Smoke, Fire from Two Bulls Wildfire Near Bend Captured in Time-lapse Video (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

From the Source: 

"The Two Bulls wildfire burning 10 miles west of Bend has grown to more than 6,800 acres and continues to send plumes of smoke over the Bend area.

Michael Kellog of eyeonbend.com has a very cool time-lapse video shot Saturday showing the smoke and fire generated by the blaze as it grew from two separate fires into one large wildfire. Watch the time-lapse above. (Note: the date at the beginning of the time-lapse is incorrect. The images were captured on Saturday, June 7.)"

Above: "The Two Bulls Fire grew to 6,200 acres Sunday. Two helicopters were ferrying water from near Tumalo Reservoir to the fire about 1.5 miles away. Tankers flew over carrying retardant." Credit: Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian

Obama, Western Governors Make Plans for Fire Season

We fully support a strategy that does not involve dipping into fire prevention funds. We believe fire prevention and pre-suppression is key to reducing the threat of wildfire in Hawaii. Obama and the Western Governors agree:

From the Source: 

"A years-long drought parching Western states and threatening to ignite a record fire season is spurring the Obama administration to revise the federal government’s approach to combating wildfires that threaten hundreds of millions of acres of Western land.

Obama and senior administration officials on Monday met by video conference from the Situation Room with governors of eight states, gathered here for the annual meeting of the Western Governors Association. The White House reviewed national drought estimates and fire projections with governors and promised to work with them once fire season gets under way.

'Fire is a priority for this administration,' Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told governors on Monday."

"The Obama administration has said climate change is causing increasingly severe fire seasons, which average 60 to 80 days longer than in past decades because of hotter temperatures and less snowpack. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter (R) said Monday the fires are an environmental risk, too: In 2013, fires in Otter’s state added 6 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere and 34 million tons of particulates, he said."

"On Capitol Hill, the administration is also pushing Congress to adopt new budgetary rules that would remove forest-fire funding from the traditional budget process. Instead, major fires would be treated as disasters and funded the same way hurricanes, tornadoes and other calamities are treated.

Under current rules, when fire costs spiral out of control, the federal government has to dip into accounts set aside for long-term fire prevention, like fuel management, to pay for short-term containment and suppression costs.

'Because of the extent of fires that we’ve had in recent years, not only has the fire suppression been used up, but all the other money that’s been set aside for fuel mitigation has to be cannibalized to fight fire,' said South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R)."

Above: "Plumes of smoke from a wildfire rise from Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona, Ariz., as seen from I-89A near Sedona, Ariz.,on May 21, 2014." Credit: AP Photo/Vyto Starinskas

Devastating Australian Brushfires as Seen from Space

From the Source:

"Bushfires are continuing to rage across parts of Australia’s state of Victoria today despite the arrival of milder conditions.

You can see them in the image [on the left] from NASA’s Aqua satellite. Massive plumes of smoke stream from fires burning in the eastern part of the state, as well as just north of the city of Melbourne. Red dots mark spots where the satellite sensor detected fire...

The region has been experiencing hot and windy conditions that have raised the fire risk in Victoria to its highest level since 2009, when fires killed 173 people."

Above: "NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this view of bushfires blazing in the Australian state of Victoria today. (Source: NASA)" - Discover

Crews Battle Brush Fire in Waianae Mountains

CONGRATULATIONS! You have found one of the four fires of your scavenger hunt. 

The Keaau Beach Park Fire was the largest wildfire between 2008-2012 that burned during the Hooilo season. What might have led to a wildfire that burned such a large area during the wet season (think environmental conditions)?

From the Source:

"Three helicopters and ground crews battled a 200-acre brush fire in the mountains across Farrington Highway from Keaau Beach Park on Monday. 

The wildfire does not threaten property and remains far from from any endangered plants or animals. The fire was at least a half mile from the closest homes and from the highway Monday evening, said fire Capt. Terry Seelig."

"Army wildfire range control and state ground crews were flown up to use hand tools to create a firebreak.

The winds, about 15 to 20 mph, were blowing mauka, causing the fire to move away from homes.

The fire did generate a lot of smoke and ash, Seelig said."

Blaze Threatens North Shore Homes

CONGRATULATIONS! You have found one of the four fires of your scavenger hunt. 

"A brush fire closed in on a residential area on Poamoho Street in Haleiwa yesterday. Smoke from the huge blaze was visible from miles away." (Cindy Ellen Russell/Star Bulletin)

The Waialua Fire was the largest wildfire between 2003-2007 that burned during the kau season. 

The fire ultimately burned over 7,000 acres. You can see just how scary the fire was from the photo on the right! This shows the importance of planning and creating defensible space around your home ahead of time. Learn more about how you and your family can protect yourselves from wildfire with the Ready, Set, Go! Action Guide.

From the Source:

"A brush fire that consumed more than 1,500 acres closed roads and forced the evacuation of at least two housing areas on the North Shore yesterday."

"Portions of Kamehameha Highway, Kaukonahua Road and Farrington Highway were closed to traffic as a result of the fire.

Hawaiian Electric Co. shut down power to about 1,130 customers in the area.

The Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross opened up a shelter at Waialua District Park community center but moved it to Whitmore Community Park at about 8 p.m. after power went out."