WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 012409

In wildfire news today, Poway's Defensible Space program is discussed, and homeowners in Arizona qualify for the FireWise program after a fair amount of hard work preparing for wildfires. From Montana, more details on the legislative fight going on there to improve that state's chances of weathering future wildfires, while fire agencies in Texas recall the recent wildfires there and watch the vegetation as hot, dry, windy weather continues. In Georgia, the state government is slashing fire funding as it deals with a $2.2 billion deficit, and an Op-Ed piece from insurers in Florida warns homeowners to be vigilant as their state is in a drought. An Op-Ed article from Pennsylvania discusses the unbalanced ecology in the western US, but even the Bahamas are having problems with wildfires, as the following article shows. Firefighters in New Zealand had to deal with a small crop fire, but bushfires near Sydney, Australia, kept the RFS busy. A change in the weather is a hopeful sign that the fire danger may diminish in New South Wales and West Australia, however, as chronicled by the next two articles.

POWAY: Property owners told to clear land for wildfire prevention

Neighborhood chops away at fire

Lincoln County legislator busy with forest management

High winds, dry conditions fuel Texas grass fires

Proposed cuts singe Ga. forest commission

KOVALESKI: Spreading like wildfire: Is your home safe?

Editorials: Too much love is killing our forests

Bahamia bush fire sparks concern among residents

Firefighters battle barley field blaze

Fire ban as bushland burns

Cool change expected to help NSW firies

Rain helps extinguish Gnaraloo bush fire