WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 033110
In our first wildfire story today, Tom Tidwell, chief of the US Forest Service, addressed the Wildland Urban Interface Conference in Reno, Nevada, about the fact that, at the pace fuel treatment is moving, it will take another 35 years before all the projects are completed, making the need to fortify communities in the US against wildfires all the more urgent (1). Firefighters from the Central Arizona Wildland Association commenced a two-day training program to prepare for wildfire season (2); while Williams will be the site of a community wildland fire awareness program (3). Eastern Colorado is bracing for wildfires as winter departs and spring arrives (4); while windy, dry weather fueled wildfires along Utah's Wasatch Front yesterday (5). A number of wildfires in Oklahoma appear to be the work of an arsonist (6); but a Kansas State University biologist argued that, despite prairie fires pushing ozone levels over the limit in cities, it was vital to the health of the prairie's ecosystem (7). With hundreds of fires that have burned thousands of acres since the first of the year, Minnesota increasing their wildfire preparedness statewide (8); and firefighters fought a blaze that scorched dozens of acres in Michigan as the danger from wildfires remains elevated in parts of that state (9). Although an abundance of rain has cut the number of wildfires in Arkansas, fallen timber from winter storms could increase the threat as things dry out (10); while the area around Huntsville, Alabama, is under a Red Flag warning today, authorities advising homeowners against outdoor burning (11). A high-tech solution to the problem of gathering timely weather info is being tackled by US Forest Service in conjunction with Voltree Power (12). A firefighter and ATV enthusiast from Nova Scotia, Canada, rails against attempts by the government to close access to trails he considers vital to fighting wildfires in the area (13). Legal manoeuvring at the Australia Capital Territory Supreme Court bushfire hearings is the topic of the next article (14); but despite disagreements about many things discussed in past Royal Bushfire Commission hearings in Victoria, a panel of experts, including a member of US Forest Service, could agree on the need to burn vegetation each year to better protect communities from catastrophic bushfires (15). Time has run out for bushfire survivors who were using government money to build temporary housing in areas hit by Black Saturday bushfires (16); even as one Victoria shire council has opted to identify their bushfire safer refuges as places of 'last resort' instead (17); while another shire has picked four of their own, but have not revealed their exact locations, yet (18). Electrical utility Powercor is taking a leaf from San Diego Gas & Electric in the US by considering cutting power to rural communities during high bushfire danger days, something that has Victorians up in arms (19). Elvis has left the outback, as the remaining Erickson Air-Cranes were dispatched by ship to other trouble spots around the world, signaling the official end to Australia's bushfire season (20). And finally, that's not thunder you hear in the distance, rather it's public safety officers participating in the Brotherhood motorcycle ride to honor fallen comrades - one that will stretch 850 miles, from Tallahassee, Florida, all the way to Houston, Texas!
(1) Wildfire danger increasing across U.S., federal official tells Reno audience
(2) Firefighters train for wildfire season
(3) Visit the Wildland Fire Awareness Fair
(4) Wildfire Concerns For Much Of Eastern Colorado
(5) Strong winds fuel wildfires, snarl traffic
(6) Authorities say wildfires intentionally set
(7) Expert: Banning Prairie Fires Threatens Prairie Ecology
(8) DNR ramps up for busy spring wildfire season
(9) Firefighters battle large brush fire
(10) Timber that fell in 2009 ice storm now troublesome for forestry officials fighting wildfires
(11) Wildfire danger high today
(12) Voltree Power Completes First Installation of the Javelin Rapid Deploy System for US Forest Service
(13) Trails needed for firefighting
(14) Tactical manoeuvring in bushfire compo hearing
(15) Rare agreements in Bushfire Commission
(16) No time to dwell on bushfire recovery
(17) Names in flames
(18) Safer places not certain yet
(19) Power could be cut on catastrophic bushfire days to stop fires
(20) Fire air cranes leaving after quiet summer
(21) SWFL Brotherhood Ride gets underway
