WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102708

First up today, two stories submitted by members of San Diego Regional Fire Safety Forum: one from Bill Hoffman discussing the fine art of firescaping; and one from Rick Halsey (quoted in the previous article) telling how Ventura homeowners are learning to prepare for wildfires. Rick Hatton, owner of the DC-10, gets some interview time discussing the NASA study being done on his aircraft. After a week of sad memorials to wildfires past, another one was observed in Idyllwild for five USFS firefighters killed in the line of duty two years ago (from a fire set as a diversion by someone who wanted to get his pit bull out of the pound, of all things!) A wildfire outside of Reno that's burned 1,000 acres is getting some serious attention from the Feds, while the Chalk Fire in central California should be fully contained in a few days, and the Moab wildfire in Utah is fully contained. A small wildfire has cropped up by Mt. St. Helens in Washington state, and the same has occurred near Flagstaff, AZ. Authorities in Montana and Wyoming remarked on a thankfully slow fire season this year, while firefighters in New Jersey got a breather from the large fire they've been fighting (approaching 2,000 acres) as the next two articles show. As California moves out of a Red Flag period, Florida is just moving into one of their own. An Op/Ed piece from the Rocky Mountain News discusses the Forest Service plans to combat massive beetle infestations which, according to estimates, could kill off 75% of the pines on the eastern side of the Rockies in a few years. A study from George Mason University has determined that 22 states don't have written emergency plans for natural disasters like wildfires. Heading down under, an elite team of arson investigators is being highlighted in New South Wales as the bushfire season gets underway there. Foresters will no doubt be interested in the $50 million windfall from logging bushfire-ravaged forests in Victoria, and there may be more to log, as experts predict a particularly bad season ahead in that state. Queensland firefighters have their hands full with bushfires, as the next two articles detail. And on the technology front, a Canadian company demonstrates how their products linked through GPS greatly aided firefighting in western Canada this past fire season.

Fire escapes

Fire department to teach people to protect homes

NASA studies supertanker

Five firefighters killed in Esperanza blaze 2 years ago remembered

Federal reinforcements scheduled to help with Peterson fire

Chalk Fire in Hunter Liggett near containment

UPDATE: Moab Wildfire Contained

Wildfire near Mount Saint Helens growing

Wildland fire south of Flagstaff burns 4 acres

Mont., Wyo. report tamer-than-usual wildfire season

Wet weekend helps contain forest fire

Wharton forest fire 90 percent contained

Wildfire danger at critical level

GOOTZ: Combating pine beetle requires aggressive action

Nearly Half Of US States Fail On Emergency Plan Communication, New Study Shows

Crack squad targets firebugs

$50m killing in tree sales

Vic faces 'extreme' bushfire threat

Grass fires threaten Qld properties

Qld bushfire closes tourist drive

Bushfires in Lane Cove National Park

Flight Management Systems Moving Map instrumental for fighting wildfires in Western Canada