Dedicated to Killing Americans

AN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE AL QUEDA PUBLICATION is advising its demented followers in the U. S. to start forest fires as a means to inflict personal and financial pain, and fear on Americans.

The Rapid City (South Dakota) Journal is reporting:

Terrorists who want to strike fear in the hearts of Americans would do well to set wildfires in Montana, al-Qaida advises in the most recent issue of its English-language magazine, Inspire.

"It is difficult to choose a better place other than in the valleys of Montana where the population increases rapidly," Inspire’s "AQ Chef" columnist writes.

The magazine disappeared for a while after its founders, Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, were killed last year in a U.S. missile strike. But it recently reappeared online, its grammatically challenged cover urging "It is of your freedom to ignite a firebomb." Inside, the AQ Chef gives three pages detailing the recipe for an "ember bomb" – along with the suggestion to deploy such bombs in Montana.

Read the entire informative article HERE.

The article includes detailed instructions on how to build an "ember bomb" along with hints on which weather conditions are favorable and the best locations for rapid fire growth and spread.  CBN News illustrates these tactics in this video report:

Despite the emphasis on Montana, all the western states are taking this threat seriously and adding it to their check sheets and email lists to let everybody know that there may be some related activity from the fanatical fringe.

KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported on how New Mexico is responding to this release:

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More Than 100 Fire Departments Involved

WABC-TV

A RARE WILDFIRE OF LARGE SIZE STRUCK Suffolk County in Long Island, New York this week.  A continuing drought and high winds have brought dozens of large wildfires along the east coast in recent days.  One of the hardest-fought was in Suffolk for the fire that started Monday afternoon around 3 pm. in the Manorville area.  It is believed that the fire began where someone was burning leaves or trash and the wind blew the embers into the dry woods where it took off.

WABC-TV

More than 1,000 acres were involved and at least nine structures including three homes were destroyed.  Aproximately 109 fire departments from across Long Island worked the fire with containment finally coming on Wednesday afternoon.  By Thursday morning it was mostly a mop-up operation chasing down hot spots.

WABC-TV reported on three firefighters whose "stump jumper" truck became overrun by the fire:

Three volunteer firefighters were injured when their truck got stuck in the sand. One of the men, Jim McGarry, spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News about the terrifying ordeal.

"The fire was basically chasing us because the wind was whipping," he said. "The fire was surrounding us all around." The men had to abandoned their truck and run to escape the flames that were quickly closing in.

"I can't even explain what goes through you mind," McGarry said. "It's just the instinct to escape, you know. Just your natural instincts of we gotta get out of here. We have to run through the fire to get out of the fire."

Two of the men were treated for smoke inhalation. The third, William Hille, suffered first and second degree burns to his face. Covered in burns and bandages, Hille recounted the moments when the fire truck became trapped.

"The flames were coming straight at my face," he said. "I was trying to knock them back as best I could." Hille, a correction officer at Rikers Island, said the two-hour long wait to be rescued brought on a fear like he's never encountered before.

Hille was interviewed in this video report from WABC:

At 5 pm Tuesday the Manorville FD announced that the fire was "out" and operations suspended, but several crews remained through the night and all day Wednesday clearing up the hot spots and monitoring the fire zone.

The Long Island Press has the latest report HERE.

WABC-TV

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Some Great Stories Posted on Some Other Fire and EMS Websites

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*  Dave Statter has posted the funeral details and schedule for the two Philadelphia firefighters who died in the Line of Duty on Monday.  They are on STATter911 HERE.  If you haven't yet gotten the full story about the unusual circumstances of this tragic incident, Dave has extensive coverage of the entire operation HERE, HERE, and HERE.

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*  Did you know that those solar panels up on the roof can electrocute you while you are trying to ventilate?  The Green Maltese shows how new building codes in Oregon are successfully protecting the firefighters in those situations HERE.

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*  One of ChicagoAreaFire's photographers, Tim Olk has grabbed the title of "Smoke Showing" away from Larry after his adventure on I-94 Sunday.  Tim was witness to a spectacular wreck between two cars that were both traveling well in excess of 90 mph.  After calling 9-1-1, he began snapping with lots of fire and car parts to POST HERE.

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*  FireNewsNet has a photo story about a collision between an FD rapid-response car and a tractor trailer the left two FF's injured HERE.  Jeff Harkey's website also has a new look on the front page.  Check it out HERE.

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*  Wildfire Today has good background on the proposed "next generation" air tanker HERE. 

Coulson via Wildfire Today

Also, with wildfire season taking off like…well, wildfire… you should be checking the site out daily HERE.

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* Eric Lamar is back at the Turnout Blog with another probing commentary, this time on "ethics and hiring" HERE.

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Advanced Forestry Tactics in 1949

THIS DOCUMENTARY FILM showing Smoke Jumper training and procedures from the late 1940's is provided by the National Archives and Records Administration.  The video runs for 54 minutes, so grab a cuppa first, then sit back and enjoy:

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Total of 29 Homes Destroyed

THE WIND-WHIPPED GRASS FIRE THAT took out more than six square miles in just over two days near Reno, Nevada,has been fully contained according to the fire officials.  Aiding the containment was a 2-inch rainfall that dumped on the area early Saturday.

Fox News

The blaze sprung up Thursday and was blown up by 80+ mph winds, but was finally controlled after 400 firefighters were rushed to the area.  At least 29 homes were destroyed and the body of a 93-yr.-old woman was found in a small apartment next to her daughter's home afterward.  It is not yet known if her death was related to the fire or not.

