Air tankers under contract, 2009
K. Tyler Miller over at the Random Ramblings blog has a link to the multi-engine air tankers under federal contract this year. Check out Tyler’s blog HERE.
Keep in mind that there are numerous air tankers owned outright or under contract with states and local governments. For example, San Diego county is trying to decide if they have enough funds this year to contract for the second year in a row for two of the Canadian CL-415 “Super Scooper” air tankers. And Los Angeles county has a air force that exceeds that of most third world countries.
Fire in Cuba
A 17,000-acre fire is burning in a forest reserve about 70 kilometers north of the city of Camaguey in Cuba (map). Control of the fire is difficult because of drought, low humidity, continuous fuels, and strong winds. The fire started Thursday and has a “12-kilometer (7.5 mile) front”.
NC: Railroad starts numerous fires
A Norfolk Southern train started a trail of fires west of Spencer, North Carolina (map) on Sunday afternoon. Fought by more than 100 firefighters from 14 fire departments in Rowan and Davidson Counties, the fires were the worst in several years according to fire department officials.
Two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion. Several houses were threatened but firefighters limited the structural damage to one outbuilding and an abandoned house.
Train traffic on the railroad was stopped as firefighters worked along the tracks and pulled hose across the right of way.
Firefighters had to contend with carcinogens coming off burning piles of old creosote-soaked railroad crossties that had been replaced and abandoned along the tracks by Norfolk Southern, a common practice along many railroad tracks.
Reports about the series of fires did not indicate whether Norfolk Southern will accept liability for the fires and reimburse the land owners and fire departments for the damages and suppression costs.
Railroads frequently get a free pass for starting fires, however many of the fires are preventable through proper maintenance of their equipment. Click on the key word “railroad” at the bottom of this post to see reports of other railroad-caused fires.
