WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 092508

Quite a few wildfire-related stories appeared in the news today, leading off with a press release about companies chipping in to provide solar power equipment to fire stations damaged in the 2007 wildfires, especially in Irvine and the San Diego region. Two articles deal with an issue that's near and dear to Californians right now, with fire proposals like AB 2447 being bandied about: who gets stuck with the bill, the first a cautionary tale from Idaho about someone outside the fire protection district paying the full freight, the second a story from Washington state examining the strain rural homes put on firefighters. Next up, two stories of wildfires breaking out, the first in Colorado, the second talking about a string of fires in North Carolina which authorities worry about due to winds there. San Diego fire authorities are bracing ahead of a hot spell as well. And a press release from USFS summarizes a study on homeowner perceptions around the San Bernardino National Forest. Researchers are predicting worsening fires as the century wears on, and a detailed article from Santa Barbara discusses the challenges of living in the WUI, with some comments by Rick Halsey of the San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum. Two stories provide advice to fire agencies about better fire management, followed by another that shows how folks in Georgia are helping to reforest burn areas during National Arbor Day. In Idaho, authorities are educating residents on how they reduce fuels and create firebreaks in the off-season, and the next tells how a wildfire tragedy brought a community together. A number of stories appeared in the foreign press today, beginning with one on wildfire damage to archaeological sites in the Andes, followed by another warning about the deforestation of Lebanon due to wildfires. Next up, a discussion about problems with arsonists in southern Spain, and the prospect of lawsuits against farmers in southern Africa who are clearing land with fires. Finally, for those who think firefighters only have to worry about their safety at an incident, two stories that show that it may not be all that safe at the firehouse, either!


Sharp And Borrego Donate Several Solar Power Systems To Firehouses In Southern California Impacted By Autumn 2007 Fires

Foothills man gets $15,000 firefighting bill

Rural homes stretch firefighters' resources

Wildfire torches 127 acres near Hotchkiss

Wildfire Reported In Easley

Higher Temps Increase Fire Danger

Study reveals homeowner perceptions in fire-prone areas

Researchers: Expect more wildfires

Risk, Challenge, and Choice on the Wildland Urban Interface

CPA: Reducing Bureaucracy Could Reduce Fire Risk

Fire prevention and a weasel

Help replant trees in national forests destroyed by fire

Local Agencies Working to Prevent Wildfires

Out of the ashes, community

Fire damages two ancient sites in Peru

Forest fires 'pushing Lebanon toward desertification'

Half of forest fires started on purpose

Legal action looms over runaway fires

WI firefighter hurt when oxygen tank explodes

Firefighter Awakened by Rat Bite to Nose