WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050409

As Wildfire Awareness Week begins in California, four articles from Redding start off wildfire news today: the first echoes Bettina Boxall's Pulitzer-Prize-winning series in the LA Times that broaches the question of whether air attack of wildfires is effective; the second questions the wisdom of controlled burns during last year's horrific wildfires in Northern California, including comments by a forest owner who 'lost his IRA' when his groves were set ablaze; the third discusses when to let fires burn and when to attack them forcefully; and the concluding article in the foursome is from the executive director of Headwaters Economic that discusses the problem of protecting housing developments encroaching on wildland from wildfires. Helicopter crews from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 and CALFIRE will participate in a wildfire exercise later this month on the grounds of Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. With over $1 billion in the kitty, US Forest Service is going to be doing some major forest thinning, mostly in the Northwestern US. A researcher from Arizona comments on the fact that forest fire smoke is one of the primary sources of greenhouse gasses influencing climate change; and Arizona firefighters employed air-tankers to help rope in a wildfire in the Elgin area. Colorado fire officials believe April showers may delay spring fires; while an article from Montana, home state of Neptune Aviation, discusses the shrinking, aging air-tanker fleet in light of the crash of one of Neptune's P-2Vs. As South Carolinians surveys the devastation of the fire in Myrtle Beach, not everyone is displeased; and the ecologically beneficial effects of a huge wildfire in Florida's Big Cypress Swamp is related. The fire danger in Manatee County, Florida, remains high despite some rain. Three small blazes popped up in the Canadian province of British Columbia over the past few days; one fire, however, topped 1,000 acres and forced homes to be evacuated. Tribal lands north and south of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, were also on fire over the weekend. Russia has wildfires burning that have already consumed over 50,000 acres. Local government officials are seeking to have wildfire-ravaged parts of India declared disaster areas to free up federal funds for survivors; while a Malaysian community is on alert for encroaching bushfires. With only about 10% of the bushfire relief funds allocated, residents of Victoria state in Australia who lost property in the bushfires are upset with the government and concerned about still living in tents as the weather begins to cool. Children orphaned by the Black Saturday bushfires will earn a financial windfall; but forgotten heroes of those bushfires are discussed in the next item. And finally, add wildland search and rescue to the repertoire of one Virginia volunteer firefighter company.

Are firefighting 'air shows' effective?

Fires reignite burnout controversy

Firefighting methods questioned

To fight fire, fight forest development

Aerial firefighting exercise to take place on Camp Pendleton this Thursday

Stimulus money aimed for Forest Service in Northwest

Barker: Wildfire plays larger role in heating Earth

Firefighters contain Elgin wildfire

Rain, snow delay wildfire season in mountains

Firefighting fleet aging

Wildfire's wounds open rare window on ecology

Big Cypress wildfire to benefit flora and fauna

Dry for 18 days, wildfires increasing

Forest fires spring up over weekend

Cariboo wildfire destroys homes

Several grass and bush fires burn north and south of Edmonton

Forest fires raging on almost 24,000 hectares in Russia

Uttarakhand for natural disaster status to forest fires

Miri on bush fire alert

Victims of Victoria's bushfires 'feel abandoned'

Bushfire orphans to share millions

Silent Heroes

Firefighters Stumble Upon Missing Hiker