WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 022410

As Wildfire News Of The Day begins, the Los Angeles County Supervisors are estimating that it will cost $30 million to clear out over 1 million cubic feet of debris (1); and Supervisor Mike Antonovich feels the federal government should pay for it, once again blaming the handling of the Station Fire by US Forest Service as the cause of these problems (2); this coming at a time when more rain is approaching (3). Power utility Sempra Energy announced a $50,000 gift to aid in restoration of parts of San Bernardino National Forest hit by wildfires in 2003 and 2007 (4); while the National Wildfire Infrastructure Improvement & Cost Containment Act, a bill designed to reign in the runaway costs of wildfires in the US, has been introduced by a San Diego congressman (5). Residents of two Central Coast counties have until March 19th to comment on the CWPP posted by CAL FIRE (6); and although it's only February, one Central California fire protection district is already clearing vegetation for the fire season (7). A professor from Oregon State University commented on the premise that climate change could produce more forest fires in the Pacific Northwest at the Forest Health in Oregon: State of the State conference (8); while Arizona's Legislature is voting on a bill that would legalize fireworks in that wildfire-prone state, something that was vetoed by the governor last year (9). The former mayor of Missoula, Montana, weighs in on the resiliency of Westerners to the challenges wrought by climate change (10); even as USFS in East Texas will be conducting some controlled burns to reduce the fire danger there (11). Indiana's Hoosier National Forest will be subjected to several controlled burns this coming spring (12); while the Florida Division of Forestry weighs in on the necessary evil of wildfire smoke during controlled burns (13). Believe it or not, even a lush, tropical paradise like Kona, Hawaii, has to have a wildfire protection plan! (14) The Martin Mars was the star attraction at a Canadian Forestry Day event put on by the British Columbian government in Vancouver (15). As fires continued to burn in China's Yunnan Province, even local government officials and the military were drawn into the battle (16); and a wind-driven wildfire briefly threatened facilities used by India's 24th Assam Rifles (17). Firefighters in New Zealand have halted attacks on the head of an advancing bushfire due to safety concerns (18); but with nearly a dozen heli-tankers battling the blaze, the cost of fire suppression is estimated to be in the millions and it could take weeks to contain it (19). Following in the footsteps of Prince William, who visited areas devastated by bushfires, the Queen will probably be visiting Australia soon as well (20). As the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings continue in Victoria, a member of US Forest Service testified that there need to be substantial changes in controlled burn policy to clear out fuel ahead of bushfire season (21); but despite pressure from the government, local officials in Victoria's Yarra Ranges refused to advance the date of vegetation clearance when the bushfire season ends (22). The Victorian government will expend $70,000 in bushfire relief funds to promote tourism in areas scorched by the Black Saturday bushfires (23); even as students in schools burned in the Black Saturday bushfires sent a thank-you note to school kids in New Zealand who raised $20,000 to help repair the damage (24). Homeowners in South Australia are pursuing a class-action lawsuit against a farmer who is accused of starting a bushfire that destroyed over a dozen homes (25); while the next article details the ongoing public concern over a report on a bushfire that destroyed dozens of homes in a Western Australia community (26). Firefighters in that state are currently dealing with six more bushfires, reporting that this is the 'busiest bushfire season ever', as summarized by the next two articles (27)(28). And finally, even bird-brains have enough smarts to create defensible space, as demonstrated by Australia's great bowerbird!

(1) Cost to clean LA County debris basins put at $30m

(2) Antonovich Wants Federal Government To Pay For Debris Basin Cleanup

(3) Storms to hit the Southland today and Friday

(4) $50,000 Sempra Gift for San Bernardino Wildfire Restoration

(5) Filner Introduces Bill To Support Wildland Firefighters

(6) Draft wildfire plan ready for comment

(7) Fire season fast on the approach; officials say be ready

(8) More frequent fires could aid ecosystems

(9) Arizona House OKs bill legalizing some fireworks

(10) Will the Mountain West meet the climate challenges?

(11) U.S. Forest Service to conduct controlled burns for forest health

(12) Forest Service sets prescribed burns

(13) Controlled burn smoke a necessary nuisance

(14) S. Kona wildfire protection plan in the works

(15) Water bomber hits Vancouver

(16) 1,800 fighting forest fires in SW China

(17) Winds bring fire to Dimapur villages

(18) Winds fanning Otago forest fire

(19) Mt Allan forest fire likely to cost millions

(20) The Queen likely to visit Australia soon

(21) Change in land management policy needed to fight fires

(22) Spring slashing likely for Yarra Ranges

(23) Bushfire recovery funds to help drive tourism recovery

(24) Big thank you for schools bushfire effort

(25) Bushfire victims to launch class suit

(26) Toodyay victims demand transparency

(27) Goldfields fire crews 'flat out'

(28) Bushfire burning in Kwinana town

(29) Zoologger: Fireproofing tips from the great bowerbird