WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 031710

We lead off Wildfire News Of The Day with a webcast of Senator Diane Feinstein's appropriations committee hearing on the proposed 2011 US Forest Service budget (1); but as Southern California enjoys some warm weather, firefighters are worried about Santa Ana winds and wildfires (2). Mendocino Fire Safe Council is working with CAL FIRE on projects to protect several areas in Central California from wildfires (3); while firefighters in Oregon's Umpqua National Forest will conduct vegetation clearance projects to reduce the fire danger from beetle-killed trees (4). Elko, Nevada, firefighters will have to pull back to the city limits when fighting future wildfires in order to save money, unless someone donates equipment to replace a pair of old engines that are being retired (5); and due to an abundance of rain followed by warm weather, parts of Arizona have forbidden outdoor burning for now (6). The next article covers the legal proceedings in Utah of a federal lawsuit to recover suppression costs from an equipment manufacturer whose product is accused of starting the wildfire (7). A community west of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has reported several wildfires, as activity in that state picks up (8); and Chubb Insurance has expanded its private wildland firefighting service to the Lone Star State (9). Montana's historic monster fire of 1910 is examined in the next item (10); but there was considerable debate over a new WUI mapping plan for Ravalli County (11). Wildfires in Michigan that may have been started by debris fires earlier this week underscored the fire hazard in parts of that state (12); while Rhinelander, Wisconsin, adds its name to the list of communities invoking burn bans as wildfire danger increases (13). The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is reminding residents of that state to be careful about outdoor debris burning as they enter their wildfire season (14); even as they hire five-person crews to work in the state forests whose jobs include fighting wildfires (15). Tennessee residents who wish to burn debris outdoors will need to obtain a permit, as that state enters its spring wildfire season (16); a problem underscored by wildfires that have been reported across Maine that were evidently the result of improper debris burning (17). A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research voices hope that burnoffs of ladder fuels in the Western US could actually help cut the nation's carbon footprint by protecting old-growth forests from being burned (18). With thousands of acres of forest destroyed by wildfires, the government of the Central American nation of Honduras is implementing a wildfire plan to reduce losses (19). After a bitterly cold winter, Irish landowners are being told to watch for forest fires, while being reminded of the penalties provided by the Wildfire Act (20); and several gorse fires have been reported in the UK around Cornwall, as well (21). Vienna, Austria, will be the site of this year's European Geosciences Union's conference, in which one of the topics is wildfires (22). The grim picture of bushfires and excessive logging in the African nation of Uganda is examined in the next item (23); and with thousands of acres of land burned by forest fires, officials in southwestern India examined their options (24). Vietnam continues to suffer through drought that is increasing the fire danger in many parts of that Asian country (25). An arsonist is believed to be responsible for a bushfire near Marlborough, New Zealand (26); and another bushfire was reported near Nelson (27). Although insurance companies which fund firefighters in Australia are allowed to pass the costs along to their customers, Victoria's Department of the Treasury has not found any evidence of gouging, as the next two articles show (28)(29). A man who stole $200,000 worth of Black Saturday donations has been apprehended in Victoria (30); while a Victorian school that burned on Black Saturday apparently needs someone to donate a safe, after electronic hardware donations were once again stolen, the second time in only 10 days! (31) Tasmania's northern cities have been choking on the smoke from bushfires in Victoria (32); but mild weather has eliminated the need for residents in parts of New South Wales to get burn permits (33). And finally, some visiting firefighters from Ireland found out that they like Southern California, despite all it's (earthquake) faults!

(1) Hearing on FY 2011 Forest Service Budget

(2) Unseasonable winds in Southern California

(3) Recent projects improve Brooktrails fire safety

(4) Umpqua National Forest reintroduces "D-Bug Plan"

(5) City to change how it fights wildland fire

(6) Pinal to suspend burn permits

(7) U.S. v. CASITA ENTERPRISES, INC.

(8) Wildfire season looks to be busy, firefighters say

(9) Private Wildfire Protection Network Expands Into Texas

(10) Fueling the fire: Commemorating and awaiting the ‘Big Burn’

(11) Debate rages over proposed mapping

(12) Wildfires in northern Dickinson County

(13) Burning Permits Required

(14) Wildfire Season

(15) Odnr Hiring Crews To Work State Forests

(16) Burn permits required in Tennessee through May 15th

(17) Brush Fires Break Out Across State

(18) Prescribed burns may help reduce US carbon footprint

(19) Fire destroys 1,500 hectares of forest in Honduras

(20) Landowners urged to be vigilant over forest fires after harsh winter

(21) Firefighters tackle Devon and Cornwall gorse blazes

(22) European Geosciences Union General Assembly, 02 - 07 May 2010 in Vienna, Austria

(23) Uganda: Rivers Run Dry As Tree Cutting, Encroachment Intensify

(24) 14,632 hectares lost in forest fire

(25) High fire risk in Ca Mau

(26) Forest owner believes arsonist lit fire

(27) Scrub fire in forest

(28) No evidence insurance companies are gouging customers

(29) Fire service funding 'flawed'

(30) Springvale South man jailed over Black Saturday donation thefts

(31) Cameras, laptops stolen from bushfire school - again

(32) Smoke haze blankets north

(33) Bush fire risk drops

(34) Irish firefighters have busy and shaky welcome to Southland