WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041010

We lead off wildfire news today with the long-awaited arrival of the BE-200 in Santa Maria, California, including some interior views of this jet-powered air-tanker (1); followed by an article about the role of invasive species in 'type conversion' of California landscapes (2). The Nevada side of Lake Tahoe's normally pristine mountain air will be sullied with smoke from controlled burns this coming week (3); while a 2,000 acre wildfire in Oklahoma that began as a controlled burn is finally under control (4); and residents of one Texas community marked the one year anniversary of a deadly wildfire (5). Fire restrictions in Minnesota's Chippewa and Superior National Forests have been imposed (6); this after 300 wildfires across the state have burned over 4,000 acres, causing Department of Natural Resources officials to ask residents not to try to fight wildfires themselves (7). Pennsylvania fire officials returned to the scene of a fire in a game preserve to investigate its origins (8). Over $2 million in stimulus funds will be used in Massachusetts to reduce the threat of wildfires through controlled burns (9); but two men have been apprehended in Tennessee for setting wildfires (10); where firefighters were thankful for rain, which helped them to extinguish a fire burning in Carter County (11). Now that rain has arrived to help douse wildfires that were raging in Virginia, residents pause to tally the cost (12); and a wildfire in South Carolina was quickly dealt with by firefighters (13). During these tough financial times, one county in Georgia is saving money by using inmates as firefighting crews (14); but in Escambia County, Florida, perfect weather this weekend may also mean perfect conditions for wildfires (15). As the rainy season for the Caribbean island of Trinidad approaches, officials are worried about runoff in areas burned by recent fires (16). A forest fire destroyed acres of timber in Rajaji National Forest in Northeastern India (17); while in neighboring Pakistan, a small bushfire broke out near Islamabad (18). A newly appointed Australia Capital Territory brigade chief is a seasoned veteran of the Black Saturday bushfires (19); but on the heels of protests over the former police commissioner of Victoria's departure just as the Black Saturday bushfires began, new debate surrounds her role in rebuilding Victoria after those fires (20). Now that the fire season is winding down in Tasmania, fire chiefs are comparing notes on the effectiveness of their bushfire warning system (21). And finally, people say that firefighters are crazy for running into burning buildings when everyone else is running out, while others say that paratroopers are crazy for jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, but our last article today looks at smokejumpers, who do both!

(1) Tanker open for viewing at airport

(2) Invasive plant species increase wildfire risk

(3) Prescribed fires next week at Tahoe

(4) Fort Supply Wildfire Under Control

(5) A Year Later: Deadly Wildfires

(6) Fire restrictions imposed at 2 Minn. nat'l forests

(7) People urged to call 911 rather than fight wildfires themselves

(8) State Officials Continue Investigating Massive Forest Fire

(9) Stimulus funds fuel prescribed burns in state forest

(10) Dunlap Man Suspected in String of Wildfires in Five Counties

(11) Weather Impact On Carter County Forest Fire

(12) Rain Helped Put Out Area Wildfires

(13) Two fires on Old Sudlow Lake Road have firefighters busy

(14) Inmate work detail saves counties money

(15) Perfect Weekend Weather

(16) Fires destroy forest cover

(17) Forest fire guts woods near Haridwar

(18) Small bushfire on Margallas rings alarm bells

(19) New fire chief brings Black Saturday experience

(20) Nixon, rebuilder, under new fire

(21) Chiefs review fire warnings

(22) Smokejumpers: Jumping Into Danger Zones