WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 061710

A fast-moving wildfire in Riverside County, California, kept firefighters busy yesterday (1); and the cause appears to have been a cutting torch (2). More details on San Diego Gas and Electric's program to recoup $25 million for damage to their equipment from the 2007 wildfires are provided in the next item (3); but an article from Oregon looks at the Forest Service helicopter rappelling program, which is still in limbo following the death of a rappeller in Northern California last year (4). Arizona's Kaibab National Forest is being ravaged by a 1,000-acre wildfire which has forced the evacuation of dozens of homes (5); while New Mexico's Cibola National Forest is putting fire restrictions into place (6); even as wildfires in the Santa Fe National Forest have prompted health advisories for people living downwind (7). The Firewise Council of Southwest Colorado is urging homeowners to take responsibility for clearing defensible space around their property (8); this at a time when a wildfire has been reported in the San Juan National Forest (9); and a wildfire, believed to have been started by lightning strike, is being allowed to burn to improve the ecosystem (10). The Forest Fire Lookout Association will be marking the anniversary of a devastating wildfire that burned in Idaho and Montana 100 years ago (11). Texas Forest Service has seen little action so far this year, but that could change as the weather heats up come summer (12); nonetheless, there was another incidence of a wildfire burning in an area that had unexploded military ordnance, this time in Fort Bliss (13). Two radio segments were submitted by Wildfire NOTD subscriber Lee Laechelt, Executive Vice President of the Alabama Forest Owners Association: the first discusses a US Forest Service study on how to prevent fires while making some money on pine straw (14); and the second provides some tips on protecting property in a state that has seen 874 homes impacted by 16,433 wildfires over the past five years (15). Firefighters in Nassau County, Florida, are battling a lightning-sparked blaze that has burned nearly 100 acres so far (16); while the following story explores the counter-intuitive nature of controlled burns in Alaska (17). A press release from the US Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior about their readiness for wildfire season provides some interesting numbers on firefighters and financial resources available for the battles ahead (18). Officials in Manitoba, Canada, have canceled burn permits for areas that are facing high fire danger (19); while fire officials in Ontario, who have seen a large number of wildfires so far this year, warn homeowners not to become complacent just because fire activity is down at the moment (20). Russia's Far East, where some 662 wildfires have burned over 100,000 acres so far this year, is on fire again (21); and a wildfire in the African nation of Ghana, which destroyed dozens of huts, forced the evacuation of about 300 people (22). Indonesia's problem with rampant forest fires, many of them started to clear land for plantations, comes under scrutiny in the next article (23). Australian firefighters in Darwin, Northern Territory, appeared to have a serial arsonist at work in the area (24). There's a bit of a puzzler in Victoria over bushfire relief donations that were apparently dumped in a landfill (25); but the resurgence of olive growers following the Black Saturday bushfires is chronicled in the next item (26). And finally, a cautionary tale for fire folks who take their emergency vehicles to parties: keep an eye on those car keys!

(1) Brush fire breaks out near 91 Freeway in Riverside County

(2) Cutting torch sparks Riverside County fire grass fire

(3) ENERGY: SDG&E to request $25 million for wildfire repairs

(4) Still hanging ...

(5) More resources en route to 1,000-acre Eagle Rock Fire near Williams

(6) Cibola Forest imposes fire restrictions

(7) NM issues statewide smoke advisory

(8) Firewise Council wants residents to take responsibility for reducing their wildfire risk

(9) Fire erupts near Missionary Ridge

(10) W. Colorado wildfire being managed to help improve habitat

(11) Fire lookout conference to mark 1910 blazes

(12) Forest Service Fortunate to be Bored This Summer

(13) 1,500-acre Texas fire spreads on Fort Bliss range

(14) Pine Straw Income & Fire Prevention, Too

(15) Five Ways to Protect Your Forestland from Wildfire

(16) New wildfire started by lightning

(17) A prescription for fire - but only for research

(18) Secretaries Vilsack and Salazar Announce Readiness for Wildfire Season

(19) Province restricts burning in northwest Manitoba due to forest fire hazard

(20) Fires have not peaked, warns MNR

(21) Forest fires sweep large areas in Russia's Far East

(22) Fire displaces about 300 at Dromankuma

(23) RI should keep 72m ha forests ‘untouched’

(24) Bushfires 'not linked' to deadly arson spree

(25) Bushfire appeal donations dumped

(26) Olive growers rebuild

(27) Emergency fire vehicle stolen while firefighter at Boulder party