WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112009

In wildfire news today, a Nigerian transient accused of starting wildfires in Southern California's Angeles National Forest around the time of the Station Fire, has been remanded to a mental institution after being deemed incompetent to stand trial; even as investigators still sift through the Station Fire debris trying to collect enough evidence for a court case; but the Indiana welder who started a wildfire on Santa Catalina Island in 2007 will be responsible for $4-$5 million in restitution, however he will not be required to register as a convicted arsonist. Broadcasters on Mount Wilson are laying plans for the next wildfire, collecting suggestions from such groups as the Mount Wilson Fire Safe Council; and in a follow-up to an article earlier this week, USGS researcher Jon Keeley's discussion of living with wildfire in Southern California, which was presented in Rancho Palos Verdes Tuesday night, is reviewed in a local paper. An artist is inviting residents and firefighters in Santa Barbara to help complete a mosaic that will be displayed at the headquarters of Santa Barbara County Fire Department; while Helicopter Association International held its second annual Helicopter Firefighting Safety Forum yesterday in Idaho. A volunteer firefighter from West Virginia has been accused of setting a debris fire; and another from Maine admitted that he set a pile of leaves on fire deliberately. Volusia is the first county in Florida to declare a total burn ban, but based on conditions in that state probably will not be the last. Earth Policy Institute has published a report that offers a comprehensive look at wildfires across the world in the age of climate change; and researchers in Europe have concluded that greenhouse gas emissions must reach zero by 2100 to avoid dire consequences on the continent. The next article provides a comprehensive summary of the bushfires currently burning across parts of Australia; even as Country Fire Authority scrambled aerial assets to help corral a bushfire burning near plantations in Cobbobonee National Park in Victoria. Despite extensive vegetation clearance earlier this year, a professor warns that forested areas around Sydney, New South Wales, still present an extreme bushfire danger; while Rural Fire Service has warned that the bushfire threat in that state remains extreme as at least one bushfire nears containment. Western Australia's Environment Department has been blamed for the death of several truck drivers caught in a firestorm that swept across a major highway; and a report from Tasmania indicates that at least one home has been lost to bushfires on the East Coast. Despite over 25,000 lightning strikes and a very busy week battling blazes across the state, South Australia appears to have weathered the storm in good order. And finally, we have an inspiring story about a USFS Hotshot, paralyzed by a falling tree during an incident, who has found a second career as an entrepreneur offering useful gadgets to his fellow wildland firefighters!

