WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041309

First up today, Tony Morris, journalist and Communications Director of Wildfire Research Network, offers up an inside look at Los Angeles County Fire Department's Air Ops in the first installment of a multi-part series. Helicopter Association International (HAI) provides some talking points to help defeat what they consider a 'dangerous amendment' to the FLAME Act; followed by another HAI article about how upwards of $250 million might be available to help fight wildfires and rehabilitate burn areas in the US. A summary of the FLAME Act, along with some commentary, is provided by the next item. A Fire Safe Council in Northern California is concerned about a new ordinance in their neck of the woods; and a wildfire that resulted from winds fanning some debris fires occurred south of Missoula, Montana, over the weekend. The Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner has declared an emergency, freeing up additional funding for people who suffered losses in the wildfires in that state; and a trio of stories from Texas: a wildfire in a West Texas county has exceeded 2,600 acres and is still only 15% contained; with thousands of acres of rangeland burned, Texas cattlemen are pulling together to provide food and fencing for their less-fortunate neighbors; but having consumed nearly 200,000 acres, the wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma were subdued by providential rainstorms, allowing firefighters to begin mopping up. A Mississippi firefighter's misstep during a wildfire is a powerful reminder of 'Watch Outs' in any fire situation; while parts of New England are now in their fire season as things dry out and warm up. Massachusetts firefighters had a tough fight of it with a wildfire burning near the Turnpike; and the New Jersey State Forest Service is investigating a suspicious blaze that burned an acre of forest land. Trouble in paradise as a small wildfire broke out on Maui, which is suffering through a dry spell right now. With flames topping 25 feet at times, firefighters near Halifax, in the UK, had a moor fire to deal with over the weekend; while a 2,500 acre wildfire erupted in Tokyo, Japan, which, along with several others across that island nation, kept firefighters and Self-Defense Force helicopters busy. While authorities are still trying to discern the reasons behind an arson wildfire in an Indian nature preserve, eyewitnesses estimated that there's not been anything like it in the region since 1956; and Himalayan neighbor Nepal is once again having problems with forest fires. Controversy surrounds Australia's new building codes, enacted in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires, as some critics call the standards 'flawed'. An Australian military bicycling club aims to raise $10,000 for bushfire relief; but with an estimated $302 million having been contributed to the Victoria Bushfire Appeal, charities throughout Australia are seeing donations for their causes dry up, another casualty of the Black Saturday Bushfires; and as funding dries up, Australia's wildlife may have a very tough winter ahead. A trio of stories about a pair of bushfires that ignited in the suburbs of Perth in West Australia is up next. And finally, got a fire? Call a monk!

A Day in the Life of LACoFD Firefighter-Paramedics, Part 1

Aerial Firefighting Industry TAKE ACTION NOW!

Supplemental Spending Money Could Address Wildfires

Salvaging the "Fire Service"

Fire Safe Council questions intent of new wildfire ordinance

Lolo wildfire contained

Oklahoma Commissioner Declares Emergency After Wildfires

Large Fire Burning in Jeff Davis County

Rain brings wildfire relief to North Texas, Okla.

Mississippi Firefighter Hurt by Power Line

Forest fire danger is high in Vermont and southern New Hampshire

Palmer firefighters battle brush fire near Mass Turnpike

LATEST NEWS: 'Suspicious' fire burns behind Bridgeton apartments

Brush fire burns 10 acres in Pulehu

Firefighters tackle moors blaze

Tokyo firefighters battle city wildfire

Fiercest inferno in 50 yrs in Dangs, Naxal hand feared

Wildfire remains out of control in Nepal forest

Standards Australia defends bushfire building code

Riders to work in bushfire clean-up

Financial crisis, bushfire appeal hits charities

Native wildlife needs Diamond Valley’s help

Two bushfires spark in Perth

Bushfire survivor stories emerge from Waikiki

South-West traffic at a standstill due to fires

Firefighting monk serves God, St. Meinrad