WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 121709

In another legacy of the Station Fire, closures of roads in the Angeles National Forest will continue into the new year due to mudslides and debris flows, our first wildfire story today (1); but even though it's almost Christmas, Southern California will be having a bit of the heat wave going into the weekend, spurring some concern for renewed wildfire activity despite recent rains (2). Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics filed a lawsuit against a number of agencies for retardant drops that killed 50 steelhead trout in Santa Barbara County during the Jesusita Fire (3). Firefighters in Arizona will be conducting controlled burns in the Kaibab National Forest (4); and as the official forest fire season ends in Kentucky, firefighters look back on a year in which 1,364 fires have burned 40,938 acres across the state (5). In a sign of the times, a Massachusetts-based insurance company is offering coverage for losses their clients incur due to wildfire smoke (6); but Florida's Everglades are on fire (well, at least 1500 acres of it) as state firefighters prepare for wildfire season by setting controlled burns (7). Bolivia is among a number of South and Central American nations concerned about wildfires as the weather changes due to an El Nino in the Pacific (8). In an ominous sign of things to come, bushfires were blazing across Australia yesterday (9); but as bushfires continue to burn out of control in Gippsland, Victoria, firefighters were getting some relief from rain (10). The Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority has been overwhelmed by donations in a time when other charities are going without, leading to some spoilage as 10,000 tons of donations remain stored in warehouses (11). South Australia's Kangaroo Island is implementing an innovative new bushfire plan (12); however, a teen who allegedly set a bushfire in that state with a flare over the weekend has turned himself in to police (13). Technology from a Western Australian firm will be key to a bushfire warning system to be unveiled in 2011 (14); and firefighters in Tasmania are testing out a 3,000 L (about 792 gallons) waterbomber which they hope will be a great asset during the bushfire season (15). New South Wales has been getting more than its fair share of bushfires lately, as the next article shows (16); causing authorities to conduct a manhunt for an arsonist who lit a bushfire December 4 which did serious damage to ranches in the area (17). And finally, defense contractor Raytheon has found another application for the iPhone that could prove useful for firefighters in the future - just in time for Christmas!

(1) Yearlong closure planned for Angeles National Forest area

(2) Warm spell starts today in O.C.

(3) Group intends to sue after retardant kills fish

(4) Forest officials to start 'controlled' burn in Kaibab forest

(5) Fall forest fire hazard season ends

(6) Lexington Insurance Company Introduces LexWildfire SmokeSM, Business Income Protection for Wildfire Smoke Losses

(7) Portion of Everglades burned to deter wildfires

(8) Increased concern about water shortage and forest fires

(9) Phone alerts as fires burn out of control

(10) Rain eases threat to Cann River

(11) Tonnes of goods donated to Black Saturday victims are still sitting in warehouse

(12) KI bushfire plan first in state

(13) Teen charged over alleged flare bushfire

(14) WA technology behind bushfire warning system

(15) Firefighting 'weapon' on show

(16) Bushfires rage across NSW

(17) Bushfire near Bathurst deliberately lit

(18) Raytheon turns iPhones into battlefield tools