Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 090110

Southern California firefighters and helicopter air-tankers tackled a 10-acre blaze north of Los Angeles yesterday (1); followed by an update on wildfires burning near Big Bear (2); even as the San Bernardino National Forest, which surrounds that city, will be raising fire restriction levels beginning tomorrow (3). Fire crews raced to contain wildfires burning in Oregon and southern Washington state as forecasters predicted higher temperatures later this week which could stoke the fires (4); while the US Forest Service tries to evaluate the environmental impact of one of those fires (5). Arizona's Prescott National Forest is wasting no time clearing 5,800 acres of vegetation using $1.5 million of Stimulus money (6); but a lightning-sparked wildfire has been reported in Kaibab National Forest (7). Although Idaho's Long Butte Fire has been contained after burning 330,000 acres, the Harris Complex Fire, which has burned 2,100 acres, is still only 45% contained (8); the destruction caused forcing Bureau of Land Management to round up 200 wild horses to care for until new rangeland can be found (9). A fire department in Texas is gaining a financial boost from an $18,000 Texas Forest Service grant (10); while firefighters on Oahu, Hawaii, have increased containment of a 100-acre wildfire to 80% (11). Although cooler weather has helped dampen wildfires in British Columbia, hundreds continue to burn (12); and the next article offers a retrospective on a massive 18,000-acre wildfire which ravaged Prince Edward Island 50 years ago (13). Wildfires were reported in the North African nation of Algeria, as well as Portugal and Turkey, and numerous wildfires in southern France (14); the next two articles offering more details (15)(16). Svetlana Medvedeva, wife of the Russian president, directed money from the Fund of Social and Cultural Initiatives to help a school that was burned during Russia's recent wildfires (17). There is some concern from Australians in Victoria's Diamond Valley that bushfire risk assessments of property in that area are inaccurate, driving up the cost for retrofitting homes (18); but millions of dollars will be made available to councils in Victoria to help them set aside bushfire safer places (19). More counseling help will be provided to bushfire-affected areas, according to the next article (20); while some of that help will certainly need to go to Kinglake, where Black Saturday still casts a long shadow (21). A radio segment covers the seventh annual Regional Arts Australia show, in which the use of art to help heal bushfire-hit areas is discussed (22). Queensland is recruiting volunteers to help determine whether bushfires were caused by arsonists (23); while a power company in New South Wales appears to be evaluating their power lines after payout to numerous homeowners whose homes were destroyed by a powerline-sparked wildfire (24). And finally, firefighters in Venice, Italy, may have to be enrolled in an art appreciation class after damaging a very old painting while fighting a fire!

(1) Firefighters working to contain Santa Clarita brush fire

(2) Fires strike forest

(3) San Bernardino National Forest Raises Fire Restrictions

(4) Firefighters hold wildfires in Oregon steady, contain Highway 8 complex near Lyle, Wash.

(5) Forest Service reviews environmental impact of Oak Flat Fire

(6) Forest Service using stimulus bucks on brush

(7) New fire burning on Williams Ranger District

(8) Progress Made on Idaho Wildfires

(9) Wild horses rounded up after devastating wildfire

(10) Grant to help upgrade Canyon Fire Department

(11) Firefighters Contain 80% Of Oahu Brush Fire

(12) Wildfires will continue to burn

(13) Stories of 1960 forest fire that ravaged area now online

(14) EFFIS - Current Situation

(15) Wildfires rage on Iberian Peninsula

(16) Wildfires contained in southern France

(17) RF president’s wife assists school in region affected by wildfires

(18) Nillumbik residents sound warning on bushfire attack levels

(19) Bushfire cash boost for Yarra Ranges Council

(20) More help for Casey-Cardinia residents grieving bushfire losses

(21) Kinglake program tackles dark legacy of bushfire

(22) Art's role in regional recovery highlighted in national conference

(23) Volunteers will investigate bushfire causes

(24) Country Energy reviews power line management

(25) Battling Blaze in Venice, Firefighters Douse Titian Masterpiece

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