WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 013109

First up in wildfire news today, a worrisome report from the California Department of Water Resources about the possibility that the state may experience its worst drought in history this year, followed by a scathing Op-Ed from the Executive Director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics about the federal government's fire policies. In Oklahoma, a retirement community was briefly in the path of a grass fire, despite patches of ice on the ground, and in Abilene, Texas, a state firefighting helicopter stands ready to assist if any wildfires occur in that area. A wind-driven forest fire burned to within 100 feet of some homes in South Carolina, while NTSB has determined that the crash of a firefighting plane near Fort Carson last year was due in part to loss of control by the pilot after he completed his drop. In Nepal, an out-of-control wildfire is burning near the capital of Kathmandu, and the Rural Fire Service in New South Wales, Australia, is waiting on the weather there to begin back-burning operations. In Victoria state, firefighters are still fighting a major bushfire that nearly reached Melbourne's main power lines yesterday, and although cooler weather is helping with bushfires there, fire managers are still watching for flare ups. Finally, a quartet of tigers has been forced out of the forest by wildfires in Indonesia, alarming the locals, who are forbidden from killing the endangered species (hopefully the government doesn't suffer the same fate as an Indian Raja who declared all wild animals protected, causing the people to depose this ruler as the tiger population exploded - the first time in history that the reign was called for the game!)

Calif. facing worst drought in modern history

Burning our bucks in the woods

Wildfire threatened retirement community, fire danger high in Oklahoma

Helicopter Ready For Fires

Fire burns 25 acres west of Branchville

NTSB: Pilot lost control in crash

Fire in forest in Nepali capital not under control

Crews to begin south coast backburning

Gippsland blaze rips past city power line

Cooler conditions dampen Vic bushfires

Wildfires force tigers into human settlements