WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 042310

First up in wildfire news today, the contentious issue of San Diego Gas & Electric's culpability in the 2007 wildfires that raged in that county has reached a financial conclusion (though the debate continues)(1); and Santa Barbara County Fire Department will be holding a series of workshops, two of them this weekend, to help homeowners better prepare for wildfire season (2). Changeable spring weather was blamed for a controlled burn which got out of control in Nevada (3); but a former University of Colorado researcher testified before the Senate that harvesting beetle-killed trees will not reduce the fire danger in Western forests (4). In Montana, fire crews from two national forests are joining forces to better tackle future wildfires (5); while nervous residents near Fort Benning, Georgia, were reassured by the Army base that wildfires which had been started by hot ammunition were being contained (6). A video of the aftereffects of wildfires in West Virginia is provided by the next item (7); this coming at a time when the Maine Forest Service, which has already tackled nearly 200 wildfires so far this year, is trying to educate residents of that state during Wildfire Awareness Week (8). Another installment in a series of articles about the Horry County wildfire that burned in South Carolina last year is up next (9). A wildfire which Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources was battling near Stinson required the attention of a couple of waterbombers (10); but Venezuela's Indian tribes are receiving criticism from scientists, who fear that slash and burn agriculture that has been practiced for generations there could wipe out endangered habitats during the dry spell that has parched South America's normally verdant countryside (11). A trio of fire reports come to us today from Ireland (12)(13)(14); and firefighters expect it's going to be a long night as they battle a heath fire in Staffordshire County, England (15). A wildfire was reported in India's Bhitarkanika National Park that threatened the second-largest mangrove forest in the country (16); and the problem of people starting fires in one Philippines municipality has forced the mayor to ask people to control themselves during the continuing drought (17). Following criticism in the interim Royal Bushfire Commission report, Country Fire Authority Chief Fire Officer Russell Rees has announced that he will resign a month before the final report is published, even though he had 18 months left on his contract (18); with the fallout from this resignation increasing the pressure on the Emergency Services Minister even more (19). And finally, for a pretty sweet deal go to Baskin Robbins after 5 PM on April 28 and get a scoop of ice cream for only $.31 and help National Volunteer Fire Council at the same time, which receives a $100,000 donation from the event!

(1) SDG&E reaches accord in wildfires

(2) Wildfire Preparedness Workshop This Weekend

(3) Official blames Lamoille-area wildfire on weather

(4) Scientist: Money to fight beetles as fire mitigation not productive

(5) Two forest complexes to share firefighting

(6) Wildfires reported on Fort Benning

(7) Great Outdoors: Forest Fire Effect

(8) Forest Rangers Promote Safety During Wildfire Awareness Week

(9) Lessons forged in Horry County's wildfire

(10) MNR now fighting forest fire in Stinson area

(11) In Venezuela’s Savanna, Clash of Science and Fire

(12) Enniscrone bog fire brought under control

(13) Firefighters put out gorse blaze on Slieve Donard

(14) Woodland destroyed by bog fires

(15) Firefighters tackle heathland fire on Cannock Chase

(16) Fire breaks out in Bhitarkanika National Park

(17) Tuba mayor appeals for discipline to prevent forest fires

(18) CFA chief fire officer Russell Rees resigns

(19) Vic Minister under new pressure

(20) Baskin Robbins annual 31 cent scoop night to benefit America’s firefighters: April 28