An unidentified elderly man voluntarily came forward Saturday and disclosed that he had accidentally started the fire by not disposing of his fireplace ashes properly.  The police describe him as "extremely remorseful" and the local prosecutor has not decided whether to charge him.

The Associated Press filed this post-fire video report:

The AP also has this late REPORT.

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Severe Weather a Major Factor

A BRUSH FIRE THAT SPRUNG UP around noon Pacific near Reno, Nevada, on Thursday has raced through six square miles and burned at least 27 homes so far.  The fire was beyond control most of the day because of 80+ mph winds whipping it along.

Reuters / Glover

Firefighters working all night have temporarily halted the progress of the front line of the fire which was traveling directly toward Reno.  Early this morning the fire bosses said that the fire has been 50% contained, but they could lose that edge if the high winds continue.

MSNBC has posted this brief home video that captures some of the fast destruction:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

More than 10,000 people had been evacuated from the threatened area, however all but 2,000 have been allowed to return home.

Some fire crews from California were dispatched to help, but the storm has dumped a heavy snowfall closing the Donner Pass forcing them to turn around and return.  A light rainfall during the night has created some hope for the firefighters that they will be able to get ahead of the fire.

The Associated Press via KNRV-TV has some more raw video:

The state of emergency is still in effect at the time of this posting.  The story will be updated when appropriate.

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Wildfire Runover

A CREW OF TEN WILDFIRE FF's WERE overun at a fire Thursday  that is believed to be purposely set.  Of the ten, six perished as they all huddled together after being surrounded.  The London Telegraph explains:

The 10 firefighters, private contractors for forestry company Mininco, were trapped by a blaze raging in a mountainside forest in the Araucania region. A helicopter succeeded in pulling the four injured to safety.

"The fire suddenly surrounded them because of the wind, they drew closer together, one against another, and saw the fire pass above them," local governor Miguel Mellado told Canal 13 television.

For more than a week firefighting teams have been tackling a series of blazes in Araucania and the neighbouring Biobio region, rural areas located some 500 to 700 kilometres (310-435 miles) south of the Chilean capital Santiago.

"We have reliable information that makes us presume there is criminal intent behind these fires," President Pinera said. "I believe that we ought to combat not only the fires, but also the criminals behind the fires." The president, who pledged his government would do everything possible to find those responsible, evoked anti-terror laws that could allow for tougher punishments.

Rescue crews remove two of the victims.  (Andrade / Reuters photo)

So far, nearly 50 fires have started in the woodlands along the Pacific coast, fueled by unusually dry conditions during a drought and whipped up by El Nino winds.

Firefighter Nation has MORE.

The Telegraph has also posted some raw video from the fire line:

BBC News image

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Six-Hour Flight For the 2nd-Due

Four Teams of Reinforcements Flown From Paris

REUNION ISLAND IS A FRENCH TERRITORY in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.  The approx. 1,000 sq. mile island is home to about 800,000 French citizens and also the home of Reunion National Park, a primal forest containing many rare and endangered species of trees and flowers. 

AFP

Last Tuesday, 25 October, two arsonists started a wildfire that is still burning as this posting is being written. The major fire that is moving through a mountainous region grew larger than the 400 firefighters that were rounded up on the island could handle and the call for help went to the head of the national fire service in Paris.  Initially 171 firefighters were sent on the 6-hour flight to Reunion to assist, but more help was needed.

AFP

Over the next few days three more groups of additional firefighters, making a total of 820 FF's on the line, were sent along with 50 tons of equipment.  Large firefighting airplanes are impractical because the local airport cannot accommodate them, but several helicopters were flown over to assist.  By this morning the fire was contained but will still be burning for a while.  So far, only one dwelling, a farmhouse has been lost to the fire.  The Minister of Ecology announced that the fire is a "major ecological disaster."

20minutes has the STORY.
Le Nouvel Observateur has MORE.
Clicanoo has fire zone overlays on satellite photos HERE.

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Pilot Escapes Serious Injury

AN AERIAL TANKER WORKING A SCRUB FIRE in southern France Saturday afternoon crashed while making a drop and paritally burned.  The pilot of the Morane class plane was able to extricate himself and escape the flames with only minor injuries.

TF1 News

The Herault region has been experiencing unusually hot and dry climate for several months and on Saturday the wind was blowing at 50 to 80 km/h as at least 13 wildfires sprang up.  Two hundred firefighters were mobilized in the area along with a dozen aircraft including two helicopters.  A Morane-type aerial "bomber" was making a drop on one of the fires when a sudden and violent wind burst slammed it into the ground.  The pilot suffered a head injury, but was able to get out of the wreckage that soon became mostly consumed with a fire.  He will be ok, the medical authorities have said.

In the late afternoon the winds died down and all the fires were either extinguished or brought under control before the sun set.

TF1 News has the STORY.

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100 Homes Evacuated

A LIGHT PLANE CRASHED SUNDAY MORNING near Tehachapi, California, killing the pilot and starting a destructive grass fire. A stiff breeze with 40 mph gusts fanned the fire in the sparsely occupied area and before fire units were notified and responding, it grew to several hundred acres and consumed one home.

Tehachapi News

The Cessna 210 went down at 11:30 am killing the pilot and his passenger on impact.  Initially 30 homes were evacuated, but later it was expanded to 100 homes.

The Associated Press prepared this video report prior to the discovery of the 2nd victim:

By 9:30 pm Sunday night the fire had grown to cover 3,500 acres with 0% containment.  There are 600 firefighters on the scene, but extra-rugged terrain is preventing them from getting an effective perimeter around the fire.  Seven air tankers and four helicopters joined the fight before dark.

The Bakersfield Californian has the STORY.
KERO-TV has MORE.

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