Air Attack Base in Northern California upgrades, doubles capacity ahead of fire season

VIDEO: After five years and $23 million invested, the US Forest Service unveiled new upgrades to the interagency Redding Air Attack Base that have made it a one of a kind facility. Redding's Air Attack Base was where, for decades, firefighting aircraft have come to refuel and refill fire retardant. Now, with the upgrades they’ve made, officials say it's the most advanced facility of its kind in the world. “It is absolutely amazing," says Jennifer Eberlein. "And the amazing part of that is being able to have the increased capability to protect the communities and the natural resources that we all love." Eberlein, a Pacific Southwest Regional Forester with the USDA, says they’ve over doubled their capacity. Increasing the space and function of their fire retardant dispenser system to be able to refuel five aircraft at once, over double the two they could before.
KRCR-TV ABC 7 Redding

Wildfire in Arizona burns hundreds of acres

Over 300 hundred acres have been burned following a fast-moving wildfire Thursday in Pinal County. The fire broke out around 1 p.m. near SR 347 and Miller Road, about nine miles south of Maricopa. The Arizona Dept. of Forestry and Fire Management reported that multiple crews responded, including a hand crew, engine and air attack. An estimated 340 acres burned, mostly involving light grass and desert shrubs. Video from the Arizona’s Family news chopper shows at least one structure was destroyed. Firefighters remained on scene extinguishing hot spots. No injuries have been reported. In southeast Arizona, fire crews achieved 100% containment on the Bowers Fire on Thursday. The fire that began Monday in Cochise County left one man dead and another hurt.
KTVK-TV CBS 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (AZ Family)

Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday marked with art exhibit in New Mexico

PHOTOS: Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan will host a two-week exhibit of Smokey Bear paintings by Rudy Wendelin, celebrating the renowned spokesbear for fire prevention's 80th birthday, according to a news release. On loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, the traveling exhibition showcases 19 replica paintings completed by Wendelin from 1977-1995. The exhibit will be available for viewing April 30 through May 10 at the historical park at 118 Smokey Bear Blvd. in Capitan, roughly two and a half hours from Albuquerque. Wendelin began working for the Forest Service in the 1930s and was assigned the Smokey Bear project, according to the release. He illustrated hundreds of Smokey images, giving the bear the anthropomorphic traits we know him for today, the iconic forest ranger's hat, jeans and shovel.
Albuquerque Journal - Metered Site

Large brush fire 100% contained, Florida Forest Service says

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and Florida Forest Service contained a large brush fire in a wooded area off Kirbo Road. Florida Forest Service was alerted of the fire at 2:10 a.m. Action News Jax’s Logan MacDonald went to the scene and saw several JFRD firefighters and Florida Forest Service personnel at the scene. JFRD confirmed with Action News Jax that it was fighting a brush fire. FFS told MacDonald at the scene that there were no injuries, no homes were threatened and the fire was 100% contained. Crews left the area at around 6:15 a.m. after the fire burned 2.4 acres, but FFS said it would be returning later to look for remnants of the fire. FFS told Action News Jax that the fire grew from an escaped warming fire in a homeless community. Crews are currently engaging in mop-up operations.
WOKV-FM 104.5 Jacksonville

County Line Fire burning in southern New Jersey 100% contained, officials say

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A wildfire that burned several hundred acres of the Wharton State Forest in southern New Jersey is now 100% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service announced Thursday. The County Line Fire started sometime Tuesday night in Waterford Township in Camden County and spread into Shamong Township, Burlington County. The fire grew to 510 acres in size before crews were able to get it 100% contained. Jackson Road has been reopened in the area from Tremont Avenue to Atsion Road but the Goshen Campground were evacuated as a precaution. As firefighters put water on the flames, they also used backfiring operations, which means they set controlled fires to burn up fuel to keep the wildfire from spreading.
WPVI-TV ABC 6 Philadelphia

South Florida grass fire that prompted hours-long closure of Turnpike is 90% contained

VIDEOS: Crews have gotten the upper hand on a grass fire in South Miami-Dade that led to the hours-long closure of the Florida Turnpike during rush hour. More than 15 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the area of Southwest 112th Avenue and 256th Street, just after 4 p.m., Wednesday. Officials shut down the Turnpike in both directions at 248th Street. Miami-Dade Police officers diverted traffic during rush hour onto Southwest 112th Avenue. Officials said the fire has burned approximately 20 acres. As of 9 p.m., it is 90% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. The crew that initially arrived began a fire attack to knock down the fire in order to prevent the flames from reaching the roadway or homes in the area, officials said.
WSVN-TV FOX 7 Miami

Annual wildland fire and National Guard helicopter training set in South Dakota

South Dakota National Guard Black Hawk helicopters, in coordination with South Dakota Wildland Fire, will conduct wildland fire aerial water delivery recertification training later this week. The annual joint training is a collaboration between SDWF and the SDNG Army Aviation Facility. Helicopters serve an important role in fighting wildfires by carrying 500-gallon buckets of water and dropping it where needed. Practice of aerial water delivery with a live simulated fire exercise is set for April 26 on the west side of the Angostura Reservoir near Sheps Canyon Road. They will dip and fill their buckets in the water and then drop the water on simulated fire locations. The public is advised to stay clear of these areas between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on April 26.
The Brookings Register - Metered Site

New wildfire detection camera installed in southeastern Oregon

A new wildfire detection camera has been installed on Green Mountain in Southeastern Oregon. The new camera is in thanks to the partnership between the Lakeview District of the BLM and the Oregon Hazards Lab at the University of Oregon. The Green Mountain camera is hosted on the ALERTWest platform and is one of a 1,000 plus camera network, 16 of which are in Oregon and sponsored by the BLM. “These new camera systems will allow us to detect wildfires quickly, and they will also allow fire managers to get information on fire behavior earlier and make more timely critical decisions on what resources they send to the fire,” said Lakeview District Manager Todd Forbes. According to the bureau, the Green Mountain Fire Lookout will continue to be staffed from June through October.
KOBI-TV NBC 5 Medford/KOTI-TV NBC 2 Klamath Falls