WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041410

As Wildfire News Of The Day begins, US Forest Service and Tree People volunteers have begun replanting parts of the Angeles National Forest that burned in the Station Fire above the Southern California community of La Canada (1); but fire officials in Kern County are concerned that the abundance of vegetation from heavy rains this winter will produce more fuel for wildfires this summer (2). A Wildfire Expo in Prescott, Arizona, will help to inform residents on how to minimize the danger from the region's greatest natural threat (3). Colorado's controversial "roadless rule" is drawing some heat from the scientific community (4); followed by an article from Estes Park that provides information to homeowners in that region for dealing with the danger from wildfires ahead of time (5). Our next article takes another look at problems encountered during the Mill Flat Fire which burned in southern Utah last year (6). Rampant wildfires in eastern Oklahoma have prompted officials to the issue air quality alerts for that part of the state (7); and a wildfire that burned 6,000 acres in western Nebraska may have been caused by arcing powerlines (8); even as South Dakota Wildland Fire reported a pair of wildfires in the Black Hills yesterday (9). Wildfires in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, have been linked to an arsonist (10). Alabama Forestry Commission reported a wildfire near a mobile home park in Turnerville yesterday (11); but there may be a battle ahead for scarce funding to maintain firefighter numbers in that state (12). A wildfire in Vermont underscored the dangers faced by that state until the rains arrive (13); and rural dwellers in New York State are under a burn ban until the middle of May (14). A wildfire on Metrorail tracks outside of Washington, DC, halted traffic for almost an hour yesterday (15). Division of Forest Resources firefighters are launching a public education campaign in hopes of reducing wildfires in western North Carolina (16); which is probably a good idea, since wildfires burned upwards of 100 acres in Macon County (17). A press release discusses the benefits smoke provides in regrowth after a fire, as summarized in Chemical & Engineering News (18). A burn ban is in effect for parts of British Columbia due to the onset of an early wildfire season in that part of Canada (19); while firefighters in Newfoundland and Labrador are warning residents and visitors about what could be a dangerous wildfire year ahead (20). Firefighters in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, had several gorse fires to battle, as dry conditions on the Emerald Isle persist (21); and a field fire in Berkshire, England, drew in firefighters from four counties before it was contained (22). As the dry season continues in Dimapur, India, wildfires are becoming the order of the day (23); while the Himalayan nation of Bhutan held a meeting for fire volunteers over the weekend to discuss greater volunteerism among villagers (24). As the compensation trial regarding the 2003 Canberra bushfires continues, testimony from a volunteer firefighter before the Australia Capital Territory Supreme Court indicated that fire agencies received warnings days in advance of the potential for a devastating bushfire (25). A FESA heli-tanker gave some Western Australia shire officials a birds eye view of how they drop water on bushfires (26); but at least one Western Australian community is still battling a blaze (27). A NASA study aimed at better controlling massive wildfires on three continents will be relying on the University of Tasmania for information on Australian bushfires (28); but in her second appearance before the Royal Bushfire Commission hearings, the former Victoria Police Commissioner had some tough questions to answer, as evidenced by the next two articles (29)(30). Victoria's United Firefighter Union is arguing in favor of merging the Country Fire Authority and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade into a single organization in order to improve efficiency in firefighting (31); even as communications problems continue to be in the news, Country Fire Authority announcing that it will not have new radios in place until 2012 (32). And finally, firefighters in Florida had a rather unusual rescue call: getting a duck out of a dryer vent!

(1) Volunteers begin to replant forest

(2) Wildflowers could bring wildfires

(3) Saturday's Wildfire Expo helps locals prepare

(4) Scientists blast Colorado roadless rule even as Udall backs wildfire provisions

(5) At risk

(6) Confusion surrounded efforts

(7) Wildfires Prompt Air Quality Alert

(8) Neb. wildfire damages 6,000 acres

(9) Hills area firefighting crews called into action

(10) Fires in Rockcastle blamed on arson

(11) Wildfire near Turnerville Community

(12) Shortfall may hurt wildfire protection

(13) Colchester crew battles brush fire

(14) Small Communities Reminded of Ban on Brush Burning During High Fire Risk Period

(15) Spokesman: Forest debris caused fires on Metrorail

(16) State sending wildfire prevention team to WNC

(17) Wildfires threaten homes

(18) Healing haze: Substances in smoke left over from forest fires speed plant growth

(19) Wildfire warning comes early to Prince George area

(20) N.L. forest officials predict busy fire season

(21) Fire Service tackle gorse fires

(22) Fifty firefighters tackle Thatcham blaze

(23) Dry season causes rampant forest fires

(24) Meeting for the Forest Fire Volunteers held

(25) Fire fighter predicted 2003 destruction, court told

(26) Busselton shire staff take to the sky

(27) Bushfire at Chittering

(28) Tasmanian scientists participate in NASA bushfire study

(29) Nixon grilled over Black Saturday dinner

(30) Nixon contradicts earlier evidence

(31) Union calls for MFB, CFA to be merged

(32) New CFA radio rollout to finish in 2012

(33) Fla. Firefighters Rescue Stuck Duck