WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112109

We are trying a new format for Wildfire News Of The Day that was suggested by Bob Cavage, President of Wildfire Research Network - numbers by article descriptions that correspond to the links below. Let me know what you think.

First up in wildfire news today, an article from Southern California indicates that the next few days will see increased wildfire danger in Orange County (1); while firefighters in central California will be conducting a number of controlled burns to thin out vegetation (2). Several fire agencies that administer forested parts of Lake Tahoe will be sharing $40 million if the Senate passes a bill currently under consideration (3). Citing unprecedented temperatures for the month of November, Australia has issued catastrophic alerts as over 100 bushfires rage across the continent (4); while a debate has brewed up in Victoria over bushfire refuges in areas Country Fire Authority considers too dangerous to even warrant safe places to shelter from a bushfire (5). Having paid out over $1.2 billion in claims from the Black Saturday bushfires, insurance companies in Australia want a national bushfire code that would replace the existing state codes (6). A fast-moving bushfire along Queensland's Sunshine Coast is giving firefighters a run for their money (7). Townships are watching a massive approaching bushfire in central New South Wales with growing concern (8); even as politicians are wrangling over a report that the government has been eliminating firefighting jobs just as the bushfire season really takes off (9); but Elvis has arrived in Sydney (Erickson S-64 air-cranes, that is) as two massive heli-tankers arrived by ship from the US and are being prepped to battle bushfires in that state (10). The consequences of the decision by fire officials to allow truck drivers to drive through a firestorm in Western Australia are examined in the next article (11); and bushfires on Tasmania's East Coast have reportedly destroyed at least five homes (12).

(1) Dry winds to stoke O.C. wildfire danger

(2) Smoke a signal of prescribed fires

(3) Fire agencies will share $40 million if bill passes

(4) Australia issues 'catastrophic' alerts as fires rage

(5) Fire refuges rejected as CFA plays it safe

(6) Insurers call for national bushfire code

(7) Large bushfire threatens Beerwah

(8) Homes under threat from bushfire

(9) NSW denies axing firefighting jobs

(10) NSW gets air-cranes to fight bushfires

(11) Bushfire controller to escape punishment

(12) Dolphin Sands bushfires claims five homes