WILFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 052509

First up in wildfire news today, globe-trotting journalist Tony Morris of Wildfire Research Network (who is just back from visiting France and Italy), is featured in the next article (apologies to non-Italian speakers - there was no English translation of this article). A quintet of wildfires in California drew the attention of air-tankers and firefighters over the weekend, the last article in the series recounting the air-evac of a dozen hikers in the path of the wildfire at Joshua Tree National Park. Following a series of articles, a Redding, California, newspaper has issued a call to action about wildfire risk; and a Firewise wood chipping program in California's Napa County is discussed next. A small wildfire is burning near Bend, Oregon; and Oregon smokejumpers are in the news again as they prepare for a new fire season. Red cedar trees, which explode and scatter embers when set on fire, now cover 9 million acres of Oklahoma. Fourteen wildfires have been sparked in Alaska's interior by lightning strikes; and it was a hot time in the old town Saturday night, as Anchorage firefighters had a rapidly-spreading wildfire to deal with. After eight months of metal fatigue testing by NASA, Canadian Wayne Coulson feels the Martin Mars is ready to go to work on wildfires in the US; while a wildfire in Manitoba province burned grasslands near one community. Over 7,000 firefighters responded to five new wildfires burning in China's Heilongjiang Province over the weekend; but with thousands of acres of wildland burned by fires so far this year, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is introducing criminal penalties for starting wildfires. More testimony from the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings in Melbourne, Australia, underscored the speed of the Victoria bushfires; and some gripping amateur video of the death of one Victoria town during the bushfires is provided as a link in the next item. Complaints about too many MLA's (Multi-Letter Acronyms) during the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings are being voiced; while, in an attempt to reign in the sometimes-unruly media at the bushfire hearings, protocols have been established. One of the many stories of survival from the Black Saturday bushfires belongs to a Clydesdale and her owners; even as an organization called 'Blaze Aid' is helping to rebuild paddock fences in the bushfire burn areas. To speed response time to changing fire conditions, South Australia incident commanders will have a new member added to their teams: a weather forecaster. Rising like a Phoenix out of the ashes of its predecessor, a new digital telescope replaces one destroyed in Canberra's 2003 wildfires; but, reflecting a worrisome trend in other parts of the world prone to wildfires, an area northeast of Sydney is being considered for real estate development. And finally, a St. John's, Newfoundland, Canadian is making furniture out of fire-damaged trees - just don't ask him how!

Dall'America a Roma per studiare gli aerei antincendio

PALA: Fire damages three homes, chars 100 acres

Fire in New Cuyama

Crews Battle 100-Acre Brush Fire In Desert Park

Fire near Byron contained

Firefighters battling blaze in Laurel Canyon

Hikers rescued from wildfire in Joshua Tree National Park

Policymakers need to find new solutions to wildfire risk

The Firewise Foundation brings wildfire preparedness to Napa County

Firefighters Battle Blaze near Bend

Smokejumpers prep for fire season

Trees blamed for spreading wildfires have been multiplying in Oklahoma

Lightning causes spray of wildfires across Interior Alaska

Hefty response douses Russian Jack wildfire

Mars water bomber tested by NASA

Firefighters kept busy with grass fires

Thousands mobilized to contain forest fires in NE China

Igniting forest fires to be a criminal offence in HP

Bushfires out-sped forecasts, response

Bushfire survivor Daryl Hull filmed the Marysville inferno

When the heat is on, bushfire bureaucrats duck for cover

Media sets protocols conduct at bush fire inquiry

With love and care, a bushfire victim returns

Volunteers needed to build fences in bushfire zones

Forecaster to join firefighters at scene of fire

Eye of Mount Stromlo rises from the ashes

Projects blocked in fire-prone valley

Wonder Wood