WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091709

Wildfire news leads off today with the announcement that the largest wildfire in Los Angeles County history should be fully contained by 6 PM Saturday; and the teenage arsonist who set the Morris Fire will be arraigned soon, but the hunt for the arsonist who set the Station Fire is still underway. With debris already sliding off hillsides burned bare by the wildfires in Angeles National Forest, officials are concerned about mudslides when the rains arrive; while US Forest Service is looking for some volunteer help to clear vegetation in the Inland Empire. CAL FIRE dispatched a trio of airtankers, along with some ground troops, to extinguish a half-acre fire on Mount Palomar yesterday; and the $700,000 restoration of one of the oldest adobes in San Diego County, badly damaged in the 2007 wildfires, is coming along. Carson Helicopters is disputing some of the National Transportation Safety Board findings on the fatal crash of one of their S-61 helicopters last year in Northern California. As firefighters in Oregon cope with wildfires sparked by lightning storms, one fire in Boze has expanded to 400 acres, according to the US Forest Service; and a trio of wildfires is blazing near Oakridge. A wildfire in Okanogan County, Washington, has now been contained; and Colorado will be receiving over $1 million in reimbursement from FEMA for wildfires fought there earlier this year. The means by which mountain pine beetles destroy healthy trees is revealed by an article from Casper, Wyoming. A writer from British Columbia sums up human agency in starting wildfires in that Canadian province. Heading Down Under, insufficient command resources and delayed warnings contributed to the carnage on Black Saturday in Victoria, Australia; while faulty electrical equipment is getting the blame for one of the Black Saturday bushfires. Farmers in Victoria will receive a larger chunk of bushfire relief money from the government due to changes in the tax law just enacted; and a former police horse who has been credited with saving other livestock during the Black Saturday bushfires is being recommended for a Purple Heart. Western Australia's lower house of parliament has passed a bill which would give emergency services personnel authority to evict homeowners in the path of a bushfire; but there is a bit of a row in Canberra, while the Australian government debates the best fire policy for the area, as illustrated by the next two articles. And finally, firefighters in Arizona had to battle both a wildland fire and bees after someone tried to burn the hive out of a log!

160,557-Acre Station Fire 93 Percent Contained

LA authorities name teen as wildfire arson suspect

Concerns rise about mudslides in areas burned by Station fire

Forest Service wants volunteers to clear brush from around Parry Pinyon pines

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN: Fire reported at state park

Historic adobe rising from ashes

Investigators clash over last year's fatal firefighting copter crash

Tiller's Boze fire is 400 acres, more fires found

Trio of forest fires burning south of Oakridge

Wildfire near Nespelem contained

FEMA Reimburses State Of Colorado For Wildfire Costs

Beetles devour trees on Casper Mountain

Many factors involved in forest fire battle

Urgent warnings were delayed 2 hours

Old power pole blamed for bushfire near Horsham

Farms devastated by Black Saturday fires to receive grants of up to $100,000

Purple Heart nomination for horse hero Paddy

Bushfire bill passes lower house

Backburn fire fight as home-defend plan goes

Govt blocks 'confusing' bushfire warnings bill

Firefighters battle bees, fire