Wildfires
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Fire

Out-of-control wildfire rages in Alberta, forcing the largest evacuation in the history of the Canadian province

Alberta wildfire
© CBC News / ReutersWildfire is worsening along highway 63 Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada May 3, 2016.
The entire population of Fort McMurray in northern Alberta, Canada has been ordered to abandon their homes after a wildfire ravaging a nearby forest moved into the area. The fire has already destroyed homes in several neighborhoods.

Fort McMurray is an urban service area with a population of about 80,000 people.

A mandatory evacuation notice was issued for the whole city on Tuesday after the wildfire began spreading uncontrollably.

Local authorities have advised residents to evacuate to the Noralta Lodge north of the city because outgoing Highway 36 has been partially blocked due to the fire.

The fire first was detected on Sunday to the southwest of the residential area. It is believed to have covered more than 2,656 hectares (6,540 acres) as of late Monday. Although, more than 90 firefighters have been deployed to battle the fire, the situation on Tuesday has worsened due to strong winds. On Tuesday afternoon the fire breached Highway 63, the main road out of the city.

Several homes in Beacon Hill and the Centennial Trailer Park have been destroyed in the fire, CBC reported.


Comment: This is the largest evacuation in the history of the Canadian province of Alberta.

Last year the wildfire season was a record breaker in the United States and Canada. The Amazon jungle was going up in smoke with tens of thousands of wildfires, while in Indonesia wildfires caused a toxic haze which threatened millions in southeast Asia. There have been devastating wildfires in Australia already this year and officials have warned of 'potentially significant wildfires' in some US states.

A study showed that wildfire seasons are more destructive and lasting longer almost everywhere on Earth.

Could a significant factor in the escalation of these events be that they are fueled from outgassing, then possibly 'sparked' by an increase in atmospheric electric discharge events, such as lightning strikes and other 'cosmic' ignition sources?


Fire

Arizona burning? State officials warn of 'potentially significant wildfire season'

Arizona fire potential map 2016
© Arizona State Forestry
Arizona could face the most dangerous fire season in years, according to Gov. Doug Ducey and the state's chief forester.

And it's already starting.

"Last year, we burned less than 500 acres" by this time, said Jeff Whitney. "So far this year we've burned over 21,000 acres."

And it's not looking promising.

"Arizona faces a potentially significant wildfire season," the governor said after he had been briefed by Whitney and his staff.

It starts with the fact that there have not been major fires in the last two years. Add to that above-average rainfall and the subsequent growth of vegetation - which is now drying out.

Pinion Pine Fire Chief Joe Jackson said the Hualapai Mountains have seen significant moisture this year.

The upside is, the ground remains damp.

The downside is, the grasses that have grown thanks to rain and snowfall will eventually dry out, said Jackson.

The moisture has not been substantial enough to add more fuels than usual, said Jackson.

"We always have concerns with fuels," said Jackson. "The grass is growing from the rains and that will help carry fire."

Fire

'Suspicious' wildfire breaks out at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

wildfire
© Reuters/San Bernardino Fire Department
A helicopter makes a drop on a fire which broke out in Arizona and spread into California, sparking the evacuation of two recreational vehicle parks near the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge in California.
A "suspicious" brush fire broke out in Arizona and spread into California on Wednesday, sparking the evacuation of two recreational vehicle parks, as hot and dry weather complicated efforts to contain the blaze.

"It's hot and windy and we're expecting the fire to grow," said Jeff Allen, an engineer and paramedic with the San Bernardino County Fire Department in Southern California. Allen said the fire was 5 percent contained.

The fire broke out as agencies across the western United States gear up for what is expected to be another busy fire season in a region suffering the effects of a prolonged drought, including millions of trees dead from lack of water.

Fire

Oklahoma: TV storm-chasers save man from raging wildfire

tractor in wildfire
© Associated Press / YouTube
US storm-chasing duo Amy and Val Castor dramatically rescued a tractor driver who was almost engulfed by the fiery jaws of death during an Oklahoma inferno.

The pair were tracking the extreme wildfires sweeping the midwest for KWTV News 9, when they came face to face with a wall of flames.

The footage begins with the TV crew sitting in a car recording a large grass fire in Woods County, northwest Oklahoma as a tractor driver in front desperately tries to maneuver his vehicle away from the advancing flames.

Fire

Wildfires burn across thousands of acres from Kansas to Oklahoma

Kansas wildfire
© KWCH channel 12
Fire crews were working to contain a wildfire burning across at least 75 square miles in rural Oklahoma and Kansas on Wednesday, while strong wind and dry conditions also increased fire threats in neighboring states, authorities said.

