WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102209

First up in wildfire news today, a house fire in Pasadena prompted frantic calls from nearby residents fearing that another forest fire had broken out; and LAFD firefighters pounced on a small wildfire in Tujunga yesterday. A series of meetings will be held in Malibu and Topanga Canyon to discuss wildfire protection plans for the Santa Monica Mountains, hosted by LA County Fire and the US Forest Service. A video retrospective on the 2007 wildfires in San Diego County is provided in the next item; followed by an article in which San Diego's new fire chief, who helped fight the wildfires of 2007, spoke at a ceremony commemorating that event. An update on the Bachelor Fire, which has burned over 600 acres in eastern Arizona, is provided by the next article. Despite a bad beginning, Nova Scotia's fire season turned out to be rather tepid, allowing them to send help to other Canadian provinces who were less well off fire-wise. The African nation of Mozambique faces a cashew shortage due to damage to the crop from bushfires. Intelligence agencies are scrutinizing satellite photos which appear to show a number of massive wildfires burning in North Korea. As testimony continues at the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings, Country Fire Authority firefighters revealed that they had left their trucks in attempts to rescue Australians threatened by the Black Saturday bushfires. Men who were caught stealing bushfire donations from a warehouse in Victoria have been given a court date; and the issue of the missing Russian airtankers during Black Saturday is revisited in the next article, which also discusses the 747 Supertanker. Like their counterparts in Victoria after Black Saturday, livestock owners in Queensland are now faced with reseeding pastureland and repairing fences burned in the recent bushfires; even as Opposition politicians are questioning Queensland's preparedness for the bushfire season. Firefighters in Queensland, attempting to assist a homestead threatened by bushfires, instead found themselves attacked by a log-wielding resident! A report released yesterday by government officials shows that Western Australia is prepared for the bushfire season; and, echoing moves by San Diego Gas & Electric, Western Australia utility Western Power is granting funds to local bushfire brigades. A special bushfire information hotline is now available for residents of South Australia who have questions about bushfire issues; while a new water tank, touted as being bushfire-proof by an Australian manufacturer, is being offered to residents of bushfire-prone areas. And finally, homeowners need to beware of using smoke bombs to evict raccoons under mobile homes, as a resident of Indiana and local firefighters found out the hard way!

Pasadena house fire sparks concern in foothills

Small Brush Fire Ignites Near Angeles Nat'l Forest in Tujunga [Updated]

Community meetings to focus on wildfire protection plan for Santa Monica Mountains

Fire Storm: Two Years Later

Sanders, chief: San Diego better prepared for wildfires

USDA: Eastern Arizona wildfire growing, now at 640 acres

Forest fire stats drop after blazing start

Mozambique: Bush Fires Damage Cashew Production

Multiple fires rage in NKorea, satellite images show

Firefighters left their trucks to rescue residents

Russian jets could have held back fire

Bushfires set graziers back years

Bushfire preparation questioned

Firefighter 'bashed with log' while trying to help

WA ready for bushfires: report

Grants help local bush fire brigades

Special bushfire information hotline opens today

Rhino tank for bushfire days

Ind. woman trying to smoke out raccoon sets home on fire