WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 100410

A firefighter battling a grass fire in Sacramento County may have suffered a heart attack, requiring a trip to the hospital (1); this coming at a time when thousands of lightning strikes pummeled California over the weekend (2); and despite the fact fall is here, CAL FIRE firefighters cautioned residents of Northern California to keep an eye out for wildfires (3). Firefighters hope to ignite controlled burns south of Prescott, Arizona, today (4); while a wildfire in Grand County, Colorado, has burned 450 acres and is believed to been sparked by people (5); but the Morgan County Office of Emergency Management accidentally sent out evacuation orders to 2,800 residents last Friday (6). Home construction firms see opportunity in rebuilding homes destroyed in the Colorado's Fourmile Fire, but don't want to be seen is insensitive to the losses of homeowners (7). The Twitchell Fire, which has burned 45,000 acres in Utah, is 65% contained (8); while firefighters in Herriman, scene of the recent Machine Gun Fire, battled a smaller blaze which threatened a historic farm Sunday night (9). An update on the wildfire situation in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest is up next (10); this at a time when firefighters began controlled burns in the Lewis and Clark National Forest (11). The next article offers a look at wildfires currently burning in Wyoming (12); where 10 fires are burning in Yellowstone National Park (13); but beetle-killed trees are turning out to be good for a Wyoming-based log house business! (14) A wildfire that had burned in Longview, Texas, on Saturday reignited Sunday morning (15); and firefighters battled a 400-acre wildfire just outside of South Dakota's Badlands National Park (16). Two contentious issues in the world of wildland firefighting are examined by the next pair of articles: whether beetle-killed trees in the forests of the western US pose a greater threat of wildfires (17); and the value of private firefighters protecting homes covered by insurance companies (18). The Kentucky Division of Forestry is warning homeowners that the fire season now runs through December 15 in that state (19); while a wildfire that broke out Saturday afternoon north of Holden, Louisiana, has burned over 6,000 acres (20). Wildfires in Mississippi have caused an estimated $1 million in damage to timber stands (21). Canadian firefighters in Langley, British Columbia, battled a 20-acre blaze along the Trans-Alaska Highway over the weekend (22); while a substantial British Columbia Community Operational Fuel Management grant will pay 75% of the cost to thin vegetation around West Kelowna (23). In Australia, Victoria's Premier has vowed to defend his emergency services organizations against a lawsuit filed by SP AusNet over negligence during the Black Saturday bushfires (24); even as the power utility announced a profit increase of 15 to 20% (25). Bushfire-hit businesses in Victoria will receive a financial boost from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (26); but some delays have been reported with the proceedings of bushfire litigation in Toodyay, Western Australia (27). Although recent rains have helped dampen the bushfire danger, New South Wales' Rural Fire Service is warning residents to be vigilant about bushfires (28); however, bushfires in Gregory Downs, Queensland, are keeping firefighters busy (29). Residents of Perth, South Australia, are on edge after a bushfire broke out in their area (30). And finally, what do you do with old fire hose? Why, donate it to a nature preserve, of course!

(1) Firefighter Hospitalized After Fighting Grass Fire

(2) 8,598 Lightning Strikes Throughout California, 407 on the Tahoe National Forest

(3) October Wildfires Still A Possibility

(4) Prescribed burn south of Prescott could start Monday

(5) Officials believe Church Park Fire human-caused

(6) Wildfire evacuation order a mistake

(7) Colorado builders tread lightly with fire victims as they seek work

(8) Firefighters gain ground on Utah wildfire

(9) Firefighters protect Wheeler Historic Farm from wildfire

(10) Wildfires spark in the Bitterroot

(11) Prescribed burns begin on L&C forest

(12) Popular Hunting Area Closed For Fire

(13) 10 fires in Yellowstone, forest add haze to sky

(14) Beetle-kill epidemic a boon for Wyoming's timber industry?

(15) Wildfire sparks in Longview Sunday morning

(16) Wildfire Burns More Than 400 Acres In Southwest SD

(17) Experts: Fire doesn’t always follow beetle kills

(18) Tempers Flare Over Use of Private Firefighters

(19) Officials warn of active fire season

(20) 6,000-acre forest fire burning north of Holden

(21) Miss. wildfire damages $1M in timber

(22) Residents grateful for firefighting help

(23) $209,000 grant for DWK

(24) Govt backs departments over bushfires

(25) SP AusNet confirms 15% profit increase

(26) Fire victims to receive cash boost

(27) Toodyay fire compensation delays

(28) Don’t be complacent this fire season: RFS

(29) Bushfires burning in the Gregory Downs region

(30) Bushfire warning in Perth's south

(31) Cambridgeshire's fire hose helps orangutans in Sumatra