WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 060909

More details on yesterday's story about a study that dismissed federal fuel reduction efforts as misplaced is our first wildfire article today; followed by one about how Riverside County, California, fire officials are working with an environmental group to provide a fuel management plan agreeable to everyone. A small, wind-driven wildfire kept firefighters in Sacramento, California, busy this morning; and a wildfire in Washington was brought under control. Nevada's governor has weighed in on fuel reduction around property in Lake Tahoe, reversing the stifling policies that forbade sensible defensible space and led to the catastrophic Angora Fire that destroyed dozens of homes. Wildfires continue to burn in Arizona, as the next two stories show; and a Yuma, Arizona, man is facing a fine and possible jail time for setting fires that scorched over 9,000 acres in 2008. Two stories out of New Mexico today: an update on Gila National Forest's fires; followed by a look at New Mexico's helitack crews. Firefighters in Utah fear that late season rains may provide more fuel for summer wildfires; but forestry folks are being sued by landowners near Rapid City, South Dakota, who blame the forest service for deliberately setting debris fires that burned out of control, damaging the landowners' property. A small wildfire sparked by a power line was reported near a school in Alaska yesterday. As forest fires continue to rage in British Columbia, Canada, pine beetles are receiving much of the blame for the worsening situation in BC's forests; while authorities in Ontario province are looking for arsonists who lighted three small wildfires in that province; as one of Ontario's CL-415 aircraft responded to a wildfire. Testimony by the Country Fire Authority's Chief Officer continued at the Royal Bushfire Hearings in Melbourne, Australia; but after six years of drought, fire officials feel that the rainfall to date in Victoria's Otway Range will not decrease the summer fire risk significantly. Victoria's alpine communities have changed from black to white as the snows arrive; but those who were burned out and lost everything in the Black Saturday bushfires are shivering in tent camps as cold weather arrives; even as the Australian salvage company cleaning up the mess left by the bushfires is helping people recover mementos lost in the fire. And finally, North Carolina law enforcement officials are asking themselves one question: who set fire to Smokey the Bear?

Study faults federal wildfire effort

New weed abatement guidelines weighed

Firefighters Battle Grass Fire Near Cal Expo

Firefighters battle Auburn-area brush fire

Law requires Tahoe property owners to maintain defensible space

Wildfires near Globe, Happy Jack continue to burn

Wildfire near Grand Canyon expands

Yuma man charged in connection with forest fire

Firefighters tackle burning wilderness

Helirappel crew trains to drop in for the wildfire fight

Wet Weather May Provide More Fuel for Wildfires, Say Firefighters

Forest Service Denies Rapid City Fire Negligence

Firefighters Called to Wildfire on Isaaks Road

Pine beetle culprit in spread of B.C. forest fire

OPP looking for forest fire arsonists

Forrest Fire situation update

System worked well on Black Saturday: CFA boss

Rain fails to damper Otway Forest fire risk

From ashes to snow stashes

Victoria Black Saturday survivor Rod Liesfield begs for help

Saving loved relics in bushfire clean-up

Who scorched Smokey?