WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 010810

In wildfire news today, USFS will begin prescribed burns in Southern California's Cleveland National Forest (1); and also plans on burning several hundred acres of chaparral in the Inland Empire next week (2). A new study from Colorado to be published in Global Change Biology finds that sub-alpine forests actually absorb less carbon dioxide in a warming environment, which could lead to worse wildfires as warming accelerates (3); while proposed elimination of all funding for wildfire suppression in Maine has forest owners concerned (4). Motorists venturing through Florida's Ocala National Forest have been warned about hazards posed by smoke from prescribed burns in the area (5); but there's trouble in paradise, where a wildfire continues to burn in rugged terrain in Kealakekua, Hawaii (6). As fires continue to rage outside of Bogota, Colombia, the government has prohibited outdoor fires by residents (7). A wildfire continues to burn in rugged terrain through a scenic valley in eastern India (8). Australian arsonists beware - Victoria has undercover cops keeping an eye out for suspicious individuals as it suffers through a four-day heatwave (9); and bushfires are a hot topic there at the moment, with aircraft dousing one blaze, two arsonists being apprehended, and a spirited debate raging over bushfire escape routes (10). The story of a family from New South Wales who refused to be defeated by the destruction of their home outside Sydney is provided by the next article (11). Echoing the debate in California and the West for a moratorium on housing developments near wildland areas, West Australian officials are now discussing the same philosophy for parts of that state (12); while a rash of car arsons in the Perth Hills region has firefighters concerned about the danger of bushfires being sparked by future car fires (13). Tasmania Fire Service had a tough fight on their hands trying to keep bushfires away from a cyanide storage facility at a gold processing plant (14); followed by the hair-raising tale of a bulldozer operator who's rig became an air-tanker target when it caught fire! (15) And finally, volunteer firefighters in Dickinson, Texas, never expected that their job description included rescuing a cow stuck in a bayou (no doubt they found it a moo-ving experience!)

(1) Forest Service Begins Controlled Burns

(2) Controlled Burn Planned In San Jacinto Mountains

(3) Warmer Climate Could Stifle Carbon Uptake by Trees, Study Finds

(4) Fire Suppression Cuts Concern Maine Woodlot Owners

(5) Forest officials warn motorists of smoke from controlled burn

(6) Fire continues to burn in remote Kona forest

(7) Colombia closes parks and prohibits cook-outs following wildfires

(8) Fire rages on in picturesque Dzukou valley

(9) Undercover police on bushfire arson watch

(10) Aircraft tackle bushfire as holidaymakers urged to plan escape routes

(11) Fortified against disaster

(12) Ban new homes in bushfire areas: Curtin expert

(13) Kalamunda car arsons spark bush fire fear

(14) Fire fight reaches gold plant

(15) Burning dozer was doused by chopper

(16) Firefighters help rescue cow stuck in bayou