The National Weather Service said the fire started Tuesday night near the Kansas border in Woods County, Oklahoma. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph helped spread the blaze into in western Kansas, where about a dozen homes were evacuated. Dense smoke and fire also prompted highway officials to close a 28-mile stretch of U.S. 160 in Kansas.

No injuries have been reported in either state, and none of the evacuated houses in Kansas' Comanche County has been damaged, county emergency management coordinator John Lehman said. But he noted that wind speeds were increasing and complicating firefighting efforts.

"With this kind of wind, it's going to be kind of bad," Lehman said.

Fire

'Firenado' filmed during Missouri wildfire

firenado
© Southern Platte Fire Protection District/Facebook A firenado spins flames into the sky during a Missouri wildfire Thursday.
Firefighters battling a massive wildfire in Missouri captured video of a "firenado," or fire tornado, blowing flames into the sky.

The Southern Platte Fire Protection District, one of several agencies battling the wildfire Thursday in Platte County, just north of Kansas City, posted a video to Facebook showing the firenado, also known as a fire whirl, spinning flames high into the sky.

"Oh, that's freakin' awesome," a firefighter can be heard saying in the video.

Authorities said the wildfire, which spread across more than 1,300 acres, was started by sparks that shot from a malfunctioning prison lawnmower near the Centennial Bridge.


Fire

Bush fire blazes near New Jersey oil refinery

New Jersey bush fire
© bradley_richards97 / Instagram
A brush-fire nearing a Sunoco oil refinery in West Deptford Township, New Jersey has already covered 25 acres.

The fire, which began at about 9:00 pm Friday remains at "one alarm," meaning a small unit of firefighters have been dispatched, though a local NBC station reports backup has been called. Officials are saying there is no threat to the facility. There are no reports of injuries.

Meteorologist Scott Derek reports westward winds coming from the refinery toward the fire. It is unclear at this point if this will hinder firefighter efforts.

The refinery holds about 6 million barrels of refined oil and regularly stores crude oil, ethanol, gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, and other petroleum products. It sits on the Delaware River bank not far from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


Fire

Tasmania fighting fire and flood emergencies at the same time

Floods Tasmania
Floods Tasmania
A refuge has been set up at the Triabunna council chambers for those stranded in the area.

The Tasman Highway between Buckland and Orford has been closed due to flooding and landslides, as has the highway a kilometre north of Triabunna.

One holiday-maker, who asked not to be named, said he and his young family were stuck on the other side of the Orford Rivulet, which was now a torrent.

He had been forced to walk into town for supplies, crossing the river via the beach.

"I spoke to the police and they said just to sit tight — the road south is closed and they don't know how long that will be the case for, " he said.

"They told me there was no point trying to get out at his stage."



Fire

Dozens of bushfires burn in Tasmania, Australia

Lake Mackenzie fires.
© Craig Perkins Specialist firefighters are being dropped into remote areas like the Lake Mackenzie fires.
Fire authorities have warned significant rainfall is needed to extinguish dozens of blazes burning out of control in remote areas of Tasmania's west and north.

Some of the biggest fires are burning in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), where rare ecosystems are at risk from bushfires.

A total fire ban is still being enforced and recent rainfalls were enough to prevent flare ups but they were not heavy enough to stop the threat.

Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) chief officer Gavin Freeman said a Lauderdale man had been charged after allegedly lighting a campfire in the state's north-west then leaving the area.

"It's the first time we've had a total fire ban for four days in a row," he said.

"It's been a long weekend for a lot of people.

"But it is frustrating, we've been very clear about the implications of not abiding by the total fire ban.

"We've tried to ease the restrictions as much as we can."

TFS northern regional chief Ian Bounds said crews could not become complacent, despite cooler conditions this week.


Fire

Firefighters battle large brush fire in south Wichita; associated with loud, mysterious booms?

Brush fire in south Wichita
© Justin ProvenceBrush fire in south Wichita
Wichita firefighters have contained a large brush fire Saturday afternoon on the city's south side.

Crews were called around 3 p.m. to a fire the area of South Hydraulic and the Kansas Turnpike. Dispatchers said they received several reports that the fire was spreading within a row of evergreen trees near a neighborhood.

Crews were able to keep the flames from spreading to any homes and had the fire under control about 30 minutes later. Firefighters remained on scene through the afternoon.

No injuries have been reported.

There's no word yet on what caused the fire.

Fire Wichita
Fire Wichita

Comment: Interestingly, Witchita experienced mysterious loud explosions on the same day, so perhaps a fragment of an exploding, disintegrating space rock overhead hit the ground and ignited the local vegetation? It does seem highly likely.

See in addition this report: Loud booms, violent home shaking reported in Wichita, Kansas area