Angeles Forest wildfire suspect in mental institution

Detectives still far from arrest in Station fire arson

Man who started Catalina wildfire won't have to register as arsonist

L.A. Broadcasters Plan for Next Time

Next steps in the wake of the wildfires

Artist seeks help with fire mosaic

HAI Holds its Fall Helicopter Firefighting Safety Forum in Boise, Idaho

W.Va. volunteer firefighter faces arson charge

Firefighter admits setting leaves on fire

Only Volusia bans burning as drought conditions worsen

Environment: Wildfires Spreading As Temperatures Rise

EU Research Shows Greenhouse Gases Must Zero Out by 2100

Fire-weary residents too terrified to sleep

Water bombers sent to fire near Casterton

Hazard reduction blitz fails to dampen risk

RFS warns of deadly bushfires threat

Foolhardy decision led to truckies' deaths

House lost in east coast bushfire

South Australia dodges bushfire disaster

Injured Oregon firefighter now entrepreneur

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111909

First up in wildfire news today, the Los Angeles Times explores the LA County Fire Department's report on the Station Fire that was released Tuesday; followed by a story in which local politicians voiced their support for the report's findings, while a USFS deputy chief admits that it may be time to re-examine fighting fires in the National Forest after dark; and another in which residents of La Canada/Flintridge applauded the report's recommendation that defensible space around homes should be increased from the federally mandated 30 feet to the County standard of 200 feet. Forest owners in Oregon are faced with mounting fire protection bills amid falling timber income; but authorities have arrested the owner of a home in El Paso County, Colorado, for torching his foreclosed home in July, something which nearly sparked a major forest fire. Researchers at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will be using the latest in IBM technology to analyze smoke patterns during wildfires to provide real-time warnings to people in the path of oncoming fires; while the head of the US Forest Service was on Capitol Hill discussing that agency's role in combating climate change; and firefighters in Florida fear that they may be seeing the work of a serial arsonist in Brevard County. Australia's United Firefighter Union, representing 13,500 professional firefighters nationwide, is urging politicians not to water down a climate bill which they hope will help reduce catastrophic bushfires; but in a new twist on the bushfire bunker saga, the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors is telling its members to have nothing to do with bushfire bunkers until current preliminary building standards are replaced with approved standards. The issue of employees from Victoria leaving work to fight bushfires is examined in the next item; while a study on the media's experiences from coverage of the Black Saturday bushfires is being done in hopes of improving coverage of future disasters. Residents of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia have been warned of severe bushfire conditions today; followed by an article that provides detailed information on what the various bushfire warning ratings signify. The collision of two Country Fire Service firetrucks in smoky conditions in South Australia resulted in injuries to five firefighters. And finally, firefighters in Florida responding to a house fire found a residence that was going to pot (BA gear may have come in handy!)

Forest Service should change firefighting policies, report says

Area politicians support recommendations in county's Station Fire report

County report critical of fire policy

Fire protection bills pile up for forest owners

'ARSON': Owner of Home in Black Forest House Fire Arrested

UMBC Researchers Use IBM Technology to Fight Rising Threats of Forest Fires

Forest Service says trees can slow climate change

Serial Arsonist May Be On The Loose

Australian Firefighters Urge Passage of Climate Bill (Update2)

Surveyors told not to approve bushfire bunkers

Employers urged to go easy on firefighting staff

The Black Saturday bushfires: How the media covered Australia's worst peace-time disaster

Severe bushfire warnings issued for Victoria, NSW and South Australia

Bushfires: the Fire Danger Rating system explained

Fire trucks collide as blaze out of control

Smoke Out! Firefighters Battling Blaze Find Pot Plants

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111809

Kristina Hajjar, Director of Communications for LA County Fire Department, passed along an executive report from Chief Freeman (available for viewing on the Los Angeles County website) on the Station Fire that advocates a 'vastly different approach' to fighting wildfires in the Angeles National Forest, incorporating water dropping helicopters using night vision capabilities to attack the fires after dark, as summed up in our first wildfire article today. Firefighters expect to have the wildfire burning near San Juan Capistrano fully contained some time today; but a vehicle fire on nearby Ortega Highway no doubt caused them some concerns for renewed fires in the area. A 329-acre blaze which burned in Central California in September was apparently caused by a careless teenager; while a runaway debris burn elsewhere in that region provided a bit of excitement for CAL FIRE firefighters. Arson investigators are scrutinizing a small grass fire that erupted near a high school in Wisconsin. Fire agencies are indicating that nearly 2 dozen wildfires have been deliberately set in Kentucky in the past few days; but at least one arsonist, a 61-year-old woman, was caught in the act of setting fires. A small wildfire that burned in Vermont over the weekend was quickly corralled by firefighters; and a Georgia first grader won a national fire-prevention contest. Despite the popular image of Florida as a tropical paradise, the state is actually entering its fourth year of drought, in which vegetation will be especially vulnerable to wildfires during the dry season which runs from December through April. An article from South Africa explores that country's use of AFIS (Advanced Fire Information System) data from orbiting satellites that could help alert residents by phone of approaching wildfires. The South Korean president is moving forward with plans to help re-forest parts of North Korea that were perceived by satellite to have been burned by massive forest fires. As bushfire warnings circulate across Australia, a Radio Australia segment discusses just how prepared the continent is for bushfires; even as weather and fuel conditions in Victoria are combining to create a firefighter's nightmare in parts of that state; and the problem of power poles as potential fire sources in the rural areas is examined by the next article. Fire managers in New South Wales say that residents are more motivated towards fire prevention in light of what happened in Victoria on Black Saturday. Residents of central Queensland have been put on alert but they may be forced to evacuate as two fast-moving bushfires approach; followed by a story about the anxious debate among residents over what to do. And finally, a story out of Queensland tells of a new wish fire hazard to beware of: leaping kangaroos!

