WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 110410

In our first article today, Wildfire News Of The Day subscriber Tony Morris, Communications Director for Wildfire Research Network, reports on the Station Fire hearing held in Pasadena, California, in mid-October (1). Red Flag warnings have been issued for Victoria, Texas, due to increased winds and reduced humidity (2); while Eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas are under a high fire danger alert until this evening (3). A wildfire near Attica, Indiana, burned 5 acres in a ravine (4); and the Missouri Department of Conservation issued wildfire warnings for parts of Missouri due to low humidity and tinder-dry vegetation (5). Firefighters in Edison, New Jersey, have a 125-acre wildfire 80% contained (6); while a wildfire that has been burning in Virginia's George Washington National Forest has covered 600 acres and is considered 75% contained now (7). North Carolina, which has seen an uptick in wildfires this year with 13,066 acres burned so far, has warned homeowners of the danger from wildfires through December (8); but a campfire was apparently the cause of a wildfire on Lookout Mountain, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission (9). Heading to Canada, British Columbia's Cariboo Fire Centre has begun a series of controlled burns now that fire season is over (10); and although fire season has officially ended in Ontario fire officials warned residents to still be careful with outdoor burning (11). A wildfire was reported in Vilarino de Conso, Spain (12); and a small bushfire was being fought by a trio of helicopters north of Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday (13). Emergency Management Australia is conducting meetings with emergency officials from Victoria and the Commonwealth to discuss the bushfire season ahead (14); while a researcher from Victoria's Swinburne University of Technology feels that DNA technology was relied upon too heavily in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires (15). Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation brought a bushfire that burned over 100 acres near Nannup under control, allowing homeowners to breathe easier (16); even as firefighters in Perth felt that the bushfire threat was easing following a blaze in John Forrest National Park (17). A grant of $560,000 from the Australian Research Council will help the University of Tasmania research bushfires from as far back as 10,000 years ago to see what influence humans have on mega-fires (18). And finally, firefighters in Oceanside, California, found a unique way to give back to the community: restore a 58-year-old firetruck!

(1) Station Fire Panel Hearing

(2) Wildfire danger increases

(3) High Fire Danger This Afternoon, Freeze Likely Tonight

(4) Forest fire in Attica

(5) Wildfire Danger High In West Central Missouri

(6) Fire 80% contained in Middlesex Co.

(7) Lokey Hollow Fire

(8) N.C.Division of Forest Resources urges safety in fall fire season

(9) Campfire started Lookout Mountain blaze, officials say

(10) Fire Centre begins planned burns

(11) Follow fire regulations

(12) EFFIS - Current Situation

(13) Forest fire north of Auckland

(14) Bushfire pre-season briefings underway

(15) Bushfire authorities too reliant on DNA

(16) Nannup fire all clear

(17) Perth bushfire threat eases

(18) Tassie plays a role in 10,000-year bushfire study

(19) OCEANSIDE: Firefighters restore 58-year-old truck