Dead trees into jet fuel? Project could help offset $180 million cost of wildfire reduction projects

With Summit County, Utah, estimating that it would take almost $200 million to treat local forests to reduce the risk of a catastrophic wildfire, the county has received a grant to study turning dead trees into jet fuel.

Dead trees into jet fuel? Project could help offset $180 million cost of wildfire reduction projects

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Cities across the country canceling July 4th fireworks over shortages, wildfires

The threat of wildfires starting because of fireworks displays are a major concern this year across the West, with many towns and cities substituting laser light shows for massive fireworks shows, while canceling the sale of fireworks entirely.

Cities across the country canceling July 4th fireworks over shortages, wildfires

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U.S. A Giant Tinderbox as Megadrought and Wildfires Combine

Newsweek provided an overview of the wildfire situation across the West, where almost the entire state of California and the majority of the Southwest is enduring severe drought conditions.

U.S. A Giant Tinderbox as Megadrought and Wildfires Combine

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Man dies in helicopter crash while fighting Clear Fire

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal crash of a Northern Pioneer Helicopters 1960 Bell 204B firefighting helicopter at Alaska's Anderson Airport helipad around 7:42 PM Sunday evening.

Man dies in helicopter crash while fighting Clear Fire

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Join National Interagency Fire Center Directors as they announce new National Wildland Firefighter Day

The NIFC sent along a press release about a press conference on June 28th to announce the newly-established National Wildland Firefighter Day (July 2nd), which recognizes the dedication of wildland firefighters, including federal, state, local, rural, contract, and support personnel.

Join National Interagency Fire Center Directors as they announce new National Wildland Firefighter Day

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Lower Your Home’s Fire Risk (and Insurance) With These Steps

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a research nonprofit funded by insurers, announced it has developed the first ever standard that can demonstrably lower a home’s risk of wildfire damage.

Lower Your Home’s Fire Risk (and Insurance) With These Steps

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Call to Action

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Michael Rains, a former Deputy Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, posted Revision 13.5 of his Call to Action, along with a Summary of the findings, noting that "the significant change includes Appendix A.16, page 77. I urge you to look at it. Appendix A.16 focuses on the stance on putting out unplanned wildfire ignitions immediately – or not. Candidly, the messages on what to do are very mixed and terribly confusing. The “Call to Action” attempts to provide focus.

Call to Action

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Lookouts provide for a quick response to a fire in the Tahoe National Forest

In a prime example of how early initial attack can turn a megafire into a minor incident, Tahoe National Forest officials reported that firefighters quickly squelched the 1/10-acre Lost Fire two miles south of Forks House, after being spotted by lookouts located on Duncan Peak and Bald Mountain.

Lookouts provide for a quick response to a fire in the Tahoe National Forest

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Average acreage burned in wildfires doubled since 1991

The Congressional Budget Office published a report Thursday which showed that the average acreage burned by wildfires more than doubled between 1991 and 2021, increasing from 3 million acres to 7 million acres burned annually.

Average acreage burned in wildfires doubled since 1991

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Wildfires Followed by Severe Rain Will Become More Common

A climate scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, published a new study which found that climate change increases the likelihood that a wildfire in the Western U.S. will be followed by intense rainfall, raising the risk of landslides and flash floods in burn areas.

Wildfires Followed by Severe Rain Will Become More Common

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California, 1 of 5 states with most human-caused wildfires: NIFC

The National Interagency Fire Center reported that, so far in 2022, 29,827 wildfires have burned 2.6 million acres and 96% of them were caused by people, with the states of California, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida having the most human-caused wildfires.

California, 1 of 5 states with most human-caused wildfires: NIFC

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Letter to the Chief

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Bill Derr, former Special Agent in Charge U. S. Forest Service, California Region for 18 years, with 20 previous years in fire management, passed along a letter from Wildfire NOTD subscriber Bruce Courtright, Chairman of the National Wildfire Institute, to USFS Chief Moore asking him to halt "Prescribed Fires" and "Managed Fires" (wildfires which are allowed to burn rather than suppressed) due to their destructive potential if they get out of control.

Letter to the Chief

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Brush Fires Break Out Across SoCal; Wrightwood Fire Explodes

Four wildfires broke out across Southern California over the weekend, including the 25-acre Fish Canyon/Riverbed Fire near Duarte, the 775-acre Sheep Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains' Wrightwood area, the 75-acre Wala Fire in Oceanside, south of Camp Pendleton, and the 65-acre Barrett Junction Fire near Dulzura, in San Diego County.

Brush Fires Break Out Across SoCal; Wrightwood Fire Explodes

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Wildland Urban Interface: A Look at Issues and Resolutions

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Brett Holt, Senior Stakeholder Relations Specialist at the FEMA Region 10 Office of External Affairs, sent along a press release on a report meant to raise awareness and initiate collaborative efforts to facilitate change in the wake of catastrophic wildfire losses in the wildland urban interface.

Wildland Urban Interface: A Look at Issues and Resolutions

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Wildland Firefighters Need Funding, Support to Fight Fire With Fire

The founder of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, a member of the National Park Service who was chief of fire and aviation at Yosemite National Park, discussed the need for the federal government to provide better pay and benefits to firefighters so that they can conduct the prescribed burns needed to keep forest ecosystems healthy.

Wildland Firefighters Need Funding, Support to Fight Fire With Fire

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Oregon Department of Forestry borrowing a helicopter for fire season

Sonora, California-based Intermountain Helicopters Inc. is working with the Oregon Department of Forestry to provide them with a helicopter to help with wildfires this fire season.

Oregon Department of Forestry borrowing a helicopter for fire season

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Water, Wildfire, and Climate Change

The Union of Concerned Scientists warned that forests across the West are now roughly 50% drier than usual due to climate change, which causes fires to start more easily, burn more intensely, and spread faster.

Water, Wildfire, and Climate Change

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Fire Is Here to Stay. Can We Live With It?

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Molly Mowery, Executive Director of the Community Wildfire Planning Center, discussed the need to readjust the relationship with wildfires so that communities can survive, adapt, and thrive.

Fire Is Here to Stay. Can We Live With It?

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Fires spread as firefighters plead for pay raise promised last year

Even though the U.S. Forest Service has only about half the personnel they need to fight wildfires in some high-risk areas, federal firefighters still haven’t received a pay boost approved last year, and it’s not known which employees will get the money once it is implemented.

Fires spread as firefighters plead for pay raise promised last year

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What the drought means for this year’s wildfire season in California

An Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Irvine discussed how the Golden State's drought conditions will impact wildfires this year.

What the drought means for this year’s wildfire season in California

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Fighting wildfires almost year-round, Guard preps for more

In a year which has already seen wildfires burn more than 570,000 acres nationwide, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, discussed how the men and women of the National Guard are assisting with ground operations, as well as rotary and fixed-wing air operations, practically year-round battling wildland blazes.

Fighting wildfires almost year-round, Guard preps for more

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