WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050810

First up in Wildfire News Of The Day, firefighters in Fresno County, California, took to the hills to prepare for wildfire season (1); and Napa Firewise reported that 300,000 yd.³ of vegetation had been chipped for free in preparation for wildfire season within that county (2). Controlled burns by US Forest Service's Truckee Ranger District smoked up the skies of Reno today (3); but state workers started a wildfire near Flagstaff, Arizona, while working on a cachement tank for the Game and Fish Department (4). Stimulus funds totaling $15 million will be used to help prevent wildfires throughout New Mexico (5). Firefighters are expecting a busy fire season in Colorado this year (6); and with streams at historic lows and 5 million acres of beetle-killed pine trees in his state, Montana's governor warned of a very bad fire season ahead as well (7). Drought in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been blamed for several fires lately (8). Forecasters in New Jersey cautioned residents against outdoor fires due to windy weather following a rain storm (9); even as firefighters battled blazes in that state, summarized in the next two articles (10)(11); and the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service investigated four suspicious wildfires (12). A 4-acre wildfire was reported in Butte, Alaska (13); while an Op-Ed piece exhorts residents of Fairbanks not to become victims of the wildfire 'stupid zone' (14). A pair of wildfires on Maui required the attention of a firefighting helicopter, as well as crews on the ground (15). A small wildfire was reported in Ladysmith, British Columbia (16); this coming at a time when that Canadian province is facing a summer of drought and high fire danger (17). A wildfire was reported on Birch Island, Ontario, and was being attended by air tankers along with firefighters on the ground (18). And finally, firefighters in New Hampshire had to come to the rescue of ducklings that had run a-fowl of a storm drain!

(1) Firefighters Begin Training for Wildfire Season

(2) Wildfire Awareness Week

(3) Smoke due to two controlled burns west of Reno

(4) State workers welding water tank started Flagstaff wildfire

(5) Federal funds will help prevent wildfires in NM

(6) El Nino causing a "Wild" fire season

(7) 2010 could be dangerous for wildfires

(8) Drought in much of U.P.

(9) Weather: Get Ready for Rain

(10) Forest fire raging in New Jersey

(11) Forest blaze near Hammonton contained according to Fire Service

(12) Forest Fire Service Says Recent Fires in Court House Are Suspicious

(13) Butte wildfire burns 4 acres; dog rescued

(14) Take steps now to build ‘defensible space’ around your home

(15) Maui firefighters try to contain two brushfires

(16) Bush fire on First Avenue

(17) Drought expected for the Interior this summer

(18) One new fire reported in the region

(19) In Londonderry, firefighters rescue 12 ducklings