WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051510

First up in Wildfire News Of The Day, environmentalists are leading the charge to preserve Southern California's mountains in the face of, among other things, arson-sparked wildfires like last year's Station Fire (1); and Los Angeles' Griffith Park Observatory, which survived a near-miss by a wildfire in 2007, celebrated its Diamond Jubilee! (2) Our next article takes a look at San Diego's 'Fired Up Sisters', a charity that has helped wildfire survivors since 2007 (3); but residents in nearby Ramona are still struggling to put their lives back together after the devastating 2007 wildfires (4). More than $12,000 in grant money has been given to Ventura County Fire Department to help with their wildfire awareness campaign (5); this coming at a time when a wildfire burning into Carrizo Plain National Monument is nearing the 500 acre mark as CAL FIRE firefighters struggle to bring it under control (6). CAL FIRE is bringing seasonal firefighters up to speed in Tulare County a little later this year due to a delayed fire season (7); and hand crews from the Sierra Fire Protection District have completed two weeks of rigorous training for the fire season in Northern California (8). The importance of Firewise landscaping is provided to Nevadans in the next item (9); even as fire agencies are restricting open fires on public lands in that state (10). The next article looks at the progress of Arizona's Sitgreaves Communities Wildfire Protection Plan (11); while controlled burns will be done in New Mexico's Gila National Forest beginning next week (12). The fate of Kirtland's warbler, whose population shrank due to aggressive fire prevention in Michigan, will be decided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (13); but arson investigators are probing the cause of a wildfire that threatened homes in Volusia County, Florida, Friday night (14). As wildfire activity picks up in Alaska's Interior, an article from Fairbanks takes a look at current fire conditions (15). Parts of British Columbia, Canada, are now under an outdoor burn ban (16); as volunteer firefighters brush up on their wildland firefighting skills with some instruction from BC Forest Service Wildfire Management Branch (17). Fire crews battled a massive wildfire burning near DeBolt, Alberta (18); while wildfire smoke has made breathing a bit less enjoyable in Edmonton (19); but even though it was hoped that firefighters could get a handle on the wildfire due to calmer weather (20); the blaze is still out of control tonight (21). Although firefighters have only seen half as many wildfires as usual in Saskatchewan so far this year, campers are still being advised of the fire danger from unattended fires (22). Fire crews from several surrounding communities in the UK battled a blaze in Peacock Wood near Gainsborough Friday night (23). An ancient Buddhist Temple in Kunming, China, is in the crosshairs of a rampaging wildfire (24). Heading to Australia, the trials and tribulations of Black Saturday bushfire survivors who still don't have a roof over their heads is explored in an article from Victoria (25). And finally, an article from San Bernardino, California, points out that if you want to be a firefighter, you'd better pay attention to your High School math instructor!

Wildfire News Of The Day will be on hiatus next week, returning on 5/24.

(1) A push to preserve the San Gabriels

(2) LA's landmark Griffith Observatory marks 75 years

(3) Fired Up Sisters was born out of tragedy

(4) Economy stymies fire victims

(5) Fire Department gets grant for wildfire effort

(6) UPDATE: Fire grows to more than 400 acres along Hwy 166

(7) Cal Fire starts training for wildfires

(8) Hand Crews Prepare for Fire Season

(9) Turning Down the Heat: Landscaping can reduce wildfire danger

(10) Fire Restrictions In Place As Summer Nears

(11) Forest Treatments Under Wildfire Plan Reviewed

(12) Burns to begin in Gila National Forest

(13) Tiny songbird stages a comeback

(14) Report: DeLand wildfire that threatened homes under investigation

(15) ’Tis the season: Dry, warm weather creates perfect wildfire conditions

(16) New burning ban covers much of Vancouver Island

(17) Controlled burn Saturday in Columbia Valley

(18) Major wildfire rages on near DeBolt

(19) Wildfires spark Edmonton air alert

(20) Calmer winds help crews battling Alberta wildfire

(21) Fire north of Edmonton still out of control

(22) Crews getting ready for forest fires in Sask.

(23) Forest fire in Lincolnshire under investigation

(24) Forest Fire Threatens to Engulf 500-year-old Buddhist Temple in SW China

(25) Cold comfort for bushfire victims

(26) Want to be a firefighter? Know your math