WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 120210

Leadership training for volunteers helping to replant Southern California's Angeles National Forest areas burned in the Station and Morris Fires will be conducted December 11th (1); while firefighters in Riverside County battled a 35-acre blaze yesterday (2). The next article provides detailed information on how Oregon Department of Forestry funds firefighting operations (3). A 640-acre wildfire was reported in Starr County, Texas, yesterday (4); and another in Hidalgo County ignited by a vehicle burned over 2,000 acres (5). A third arsonist is being charged with starting fires in Montana's Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (6); but after a lengthy court battle, residents of Wautoma, Wisconsin, have been denied additional compensation for property losses caused by a 2003 wildfire (7). A Tennessee fire department will be getting a $4,500 donation from the federal Assistance to Firefighter Grants program to help pay for a foam system with which they can battle wildfires more effectively (8); something which Georgia Forestry Commission firefighters have no doubt been using on a 3,700-acre wildfire officials estimate they have spent over $125,000 managing so far (9). Despite the fact there is snow on the ground, vegetation clearance in one British Columbia, Canada, community is continuing (10); but Russia just can't seem to get a break from wildfires, as yet another one nearly destroyed the village of Tsibari (11). A massive 7,000-acre wildfire burning in northern Israel, the largest in their history, has claimed the lives of 40 prison guards who burned to death when their bus was engulfed by flames (12); prompting the Prime Minister to appeal for aid to Cyprus, Italy, Russia and Greece (13); and Greece has responded by dispatching aircraft to help (14); however, the Public Security Minister confirmed that the fire would not be controlled by nightfall, at which time all firefighting aircraft will be grounded (15). The governor of Gambia's Central River Region toured an area hard hit by bushfires in that African nation (16). Some residents of Victoria, Australia, are up in arms about a new edict to clear trees away from power poles (17); while power companies in that state have found an easy way to recoup their losses from the Black Saturday bushfires: raise customers' rates! (18) Firefighters in Perth, Western Australia, managed to contain a bushfire which had burned over 1,000 acres, only to have another bushfire break out nearby (19); but as Western Australia is burning up, eastern Australia is getting drenched by rains (20). And finally, firefighters in Maine performed a different kind of water rescue: getting two deer who had fallen through thin ice safely to shore!

(1) Angeles Forest Dec. 11 Volunteer Leader Training

(2) Wildfire contained near O.C.-Riverside County border

(3) Commentary: Q&A: Insights on fire patrol

(4) 640 acres scorched in Starr County wildfire

(5) Firefighters Contain Wildfire

(6) Another man pleads guilty to starting fires in national forest

(7) Court says double damages not owed due to fire

(8) Rives Fire Department awarded $52,750 grant for air foam system

(9) Managing wildfire costs more than $125,000

(10) Reduction of surface fuel protects reservoir, homes

(11) Russia: Tsibari struck by forest fires

(12) Israeli forest fire near Haifa kills 40 prison guards

(13) Israel Seeks International Aid to Fight Forest Fire That Killed About 40

(14) Greek Firefighting Planes En Route to Assist Israel

(15) Ahronovitch confirms 3 still missing; search continues

(16) CRR Governor visits bushfire-destroyed millet farms

(17) Kingston wants new tree rules axed

(18) Power jolt for Black Saturday bushfire survivors

(19) Bushfire alert for Stratton in Swan Valley

(20) Sydney in for drenching

(21) Maine firefighters rescue 2 deer from icy water