WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112910

Although Southern California is only weeks away from winter, Los Angeles Fire Department is cautioning residents not to let down their wildfire guard (1); but college students from across the country will be helping rehabilitate parts of the Angeles National Forest burned in recent fires (2). Arizona has lifted the ban imposed in the 1940s on the use of fireworks in that state, leading some to worry about more wildfires in the future (3); while fire crews outside of Flagstaff plan to conduct debris pile burns covering 20 acres today (4). It may be months away, but New Mexico's Gila National Forest is already conducting wildfire training for next fire season (5). Two structures were destroyed by a cigarette-caused grass fire in Crowley County, Colorado, yesterday (6); and nearly 3 months after the Fourmile Canyon Fire blazed through Boulder, the next article takes a look at recovery efforts (7). Firefighters in Oklahoma had a trio of grass fires to deal with yesterday (8); and firefighters are bracing for high winds which could make Tuesday a very busy wildfire day in South Texas (9). An article from New Hampshire explores the wisdom of setting prescribed burns in the forests of that state (10); followed by a snapshot of the National Wildland/Urban Interface Council 2010 conference, which was held in Washington DC earlier this month, in the next article (11). An arson wildfire that has burned for three weeks along the Georgia-Florida border is finally contained (12); while over 200 new homes have already been built in the Russian villages of Nikolayevka and Bastan to replace houses destroyed by this summer's massive wildfires (13). Officials from the African nations of Rwanda, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo met to discuss the common problem of bushfires in their territories (14); and Tangent Link sent along an announcement about their upcoming aerial firefighting conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (15). With the announcement that Victoria's Emergency Services Commissioner will be departing at the end of this year, only one of the major players who handled Australia's Black Saturday bushfire siege remains (16); this coming at a time when wet, cloudy weather has made residents of that state complacent about bushfire preparations (17); even as two teenagers who have been charged with starting the Black Saturday bushfire which burned through Bendigo have been remanded to trial (18). Two bushfires outside of Perth, Western Australia kept Fire and Emergency Services Authority firefighters and air-tankers busy (19). And finally, fire managers in the Australia Capital Territory find bushfire mitigation to be a moo-ving experience!

(1) 2010 wildfire season not bad — so far

(2) Student ready to fight fires

(3) State: Non-aerial fireworks soon to be legal in Arizona

(4) Pile burns by Naval Observatory today

(5) Fire training

(6) Wildfire destroys two outbuildings

(7) For Boulder Wildfire Victims, a Long Recovery

(8) Fires in Creek County kept firefighters hopping Sunday

(9) Fire threat could become critical

(10) Should we occasionally set woods alight?

(11) Fire along Wildland/Urban Interface is a growing concern

(12) Ga. Wildfire 100 Percent Contained

(13) Altai wildfire victims provided with new homes

(14) Rwanda: Conservationists Discuss Fire Control On the Greater Virunga Landscape

(15) Aerial Emergency Response Conference and Exhibition

(16) Esplin quits Vic emergency role

(17) Wet weather clouding bushfire concerns

(18) Teens face court over Black Saturday blaze

(19) Bushfires on Perth's outskirts

(20) Cattle employed in ACT bushfire plan