WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 020310

As we begin Wildfire News Of The Day, a Central California resident protests controlled burns planned for their area due to a dislike for the resultant smoke (an odd point of view, considering that the lack of smoke now could lead to a lot more smoke later!) (1); followed by an article from Arizona that explores how government officials and environmentalists may have finally hammered out an agreement that will allow thinning of vegetation around communities in wildfire-prone parts of that state (2). Structure firefighters in one Texas county are getting some additional training in wildland firefighting to prepare them to honor their mutual aid agreements with other jurisdictions that have wildfires (3); something which could come in handy even if they just get called in to help with a controlled burn like the one north of Houston (4); but arson investigators in Michigan were checking the ignition point of a suspicious wildfire near another controlled burn (5). Residents of South Carolina will be getting a refresher course on the do's and don'ts of debris burning, a major source of wildfires in that state (6); and another warning went out to residents of Mississippi about being Firewise as the wildfire season approaches (7). Canadian aircraft firm Bombardier has announced a multi-million dollar contract with an undisclosed new customer for their popular CL-415 firefighting aircraft (8); while the Indian Coast Guard will be evaluating the Russian-built BE-200 air-tanker as a maritime patrol aircraft, something which might also come in handy for fighting wildfires there (9). Firefighters in New Zealand had to wait for power to be shut off to electrical lines that sparked a bushfire near a mall (10); while residents in another part of that island nation were asked to conserve water due to drops in pressure that could affect firefighting (11). A score of bushfires burning across Tasmania has caused grief for firefighters and panic for the population (12); while a mine in the northwest had to shut down due to bushfire smoke being sucked into the mine by ventilators on the surface (13). A freeway in Western Australia was closed down due to bushfire activity in the area (14); while an Op-Ed piece disdained arguments by an Australian Member of Parliament on Climate Change in regards to bushfires (15). A former advisor on emergency services for the Victorian government paints a grim picture of what bushfire volunteers could face in the future (16); and the horror of losing her husband in the Bendigo bushfire on Black Saturday was all brought back to a widow as the trial of two teenagers accused of starting the blaze got underway (17). A journalist who entered a restricted area after the Black Saturday bushfires has been fined (18). And finally, a multi-volume collection has been presented to the State Library of Victoria consisting of letters sent to Black Saturday survivors by well-wishers ranging from schoolchildren to the Queen of England!

(1) Letter to the Editor: No to controlled burns

(2) Forest wars finally end?

(3) Local firefighters learn to combat wildland blazes

(4) Jones State Forest holds prescribed burns

(5) Wildfire on Harsen’s Island unrelated to controlled burn

(6) Outdoor burning demonstration to be given in Anderson

(7) Be Firewise Scott County

(8) Bombardier Lands New Customer For Amphibious Firefighting Aircraft

(9) Coast Guard to hold trials for medium range patrol aircraft

(10) Electricity connection delays firefighting

(11) Limits in place on water use

(12) Smoke and power cuts from fires cause havoc for Tasmanians

(13) Bushfire smoke affects Rosebery mine

(14) Baldivis bushfire closes Kwinana freeway

(15) Abbott's tinkering shows that he still doesn't get it

(16) Making sure it doesn't end in volun-tears

(17) Bushfire arrests cause pain for widow

(18) Reporter disciplined for entering fire zone

(19) Black Saturday messages kept in library