County fire recommends brush clearance, reinstituting aerial water drops at night in Station Fire executive report

SoCal wildfire 95 percent contained

Vehicle fire prompts highway closure

Teen suspected of starting Power Fire

Firefighters Douse Escaped Debris Burn

Fire near Nekoosa High School called suspicious

Forest rangers say 23 fires were intentionally set

Police make arrest in Harlan County fires

Mount Mansfield fire contained

Chatsworth first-grader wins national Smokey the Bear contest

Wildfire danger is on the rise

Fires: Spotted from satellites, warned by phone

Action plan underway for N.K. forestation

How well prepared is Australia for 2009 bushfire season?

Firefighters brace for toughest day

Power lines 'still vulnerable to spark'

Residents are bushfire ready

Fire may force Central Qld evacuation

Flight or fight as fires take hold

'Kangaroo started bushfire'

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111709

Los Angeles County has renewed the $50,000 bounty on the arsonist who caused the Station Fire; but with the rainy season approaching, residents of burn areas in the foothill communities above Los Angeles are being briefed by fire officials on how to prepare for mudslides. Socked by rising insurance costs, two utilities in Southern California plan to increase fees to homeowners to cover anticipated losses to future wildfires in the area. In an ironic twist, attempted fire prevention sparked a wildfire in southern Orange County; one which has expanded to over 250 acres, but should be contained soon, thanks in part to a change in the weather. A small wildfire burning in the Los Padres National Forest over the weekend was reported nearly fully contained yesterday; even as United Way and other organizations announced that they had just distributed the remainder of donations for survivors of the Tea Fire in Santa Barbara to needy families. Residents of San Diego County have been invited to a 'firescaping' course that will show them how to use firewise landscaping to protect their property. USFS will begin prescribed burns of vegetation around South Lake Tahoe, California, today; and firefighters are planning controlled burns near Tucson, Arizona, as well. An ecologist whose controversial belief that beetle-killed trees are actually good for forest ecology is scheduled to speak in Montana. A wildfire in Pennsylvania kept firefighters busy; while a wildfire was reported in Bell County, Virginia, too. Argentina is having some problems with persistent wildfires in forested country. Heading to Australia, another article details the advice provided to the Royal Bushfire Commission about having more command-level officers on the scene in future bushfires to help reduce the confusion that was so detrimental to efforts to fight the Black Saturday bushfires. A Member of Parliament asked that a town in his jurisdiction be allowed to clear hazardous vegetation under the '10/30' rule; and although a comprehensive list of schools in Victoria that would need to be evacuated in the event of a bushfire has been compiled, critics argue that it's not quite comprehensive enough. Over 500 km of vegetation has been cleared from around water caches in Victoria, but much remains to be done to protect them from bushfires; this coming at a time when the Premier is warning of dangerous bushfire weather later this week. A summary of bushfires burning in New South Wales, including one which threatened homes in Sydney, is provided by the next two articles. Opposition politicians argue that the NSW government is keeping back information about communities in danger from potential bushfires due to fears that communities not listed would grow complacent in making any bushfire preparations; while over $100,000 of timber was destroyed in one of the bushfires burning in that state. Concerns are being raised over the survival of a rare ground parrot in Queensland as a bushfire that has been burning for a week continues to destroy its habitat; and as the temperatures rise, South Australians are being warned to prepare for catastrophic bushfires; something which could prompt evacuations as early as today from high-risk areas. And finally, a cautionary tale from Peru underscores the importance of a timely arrival at an incident!

