WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 021010

Now that the latest storm to hit Southern California has moved on, the evacuation orders for neighborhoods in Station Fire burn areas have been lifted (1); while an Op-Ed piece from Northern California questions the wisdom of environmental groups opposing certain forest management practices (2). The debate over biomass in Oregon is revisited in the next article (3); and the Klamath Basin Science Conference in Medford covered a variety of forestry topics, including wildfire issues (4). The US Forest Service has committed $30 million to Colorado to pay for tree removal as the beetle epidemic continues to kill vast tracts of pines (5); but a South Dakota resident is being sentenced to jail for misrepresenting his wildfire credentials (6). The identity of the suspect in Michigan's largest wildfire of 2008 could soon be revealed, after an extensive investigation by authorities (7). Venezuela adds its name to the list of Latin American countries experiencing wildfires due to the El Nino weather changes, in this case in the picturesque Sierra de Perija mountain range (8). Three members of a religious order believed to be inadvertently sparking veld fires were apprehended near a fire in a South African park, though no charges have been filed against them as of yet (9) ; while rain helped quench veld fires burning in the resort area of Franschhoek (10). The El Nino effect is being blamed for a burn ban in Malaysia (11); while fires continued to burn in two parts of New Zealand's North Island, where tinder-dry conditions have prompted a burn ban there as well (12). Melbourne's United Firefighters Union objected to an Australian newspaper reporting that many more firefighters than usual were on sick leave on Black Saturday (13); and local councils in Victoria are chafing at the state government's restrictions on clearing out vegetation in high-risk areas (14). The importance of being detail-oriented was brought home at the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings when it was revealed that some high-risk bushfire areas that were destroyed on Black Saturday weren't designated as such on maps of the area (15); while Parks Victoria has removed any objections to the Ride for the Hills motorcycle charity ride intended to raise bushfire relief funds next weekend (16). A bushfire burning near Bibaringa in South Australia has drawn a sharp response from over half-a-dozen air-tankers (17); but firefighters feel the threat from the lightning-sparked bushfire is abating (18). Fence builders were hard at work in areas burned by recent bushfires in New South Wales, but could use some help (19). And finally, our last item highlights one of the most efficient brush clearance devices on the market: goats!

(1) Evacuations lifted for LA-area foothill areas

(2) Dennis Mihalka: Managing forests is 'smart green'

(3) Benefits, drawbacks to woody biomass use up for debate

(4) Watershed processes discussion covers wildfires, bird management

(5) Forest Service provides $30M to pay for tree removal in state

(6) Mail fraud results in 10-month sentence

(7) Trial could come soon in '08 Grayling fire

(8) El Nino causes wildfires in Venezuela

(9) Men nabbed for fires in park

(10) Rain helps firefighters

(11) El Nino phenomenon, avoid open burning

(12) Plantation fires in Northland

(13) Sickies a burning issue for fire fighters

(14) Councils say vegetation rules raise bushfire risk

(15) Mapping errors missed Black Saturday bushfire risk to Marysville

(16) Bushfire ride gets go-ahead

(17) SA crews tackle large bushfire

(18) SA fire threat eases

(19) Farmers need extra hands to rebuild fences

(20) Going Goat