WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 040110

In our first wildfire article today, Southern California Congressman Adam Schiff wants the US Forest Service to lift their prohibition against firefighting aircraft flying over Angeles National Forest at night, something that has been a contentious issue since last year's Station Fire debacle (1). An accused arsonist is on suicide watch in San Bernardino (2); while our next article explores how a coalition of MIT, SDSU, and CAL FIRE is working to provide real-time wildfire maps to firefighters in a Google Earth format (3); and an Op-Ed piece from Central California looks at the troubled history of prescribed burns in that area (4). The Colorado State Forest Service will provide grants to help landowners reduce dangerous fuel loads on their land to diminish the wildfire threat (5); but the San Juan National Forest will await ideal weather to burn debris to reduce the threat to a nearby subdivision (6); even as a wildfire in El Paso County left a path of destruction that included several structures (7). Sparks from a welding operation were blamed for a wildfire in Utah near the Great Salt Lake Marina (8); firefighters in Durant, Oklahoma, had a pasture fire to extinguish after a pickup truck plowed through a fence, starting the blaze (9); while in another incident, a grass fire that firefighters in Kay County thought was extinguished reignited (10). A massive grassfire in Wyoming proved to be a tough fight for fire agencies (11). Firefighters in Roscommon County, Michigan, had a 50-acre blaze to battle (12); but firefighters in the Upper Peninsula are hopeful that a change in the weather this weekend will reduce the wildfire danger (13). New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation is offering grants to counties to help them prepare for wildfires (14). China's ongoing drought in the south has Catholics worried for their safety from wildfires as Easter approaches (15). Australia, home of the 'stay and defend' mantra, has a new philosophy: 'retreat and resettlement'! (16) The Australian wine industry has been pummeled by the fallout from the Black Saturday bushfires, according to industry spokesperson (17); and the legal maneuvering continues in the Australia Capital Territory Supreme Court hearing on 2003 bushfires, with one insurance company altering their compensation claim (18). As New South Wales' bushfire season officially ends, a staggering 9,000 incidents have been tallied up for the season (19). And finally, researchers at Case Western Reserve University are looking for a fireproof blanket, not to protect firefighters, but to protect entire houses!

(1) Schiff wants Forest Service to consider lifting ban on night firefighting flights

(2) Suspect in deadly SoCal wildfire on suicide watch

(3) Google Earth Helps Track Wildfires

(4) Sun editorial: Living with fire

(5) Reducing the impact of forest fires

(6) Prep done for Forest Lakes burn

(7) Update: Wildfire burns 175 acres; outbuildings lost

(8) Tuesday wildfire caused by workers

(9) Firefighters respond to pasture fire

(10) Grass Fire Rekindles

(11) Crews fight stubborn 700-acre grass fire

(12) Wildfire Scorches 50 Acres in Roscommon County

(13) At Least 2 More Days of Very High Wildfire Risk

(14) DEC taking applications for grants to help county fire departments with fighting wildfires

(15) China: Catholics in Yunnan and Guizhou fear drought, fires this Easter

(16) Govt rejects bushfire resettlement strategy

(17) Wine industry 'on its knees' after Black Saturday

(18) Insurance company alters bushfire compo claim

(19) Bushfire season ends after 9000 events

(20) Developing blanket protection from wildfires