel were activated July 20 to aid firefighting efforts in that state. The Oregon National Guard is providing two Chinooks, one HH-60 and one Lakota for air support, 17 Light Medium Tactical Vehicles, 27 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, five dump trucks, eight vans for transportation support, three Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks for logistical support, and personnel to provide traffic assistance.

https://www.military.com/daily-news...s-national-guard-efforts-fight-wildfires.html
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waltky · Aug 24, 2018

Wildfire spreads southwest of Berlin...

Wildfire spreads southwest of Berlin
Sat, Aug 25, 2018 - Three villages southwest of Berlin have been evacuated as a wildfire the size of 400 soccer fields spread yesterday.

More than 500 people had to leave their homes as a result of the fire in Treuenbrietzen, about 50km outside of Berlin. “Our main goal is to protect the evacuated villages from the flames,” local lawmaker Christian Stein told the German news agency dpa. “We haven’t been able to push back the fire, but none of the buildings have been damaged,” Stein said. Police said that their plans to extinguish the flames have been complicated by old ammunition from World War II, that was still buried in the forests and which could explode due to the fires.

Stein said there had already been several detonations and that firefighters were not allowed to enter suspicious areas. Instead, authorities were trying to douse the flames in those areas with firefighting helicopters. The fire started on Thursday afternoon and spread quickly through the dry pine forests. By the evening, authorities had evacuated the villages of Frohnsdorf, Klausdorf and Tiefenbrunnen. “Something like that, we didn’t even experience during the war,” 76-year-old Anita Biedermann told dpa as police told her to grab her jacket, ID and important medication from her home before taking her to a nearby gym for the night.
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Headlights shine on a road in Klausdorf, Germany, as a forest fire burns outside Berlin on Wednesday.
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Overnight, winds blew the smoke to Berlin, where people in some neighborhoods were asked to keep their windows closed. Berlin emergency services received calls from concerned residents. Hundreds of firefighters were on the ground in Treuenbrietzen trying to cut trees to make long swaths in the forests to prevent the fire from spreading further. They were also fighting the flames with helicopters and water cannons.

Germany has seen a long, hot summer with almost no rain and large parts of the country are on high alert regarding possible wildfires. Raimund Engel, who is in charge of forests in the state of Brandeburg where Treuenbrietzen is, said 400 wildfires have already been reported this year. “I hope the weather will play along and the winds won’t increase again,” Stein said. “We are yearning for rain.”

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2018/08/25/2003699185
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jay runner · Aug 25, 2018

They cut the hell out of the woods to just to build highways and roads. It's time to cut fire breaks again on Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service Lands and make other modifications to prepare the land in advance for efficient fire fighting. Ask a fire fighter what to do, not a bureaucrat, a professor, or an environmentalist.

waltky · Aug 25, 2018

Wildfire southwest of Berlin sets off WWII ammunition still buried in forests...

Wildfire southwest of Berlin sets off WWII ammunition still buried in forests
August 24, 2018 -- Firefighters struggled Friday to tame a wildfire southwest of Berlin but had to maneuver carefully as the blaze set off old World War II ammunition that is still buried in the forests around the German capital. Flames forced the evacuation of several nearby villages and sent clouds of acrid smoke toward the German capital.

The fire, which was the size of 500 soccer fields, has already set off several detonations of old ammunition, according to local lawmaker Christian Stein. Firefighters were not allowed to enter suspicious areas. "The ammunition is very dangerous, because one cannot step on the ground, and therefore one cannot get close to the fire" to extinguish it, Brandenburg state's governor, Dietmar Woidke, told reporters.

The fire started Thursday afternoon and spread quickly through the dry pine forests in the Treuenbrietzen region, 50 kilometers (30 miles) outside of Berlin in the eastern state of Brandenburg. By evening, authorities had evacuated 500 people from the villages of Frohnsdorf, Klausdorf and Tiefenbrunnen. "Something like that, we didn't even experience during the war," 76-year-old Anita Biedermann told the dpa news agency as police told her to grab her jacket, ID and medication from her home before taking her to a nearby gym for the night.

Firefighters were trying to douse the flames in areas they could not enter with water-bearing helicopters and water cannons. "The fire continues to be a big threat," Woidke said. "But we will do everything to protect people's property." Overnight, winds blew the smoke to Berlin, where people in some neighborhoods were told to keep their windows closed. In some cases the smell of smoke was so strong that residents called Berlin emergency services. More than 600 firefighters and soldiers were brought in to battle the wildfire, cutting trees to make long firebreaks. Several roads were closed and local trains halted service in the area close to the fire.

Stein said the fact that the fire broke out in several places simultaneously suggested it could have been arson, but Brandenburg's Interior Ministry said it was still investigating the cause of the fire. Germany has seen a long, hot summer with almost no rain, and large parts of the country are on high alert regarding possible wildfires. Raimund Engel, who is in charge of forests in the state of Brandenburg, said 400 wildfires have already been reported this year. "I hope the weather will play along and the winds won't increase again," Stein said. "We are yearning for rain."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wildfi...mmunition-still-buried-in-forests-2018-08-24/
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