Station Fire $50,000 reward renewed

Avoiding the Worst Case Scenario

Utilities propose higher fees

Ortega Fire Started By Irony

Cooler Weather Helping Firefighters In San Juan Capistrano

Fire in Los Padres National Forest reported as 80% contained

Wildfire Relief Cash Runs Dry

REGION: Public invited to 'firewise' landscape workshop

Federal officials begin fire burns today in South Lake Tahoe

Prescribed fires planned for the Verde Glen area

Wuerthner to speak on forest ecology and value of dead trees

Firefighters in Beaver County battle brush

Flames still burning in White Mountain

Wildfires continue in mountainous areas of Cordoba Province

Deploy fire chiefs early, Victoria bushfires Royal Commission hears

Our residents just as vulnerable to bushfire, says MP

Schools left off bushfire Code Red register

Firebreaks to protect water catchments

Premier warns of 'bad day' for bushfires

Fire crews save Sydney homes

Bushfire rages as temperatures peak

Govt urged to name fire threat communities

Pine forest blaze proves costly

Bushfire sparks fears for rare parrot

Catastrophic bushfire danger warning for South Australia

Catastrophic bushfire warning prompts evacuations

Angry mob beats, robs Peru firefighters

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111609

Leading off wildfire news today, Bob Cavage, President of Wildfire Research Network, sent along the following link to the upcoming Wildland Urban Interface 2010 conference which will discuss, among other things, Very Large Air-Tankers (VLAT), and is being sponsored by the US Forest Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Association of State Foresters, the Nevada State Fire Chiefs, and the NFPA Firewise Communities. Elsewhere in the news, a small wildfire broke out today in the heavily-traveled Sepulveda Pass corridor that links Los Angeles with communities to the north; while a press release adds fuel to the fire of the building controversy over the US Forest Service's handling of the Station Fire, particularly the tepid air response in the early stages of the blaze. The next item takes a look at the debris basins which stop debris flows from menacing communities below them (something that will be of special importance this winter in areas where hillsides of been denuded by the Station Fire); and USGS scientist and wildfire lecturer Jon Keeley will be speaking in Palos Verdes Peninsula tomorrow on the topic of living with wildfires. The U.S. Army is planning to burn off some vegetation to clear the way for munitions removal at Fort Ord in Central California. Northern California's wildfire season officially ends today, but CAL FIRE is still warning residents to be cautious with any outdoor burning; even as recruitment of seasonal firefighters for the 2010 season begins. An article from Oregon reflects on the impact of the recently-passed FLAME Act, legislation which provides substantial funding to pay for wildfire suppression throughout the US; followed by one from Kansas that provides more details on the bill. A Nebraska-based tree-planting organization has planted over 80,000 of the planned 1 million seedlings in that state; while a small wildfire has been reported in North Carolina; and a county in Upstate New York has imposed a total burn ban as wildfire season in that area reaches its peak. In contrast to British Columbia, Ontario, Canada, reported a fire season with the second lowest activity in 50 years; while Alberta reported a normal fire season equivalent to those of recent years. The African nation of Zambia is struggling with a dysfunctional wildfire-response system. Heading Down Under, Victoria has released the long-awaited list of bushfire havens spelled out by the Royal Bushfire Commission; but critics are charging that the Australian state needs more qualified fire chiefs to handle future bushfire disasters like Black Saturday. The Royal Bushfire Commission is hearing testimony on what went wrong when one Black Saturday bushfire killed more than 100 residents of Victoria, in part due to problems with an emergency response center; but in contrast, a new $200,000 facility has been opened elsewhere in that state. As the investigation into a deliberately-set Black Saturday bushfire continues, a Country Fire Authority fire captain who was under suspicion for an arson fire has returned to work. Celebrity animal activist Steve Irwin's widow has been accused of neglecting bushfire clearance on property that was granted to her by Australia following the death of her husband, leading to a major bushfire in the Queensland animal preserve; but firefighters were able to save several homes threatened by a fast-moving grass fire elsewhere in that state. New South Wales dominated the news today: the first of 470 signs that will display bushfire danger levels has been unveiled; a stolen vehicle that was torched caused a bushfire; over 100 Rural Fire Service firefighters took part in battling a forest fire; followed by a photo gallery of the fires; even as more parts of New South Wales have fallen under a total burn ban. And finally, firefighters in Des Moines, Iowa, not only had to put out a fire, but they had to round up the livestock afterwards!

