WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 030910

We lead off wildfire news today with a story from Ramona, California, where an advocacy group is battling with San Diego Gas & Electric over their plans to charge customers in order to recover the money SDG&E paid out in wildfire settlement claims (1); while in Northern California, the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District has created a fire safe plan to protect a community from wildfires (2). Nevada's governor awarded a commendation to the squad leader of the Black Mountain Hotshots for rescue operations last year (3). A large wildfire burning on Fort Carson in Colorado is now 80% contained (4); but Weld County has passed an ordinance that would require prior approval for any controlled burns on the Pawnee National Grassland (5). A community outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, experienced its first wildfire of the season this past weekend (6); and officials in Michigan are warning residents that, although there could still be snowstorms in the future, grassfire season is here (7). The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has ponied up hundreds of thousands of dollars for organizations to use in preventing wildfires in that state (8); while firefighters in Connecticut, with nearly 2 million acres of forest to protect, are bracing for the spring fire season (9). The Arkansas Forestry Commission reported a busy weekend for firefighters with 128 wildfires requiring over 40 suppressant drops by SEATs (10); and one community in Kentucky reported 15 wildfires over the weekend, as high fire danger persists in that state (11). A woodlands blaze, apparently started by sparks from a passing train, kept firefighters from Bastrop, Louisiana, busy yesterday (12); while the danger of unattended debris fires was underscored by a story from Mississippi in which one that was supposedly extinguished scorched adjacent homeowners' property (13). Firefighters in Northern Alabama are on alert as their wildfire season begins (14). In the wake of last year's destructive wildfire in Horry County, the South Carolina Forestry Commission has published recommendations on how to avoid similar conflagrations in the future (the report is available at this link) (15); while firefighters fear that aging equipment and budget shortfalls could seriously impact their ability to fight such fires in the future (16). On the technology front, a new gel fire suppressant has gained US Forest Service approval (17); and a pair of articles document a new wildfire surveillance system that has just been unveiled in Central California that is similar to what The Water Cache Project provides (18)(19). Firefighters in Oldham, UK, had to battle a number of small wildfires in a local park, apparently deliberately set by young people (20). The next article takes a look at the history of bushfires in the African nation of Nigeria (21); but firefighters from Cape Town, South Africa, dealt with a blaze on Mitchells Plain yesterday (22). A wildfire that broke out in India's Vyasnakere forest destroyed a number of trees yesterday (23); and another threatened a festival complex in Nagaland (24). A spate of bushfires near the Malaysian capital has kept firefighters busy (25); and to it's south, a wildfire in Singapore was the latest of about 200 to have hit that island nation since the beginning of the year (26). Heading Down Under, firefighters have brought a forest fire on New Zealand's McLean's Island under control (27); but the bushfire case being played out in a Australian Capital Territory court could have repercussions for other states across the continent, according to one lawyer (28). Some students in Victoria are getting an education about bushfire preparedness through the "Teenagers in Firezones" program (29); while a bushfire was reported in Western Australia on the east side of the capital of Perth (30). And finally, the second installment in my Military.com series about the US Forest Service, this time covering what is probably the highest-profile portion of the organization: air attack!

(1) Ramona Grass-roots Advocacy Group Opposes SDG&E WEBA Application now before CPUC

(2) Shingletown Fire Safe Plan

(3) Federal firefighter recognized for rescue effort

(4) 700 acre fire on Fort Carson

(5) Colo county wants a say on federal grassland fires

(6) Wildfire season kicks off with major blaze west of Sand Springs

(7) Grassfire Season Begins in Some Local Areas

(8) DCNR Announces Record Funding Available to Help Volunteer Firefighters Prevent Wildfires, Urges Public to Join Prevention Effort

(9) Conditions ideal for brush fires

(10) Forest Fire Crews Battle 128 Weekend Blazes

(11) Chief: 15 weekend fires reported

(12) Forest Fire

(13) 4 OG yards damaged by small fire

(14) A flurry of fire calls as wildfire season starts

(15) Report shows need for better communication among agencies during wildfires

(16) Staff, equipment issues could affect firefighting ability

(17) GelTech Solutions Continues Positive Progress With U.S. Forest Service Listing

(18) Exalt Connects Video Surveillance System for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)

(19) Vicom Wireless Deploys State-of-the-Art Fire Detection and Surveillance System for the US Forest Service and CAL FIRE

(20) Firefighters' anger over trail of fires in park

(21) Nigeria: The Impact of Bush Fire And Tree Felling

(22) Firefighters battle Mitchells Plain blaze

(23) Fire destroys forest cover

(24) Wildfire threatens Kisama complex

(25) Bush fires keep firemen busy

(26) Firefighters take hours to fight Tampines vegetation fire

(27) Christchurch forest fire under control

(28) Bushfire compo case to have 'huge implications'

(29) Teen focus in fire plan

(30) Bushfire burns in Herne Hill

(31) USFS -- Vets Battle Blazes, Part 2