WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111010

California's mild fire season this year is examined in our first article today (1); but US Forest Service firefighters in Porterville are fighting to save 500 wildland jobs after a paperwork foul up (2). University of Arizona will be hosting the Symposium on Wildfire: Economics, Law & Policy in Tucson later this week (3). Firefighters in Illinois' Shawnee National Forest expect to have a 409-acre wildfire extinguished by this evening (4); while firefighters in Indiana battled two wildfires burning in Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge which were sparked by National Guard tracer rounds (5). The Arkansas Forestry Commission said that wildfires have burned 566 acres since Monday afternoon, and that 124 fires have burned 2,106 acres since the beginning of this month (6); and firefighters battled a wildfire that burned 38 acres in Carter County, Missouri, as well (7). Firefighters in Pennsylvania managed to rope in a wildfire before it damaged nearby homes (8); but firefighters in North Carolina created a monster when a debris fire got away from them (9). With an 11 inch deficit in rainfall, authorities in Georgia may have to suspend burn permits if conditions worsen (10); prompting authorities in Colquitt County to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (11). Nearly 500 personnel were battling wildfires in Bulgaria's Etropole and Teteven municipalities (12); some of over three dozen wildfires burning in the Balkans at the moment (13). The next article provides statistics on wildfires in Turkey, a country which generally experiences 1,200 wildfires a year (14); and farmers in the African nation of Ghana are learning from their neighbors how managing bushfires can enhance agricultural production (15). As Singapore-based power utility SP AusNet, which is facing lawsuits for its equipment sparking some of Australia's Black Saturday bushfires, showed a sizable profit, it assured authorities in Victoria that it intended to work with them to improve bushfire safety (16); but New South Wales' Rural Fire Service reminded residents to identify the closest Neighbourhood Safer Places before the inevitable bushfires of summer arrive (17). The Western Australia Farmers Federation is counseling members to pool their resources to better battle bushfires (18); even as authorities provided tips to homeowners on how to prepare (19). The Tasmanian Fire Service announced that it has changed its focus from battling catastrophic bushfires to helping people survive them (20). And finally, please welcome the US Forest Service's newest (and probably oldest) member: comedienne Betty White!

(1) California fire season suppressed by weather

(2) Forest Service firefighter jobs in peril

(3) National Experts Convene for UA Wildfire Symposium

(4) Wildfire affects 409 acres in Jackson Co.

(5) 2 wildfires burning at S. Ind. wildlife refuge

(6) Fire crews suppress 17 wildfires in Arkansas

(7) Forest fire in Carter County contained

(8) Firefighters Battle Brush Fire On Mountain

(9) Tuesday brush fire started as controlled burn

(10) Latest weather could spark wildfires, officials warn

(11) County agencies to develop a wildfire protection plan

(12) Over 450 people put out wildfires in Balkan Mountains

(13) Bulgarian firefighters battle 37 fires across the country

(14) Turkey successful in its war against forest fires

(15) Agriculturist ask farmers in Upper West Region to manage bushfires

(16) SP AusNet's H1 profit up 22.6%

(17) RFS Safer Place warning

(18) Farmers urged to unite over firefighting resources

(19) Many unprepared for increased risk of bushfires

(20) Firefighting focus changes

(21) Betty White Prevents Forest Fires, But Not Catastrophic Cuteness Overload