L.A. firefighters battling blaze in Sepulveda Pass [Updated]

Los Angeles County Station Fire Probe: Full of Hot Air, Say Victims

Empty debris basins wait for Station Fire's winter impact

PVP lecture: Living with nature in the land of fire

Army plans Ord burn

CalFire Says Peak Wildfire Season is Over

Calif. seasonal firefighter application period begins

New Firefighting Law Could Help Oregon, States

Vilsack, Salazar praise "FLAME" Wildfire Supresssion Reserve Fund

What We Are Planting: Trees for ReTree Nebraska

Brush fire burning on Clint Norris Road

Open burn ban to be enforced in Greene County

2009 fire season one of the quietest on record

Forest fire totals on par with recent years

S/Province PS bemoans firefighting inadequacies

Bendigo’s ‘safer’ places named

Bushfire war has few generals

Commission examines Kilmore fire

Bushfire defence boost for Nelson

Firey queried over bushfire back at work

Croc Hunter's Widow Blamed For Bushfire

Firies save homes from Gympie bushfire

State unveils 'catastrophic' fire signs

Torched stolen vehicle causes bushfire – West Hoxton

Firefighters battle forest blaze

In Pictures: 'Australia Bushfires'

More bans expected after two NSW blazes

Des Moines firefighters rescue chickens, guinea pigs

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111409

In the first shots of what will likely be a heated debate over the Station Fire's prosecution, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich blasted the US Forest Service report that stated that they did everything that could be done in the early stages of that fire to control it, our first wildfire article today. An update on the mudslides in burn areas above La Cañada Flintridge is provided by an LA Times article; even as more fire weather is predicted for this weekend. Residents of central California are breathing a sigh of relief as CAL FIRE announces the end of wildfire season in the Bay Area and counties to the east of it; although areas that have already burned, even years ago, may still pose a hazard to visitors and residents alike. Investigators are still seeking an arsonist who set a 6,000 acre blaze in the Stanislaus National Forest; while a Northern California resident charged with starting the 1,200 acre Coffin Fire with a carelessly tossed cigarette pleaded no contest. Scientific American explores the use of goats to clear vegetation in wildfire-prone parts of California; and researchers in Nevada were awarded a grant of $3.2 million to study the effect of aerosols, including wildfire smoke, on climate change as revealed by ice cores; but firefighters in that state will be contributing to that smoky record by conducting controlled burns at the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. Despite the onset of fall, Michigan's Upper Peninsula is still reporting a smattering of wildfires in tinder dry brush. Climate scientists and firefighters in Australia are warning that a Black Saturday bushfire could happen elsewhere on the continent during this current fire season; even as the government of Victoria has said that they will not provide transportation for the elderly or infirm to evacuate in the event of another bushfire, posing a dilemma for these people on how to evacuate safely. While temperatures in eastern Australian states climb past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the bushfire danger has increased considerably; and in South Australia, Country Fire Service firefighters had their hands full with a number of bushfires yesterday as temperatures soared. And finally, the LA Times chronicles a solemn ceremony in Los Angeles today in which the granddaughters of a firefighter who perished in a blaze 70 years ago received a replacement Tribute Badge from LAFD for their grandfather's, the original having been badly damaged when their mobile home burned in the Sayre Fire in 2007.

