WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 062409

A glimpse of some of the new technology becoming available to wildland firefighters is given in our first wildfire story today. Citing dangers to life and property from San Diego Gas & Electric's plan to shut off power in the back country during red flag days, San Diego County supervisors urged the Public Utilities Commission to reject SDG&E's plan. Los Angeles County firefighters quickly doused a car fire in the Angeles National Forest before it could spread to vegetation; and a small wildfire in Central California was quickly dealt with by firefighters yesterday. A 175-acre blaze is burning in Northern California; while a wildfire in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest is continuing to spread. As the area around Houston, Texas, reports a hotter, drier year than normal, wildfire injuries have begun to rise; and a wildfire dispatch center in South Dakota is looking to the federal government for money to finance a permanent facility. Honoring the Northeast Forest Fire Compact, a score of firefighters has been dispatched from New England to help fight fires in Canada. Firefighters were called to a wildfire burning near a golf course in British Columbia; but as suspicious wildfires continue to multiply in Nanaimo, British Columbia, firefighters are becoming more concerned. A look at wildfire response teams in western Canada is provided by the next item. A wildfire expert has testified to the Royal Bushfire Commission that catastrophic bushfires in Australia, particularly in Victoria, will occur more frequently in the future; but it was argued that mass evacuations are not a viable solution. Tornado-like firestorms are being blamed for the destruction of at least one Victoria town during the Black Saturday bushfires; something which has a member of the Australian parliament calling for more vegetation clearance in the national bushfire policy. With nearly $600 million in lost property and revenue, the timber industry in Victoria is trying to rebuild; but a 62-year-old man has been charged with arson in an Adelaide Hills blaze. The International Wildfire Management Conference in Sydney, Australia, is discussed in our next article. And finally, one of life's embarrassing moments: firefighters in Oahu, Hawaii, had to respond to a fire at a familiar place - their station!

Next-Gen Firefighting Technology Arrives Just in Time to Combat Wildfires

SD supes vote against utility's power shutoff plan

Car fire quickly doused in Angeles National Forest

Firefighters contain 5-acre blaze near China Camp

Large wildfire burning in Siskiyou County

Castle Fire continues to grow in Kaibab National Forest

3 firemen injured battling wildfire

With lease running out, dispatch center needs federal funds

New England Firefighters Travel To Canada To Fight Wildfire

Wildfire growing near Kamloops golf course

List of suspicious forest fires continues to grow

Forest fire hazard heating up

Devastating bushfires 'more likely' in Victoria: expert

Mass evacuation not the answer: bushfire scientist

Marysville bushfire on Black Saturday like Dresden bombings

MP calls for national bushfire policy

Funding to help bushfire recovery in timber communities

Bushwalker faces court over fire at Englebrecht Reserve, Bridgewater

International Experts Study Ways to Fight Wildfires

Oahu firefighters cause blaze at own fire station