WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 021210

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is continuing to remove debris from the Station Fire from overloaded debris basins along the foothills of Southern California during what looks to be a week-long dry spell, in our first wildfire-related story today (1); and, joining the ranks of fellow utilities SDG&E and PG&E, Southern California Edison settled a lawsuit for a wildfire started in Central California by one of its power lines (2). Although recent rains lifted the drought in their area, firefighters in Phoenix, Arizona, are still waiting to see what effect, if any, it has on the coming wildfire season (3). A Colorado community, spurred on by the aftermath of the 2002 Hayman Fire, is putting together a comprehensive wildfire protection plan (4); while US Forest Service is recommending removal of 5,600 acres of vegetation in Breckenridge (5). As South Carolina prepares for their wildfire season, homeowners were reminded that 40% of the wildfires in that state are started by backyard burning, something which triggered a devastating 20,000 acre wildfire last year (6). Cognizant of the wildfire that burned 560,000 acres in the Okefenokee Swamp in 2007, firefighters are recommending prescribed burns to homeowners in Georgia's more rural areas (7); and Fort Benning will be burning off large areas to prevent catastrophic wildfires in the future (8). Authorities in Central Florida are dealing with a serial arsonist who has set nearly three dozen wildfires in tinder-dry brush (9); but Anchorage Fire Department is scrambling to find funding for a heli-tanker used to battle wildfires around the Alaskan community (10). The US Department of Agriculture has decided to fight fire with... plants! (11) Political problems appear to be stifling attempts to reign in bushfires in the African nation of Ghana (12); where a crippled man was trapped by flames near Peki (13). Villagers in Malaysia were reminded of the danger from outside burning and the penalties for doing it illegally (14); while thousands of people battled a huge wildfire burning near Vietnam's Hoang Lien National Park (15). Some tips for Australians who live in bushfire-prone parts of Victoria are offered by the next article (16). A bushfire that broke out in Western Australia drew the attention of a Type 1 air-tanker, among others (17); even as FESA issued warnings to residents of communities in the path of fast-moving bushfires (18). Authorities fear that election polls in South Australia may be interrupted by bushfires (19). And finally, two fire trucks used to fight wildland fires have a really long journey ahead: Alberta, Canada, to Chile, South America!

(1) Latest storm re-loaded SoCal debris basins

(2) SoCal Edison pays $2.8m to settle wildfire lawsuit

(3) January storms alleviate drought

(4) Woodland Park Subdivision A Step Ahead in Wildfire Plans

(5) Forest Service presents modified plan for Breckenridge forest health

(6) State firefighters: Prepare for wildfire season

(7) Georgia is prescribing fire for landowners

(8) Controlling the fire: DPW’s Land Management Branch works to protect Fort Benning

(9) Suspected Arsonist Keeps Palm Bay On Edge

(10) City might lose out on money for summer wildfire helicopter

(11) A Better Breed of Plants Help Revive Western Rangelands

(12) Bushfires disturb green belt projects

(13) Cripple, 50 overrun by bushfire

(14) El Nino can cause forest fires, villagers told

(15) Fire burns 3,000 hectares of forest, flames still strong

(16) Ten tips to prepare your home for a bushfire

(17) Boya bushfire under control

(18) Pilbara, Darlington residents on bushfire alert

(19) Bushfire danger could delay SA poll

(20) Trucks, gear gifted to Chile fire dept.