WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 022610

As Wildfire News Of The Day begins, another rainstorm approaches Southern California, where authorities are urging another evacuation of homes below Station Fire burn areas (1); but Sempra Energy, parent company to San Diego Gas & Electric, is confident it can recover all its costs associated with the 2007 wildfires (estimated at over $1 billion), which its equipment is faulted with starting (2). A tug-of-war over plans for controlled burns in the Ashland region of Montana is chronicled in the next item (3); while rural firefighters in Oklahoma will not lose a $400 tax credit after the state found enough revenue sources to keep it intact (4); and the costs associated with being prepared for natural disasters like wildfires is examined in an article from the Texas Panhandle (5). On the eve of West Virginia's fire season, residents are being cautioned to conduct careful debris burning (6); even as a small wildfire was being fought by firefighters in South Carolina (7). Dozens of counties in Georgia are under a Red Flag warning due to the weather (8); as is the case in Lee County, Florida (9). As part of the air-tanker demonstration that included the Martin Mars last Tuesday in Vancouver, BC, another Canadian air-tanker firm was also strutting their stuff (10). Echoing yesterday's article from St. Vincent, the Caribbean island of St. Kitts is also facing a severe bushfire danger (11); while Vietnam's U Minh Ha National Park in the Mekong Delta is experiencing extreme fire danger this weekend (12). A New Zealand teenager accused of starting a bushfire in Titahi Bay has been denied bail (13); even as firefighters use heli-tankers and earthmovers to increase containment of a fire on the Otago Peninsula (14). In another facet of the impact of climate change, the financial effect of carbon trading on forest owners in New Zealand is explored in the next article (15). A new study from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute indicates that the military needs to be more involved in disaster relief, such as the aftermath of bushfires (16); but although fire agencies have been faulted for not being prepared for Black Saturday, resistance from the public to vegetation clearance prior to that disaster was also a factor, as evidenced by testimony before the Royal Bushfire Commission (17). Lightning strikes brewed up several bushfires in Western Australia (18). And finally, imagine being a firefighter with Disney where you get to fight wildfires on their 900 acre ranch and meet some movie stars - this is no Mickey Mouse job!

(1) New storm evacuation guidelines issued for mudslide areas

(2) ENERGY: Sempra does not expect to lose money from wildfires

(3) Forest revamps anti-fire project

(4) Gov. Drops Plan To Kill Firefighter Tax Credit

(5) Emergency planning PRPC wants region ready

(6) W.Va. spring forest fire season begins Monday

(7) Firefighters Contain Pickens County Woods Fire

(8) Forest fire danger high today

(9) Lee County under fire weather warning

(10) Abbotsford air company demos fleet at Olympics

(11) Fire Department concerned over increase in bush fires

(12) Vietnam national park in extreme fire danger

(13) Boy in custody over bush fire

(14) Forest fire: residents return home

(15) Forest Fires Put Carbon Credits At Risk

(16) Defence 'needed for disaster relief'

(17) Fire works caused row, panel hears

(18) Firefighters battle several blazes near Jarrahdale

(19) Putting out Disney's fires