Feds’ firefighting tactics under fire

Mudslide damages six homes, closes road in La Cañada Flintridge [Updated]

Fire weather forecast for Los Angeles and Ventura counties

Fire season to end Monday

Angora fire zone still has hazards despite clearing

Forest fire was caused by humans

Woman pleads no contest to starting Coffin Fire

No Kidding: Getting Goats to Graze on Tinder Puts a Damper on Fires

Nevada researcher gets grant to study ice cores

Burn Set For Pahranagat Refuge

Wildfires pop up in dry U.P. forests

Black Saturday fires 'could happen again'

Heat is on the old and the isolated

East coast swelters as heatwave continues

Blazes keep crews on high alert

Firefighters present family with tribute badge destroyed in a wildfire

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111309

The US Forest Service has released their preliminary report on their response to the Station Fire (the report can be read here), our first wildfire story today; but in a legacy of the Station Fire, residents of the La Canada/Flintridge area suffered through a mudslide spawned by heavy rains in burn areas early today. A look at the financial cost of wildfires in Southern California is provided by an article from Bloomberg; while an inmate who is accused of setting the 2003 Old Fire outside of San Bernardino has pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder. Orange County Fire Authority, as part of their beefed up response to wildfires, will begin flying flags on high fire danger days as a visible reminder to homeowners of the wildfire danger. Allstate insurance Co. donated $80,000 for a number of billboard ads urging residents of San Diego to make preparations for wildfires; but a lawsuit has been filed to halt development of an area in Tejon Ranch that frequently hosts wildfires. Forest owners in Central California will be able to attend a workshop that shows how to maintain a healthy forest amid wildfire hazards. Good news from Lake Tahoe: despite the ash dumped into the lake by the 2007 Angora Fire, the lake has retained its clarity; but there was some bad news for the US Forest Service, which is being accused of being unprepared for debris flows from recent rains in areas ravaged by the Angora Fire. A team of experts is being put together by US Forest Service to tackle the bark beetle problem in Colorado and other parts of the West; with their next stop probably being Montana, where hundreds of thousands of acres of beetle-killed trees present a sizable fire hazard to the national forests in that state. Farmers in parts of Texas will be able to get loans to help repair the damage done to their crops by wildfires; but Upstate New York firefighters used ATVs, leaf blowers, and rakes to rope in a 100 acre wildfire. Over $1 million in government money will be used to help reduce the danger from wildfires in British Columbia, also providing up to 40 part-time jobs to unemployed foresters. A symbolic tree planting ceremony in burn areas north of Athens, Greece, was attended by members of the US Embassy, as well as US Forest Service personnel via video link from Montana. A blogger from Australia laments the ad-hoc approach to the bushfire threat after the Black Saturday disasters; and police are on the lookout for someone who is using illegal fireworks to spark bushfires in state parks in Victoria. The age-old problem of safely evacuating civilians from an area threatened by a bushfire is examined in the next article from Victoria; even as a 100-acre bushfire burning in South Australia has been contained. Campers were chased out of their campground by a bushfire on Queensland's Sunshine Coast; but an incoming thunder storm is expected to clear thick smoke from the fire out of Brisbane later today (although the same winds that clear the smoke could stir up the fire!) And finally, Iowa State University researchers are taking a swing at developing new PPE for firefighters, from head to toe (the question is, will it be fashionable?)

Report: Terrain, brush to blame in huge wildfire

SoCal Rain Triggers Mudslide in La Canada Flintridge Area

Southern California Fire Tops List of 2008’s Costliest Blazes

Calif. fire suspect pleads not guilty to murder

SoCal county to use red flag fire danger system

Billboards to stress emergency preparation

Lawsuit Filed to Stop Condor-Killing Development, Save Tejon Ranch

Workshop on forest fire hazards

Lake Tahoe remains clear despite 2007 wildfire

Recent storms proved too much for fire-damaged areas near Angora

National team to help manage bark beetle problem

Shoshone Forest faces beetle budget bust

Heat-damaged farms eligible for loans

Firefighters contain 100-acre brush fire in Fishkill

Funding for off-the-job forest workers

Tree planting at wildfire-ravaged site by US embassy staff, vols

Water bombers but no bunkers for the summer

Illegal fireworks spark blaze near bushfire towns

Gridlock danger in bushfire zones

Bushfire contained on Eyre Peninsula

Campers forced to flee Sunshine Coast bushfire

Bushfire shrouds city in smoke

Firefighter Fashion: Iowa State Research and Design Team Develops New Protective Gear for Firefighters