WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102809

Fire departments around the San Diego area are beefing up their reserves as windy weather arrives in our first wildfire article today. CAL FIRE officials explain why controlled burn risks are outweighed by the benefits; even as firefighters continued to mop up the wildfire which destroyed a trailer and two outbuildings, and forced the evacuation of nearly 100 homes. As in show business, timing is everything in aerial firefighting, as an article about an air-tanker that was scheduled to depart Medford, Oregon, on the day wildfires broke out underscores. Plans to thin vegetation in New Mexico are themselves being thinned; while a large wildfire burning near Arizona's world-famous Kitt Peak observatories is not currently threatening any structures. Some pointers on means to retard the spread of bark beetles (thereby reducing the fire danger from beetle-killed trees) comes to us from Colorado; and federal government officials are discussing forestry jobs in Missoula, Montana, as the next article shows. A man accused of starting a debris fire that eventually consumed 76 homes and damaged 100 others in South Carolina earlier this year will have to pay a fine of $732; even as Florida fire agencies are advising residents that wildfire prevention measures need to be implemented year-round. A forthcoming article in The American Naturalist provides some insight into how trees in savanna areas help promote wildfires to keep the stands healthy. Bombardier announced that they will be selling four CL-415 aircraft to the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. An Israeli study shows how a hyperspectral remote sensor network can detect toxic runoff from burn areas following wildfires (something that would probably be useful in parts of Southern California affected by runoff from the Station fire debris). The next article takes a look at the wildfire situation in the African nation of Uganda. Chinese firefighters had a blaze to deal with along the Taiwan Strait; and forest rangers in Vietnam got more than they bargained for when they tried to interfere with some illegal loggers in the Central Highlands! Heading Down Under, an Australian wildfire expert is advising Victoria to burn off 12 to 14% of their vegetation, as opposed to the 1% that they currently plan to burn. Poor communications have once again been blamed for much of the grief caused by the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria; and communications problems could plague police and firefighters in that state again, not to mention the danger to civilians because the national fire warning system is about a month behind schedule. The Royal Bushfire Commission is probing why firefighters were not told of an imminent wind change until an hour after aircraft had received the warning during Black Saturday; while a pair of fire spotters who had a panoramic view of the Black Saturday bushfires recount what they saw in words and photos. And finally, a New York State firefighter found a unique way to propose to his girlfriend - and it was no accident!

REGION: Firefighting staff increased during dry, windy weather

Benefit of controlled burns outweighs risk, firefighters say

Crews mop up fully contained Santa Cruz wildfire

Air tanker was set to leave on day of fires

Forest restoration project reduced

Wildfire south of Kitt Peak burns on

Wildfire protection and beetle control committees to meet Nov. 9

Talking about trees: Tester discusses forest, jobs bill in Missoula

Man pleads guilty for burn that became SC wildfire

Wildfire Prevention Important Year Round

Trees facilitate wildfires as a way to protect their habitat

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Upgrades its Firefighting Capability-Orders Four Bombardier 415 Amphibious Aircraft

Sensing our Planet’s Disasters from Space

Bush fires: An environment threat to Moyo

Xiamen forest fire stamped out

Loggers kill forest ranger in Vietnam

Fire experts call for more early burn-offs

Bendigo controllers unable to contact fire crews

National fire warning system not ready

Commission told of Churchill wind change discrepancy

GALLERY: Bird’s-eye view of Black Saturday

CAPTION THIS: Firefighter stages mock accident for marriage proposal