Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102208

Santa Ana winds are on the minds of fire agencies in Southern California, as the first three stories today demonstrate, even while the region is still rebuilding from last year's firestorms. As if in answer to concerns that insurance disbursements are slowing rebuilding, the next article recounts the opening of a center to help with insurance claims, although it will be a bit of a drive for San Diegans. With the addition of over 4,000 National Guard firefighters on the wildfires in Northern California this past summer, some interesting changes to firefighting strategy may be occurring, as the next article details. On the eve of the impending Santa Anas, a blaze in San Bernardino County that led to some evacuations was quickly attended to by fire agencies. In Utah, fire agencies probably wish they had the resources available in Southern California, particularly in the air. The cost of firefighting is impacting foresters in Oregon, while foresters in New England are facing a beetle plague similar to the one killing millions of trees in the western US. Firefighters in Virginia had their first official blaze of the fall fire season, thankfully a small one, but New Jersey can't quite say the same, as theirs passed the 1,000 acre mark. Unlike firefighters in San Diego who have rejected Prop A there, firefighters in Colorado are endorsing Prop 1A, a measure that would use a sales tax to raise funds for firefighting. The island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, is in the NASA viewfinder as they photographed dozens of fires burning there. Moving on to the mainland, South Africa is gearing up for a veldt fire season similar to Australia. And speaking of Australia, the side effects of bushfire smoke is showing up in the news: first in a story about sour grapes from the wine industry (something they've had problems with in the past); followed by another about respiratory problems caused by smoke. Finally, Australia has passed legislation to allow only self-extinguishing cigarettes into the country in the hopes of reducing the danger of cigarettes starting bushfires.

Red-flag warning issued through nightfall today

Crews brace for Santa Anas as Caltrans works on freeway in SB

Preparations for the next Santa Ana winds

REGION: Rebuilding slow in fire-ravaged areas

California Opens Local Assistance Center for Wildfire Victims

Wildfire lessons change strategy

Foxborough Fire in mop-up stage

Scarcity of resources is slowing battle against Moab blaze

Firefighting competes for timber dollars

Beetle invasion threatens New England trees

Augusta County Forest Fire

Major forest fire burns in southern NJ

Wildland Firefighting Crews Say They Need Initiative 1A To Pass

Fires in Madagascar

Risk of wildfires to rise this summer

Wine industry fearful of 'smoke taint'

Bush fires linked to asthma

New Cigarette Laws to Butt Out Bushfires

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