In our first wildfire story today, Tom Tidwell, chief of the US Forest Service, addressed the Wildland Urban Interface Conference in Reno, Nevada, about the fact that, at the pace fuel treatment is moving, it will take another 35 years before all the projects are completed, making the need to fortify communities in the US against wildfires all the more urgent (1). Firefighters from the Central Arizona Wildland Association commenced a two-day training program to prepare for wildfire season (2); while Williams will be the site of a community wildland fire awareness program (3). Eastern Colorado is bracing for wildfires as winter departs and spring arrives (4); while windy, dry weather fueled wildfires along Utah's Wasatch Front yesterday (5). A number of wildfires in Oklahoma appear to be the work of an arsonist (6); but a Kansas State University biologist argued that, despite prairie fires pushing ozone levels over the limit in cities, it was vital to the health of the prairie's ecosystem (7). With hundreds of fires that have burned thousands of acres since the first of the year, Minnesota increasing their wildfire preparedness statewide (8); and firefighters fought a blaze that scorched dozens of acres in Michigan as the danger from wildfires remains elevated in parts of that state (9). Although an abundance of rain has cut the number of wildfires in Arkansas, fallen timber from winter storms could increase the threat as things dry out (10); while the area around Huntsville, Alabama, is under a Red Flag warning today, authorities advising homeowners against outdoor burning (11). A high-tech solution to the problem of gathering timely weather info is being tackled by US Forest Service in conjunction with Voltree Power (12). A firefighter and ATV enthusiast from Nova Scotia, Canada, rails against attempts by the government to close access to trails he considers vital to fighting wildfires in the area (13). Legal manoeuvring at the Australia Capital Territory Supreme Court bushfire hearings is the topic of the next article (14); but despite disagreements about many things discussed in past Royal Bushfire Commission hearings in Victoria, a panel of experts, including a member of US Forest Service, could agree on the need to burn vegetation each year to better protect communities from catastrophic bushfires (15). Time has run out for bushfire survivors who were using government money to build temporary housing in areas hit by Black Saturday bushfires (16); even as one Victoria shire council has opted to identify their bushfire safer refuges as places of 'last resort' instead (17); while another shire has picked four of their own, but have not revealed their exact locations, yet (18). Electrical utility Powercor is taking a leaf from San Diego Gas & Electric in the US by considering cutting power to rural communities during high bushfire danger days, something that has Victorians up in arms (19). Elvis has left the outback, as the remaining Erickson Air-Cranes were dispatched by ship to other trouble spots around the world, signaling the official end to Australia's bushfire season (20). And finally, that's not thunder you hear in the distance, rather it's public safety officers participating in the Brotherhood motorcycle ride to honor fallen comrades - one that will stretch 850 miles, from Tallahassee, Florida, all the way to Houston, Texas!
(1) Wildfire danger increasing across U.S., federal official tells Reno audience
(2) Firefighters train for wildfire season
(3) Visit the Wildland Fire Awareness Fair
(4) Wildfire Concerns For Much Of Eastern Colorado
(5) Strong winds fuel wildfires, snarl traffic
(6) Authorities say wildfires intentionally set
(7) Expert: Banning Prairie Fires Threatens Prairie Ecology
(8) DNR ramps up for busy spring wildfire season
(9) Firefighters battle large brush fire
(10) Timber that fell in 2009 ice storm now troublesome for forestry officials fighting wildfires
(11) Wildfire danger high today
(12) Voltree Power Completes First Installation of the Javelin Rapid Deploy System for US Forest Service
(13) Trails needed for firefighting
(14) Tactical manoeuvring in bushfire compo hearing
(15) Rare agreements in Bushfire Commission
(16) No time to dwell on bushfire recovery
(17) Names in flames
(18) Safer places not certain yet
(19) Power could be cut on catastrophic bushfire days to stop fires
(20) Fire air cranes leaving after quiet summer
(21) SWFL Brotherhood Ride gets underway
Labels: air-tankers, bushfires, firefighting, forest fires, wildfire news, wildfire news of the day, wildfires
posted by Michael Archer @ 12:10 PM
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