WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 120710

The National Transportation Safety Board's final report on the S-61 helicopter crash in Northern California's Siskiyou-Trinity National Forest in 2009 faults the helicopter's owners for false documents and the US government for poor oversight of safety issues (1); and a homeless man from California who sparked a 280-acre wildfire near Flagstaff, Arizona, last year will be going to prison (2). The next article profiles a wildfire educator who provides input to developers in Idaho on how better to construct their projects with an eye towards wildfires (3); while fire agencies in Virginia saw a doubling of fall wildfire activity in their state compared to last year (4). Red Flag warnings for Tampa Bay, Florida, have prompted fire officials to warn residents of the hazards of outdoor fires right now (5); and a three-acre blaze was reported in Brevard County as well (6). Providential rainstorms have arrived to quench the Middle East's wildfires (7); where, despite the damage done by Israel's wildfire, it may have helped mend fences with the Palestinians and the Turks, as the next two articles show (8)(9); even as a pair of Turkish CL-415 firefighting aircraft returned home after helping with Israel's wildfire (10). Israel's Prime Minister thanked all the countries that sent assistance to fight Israel's wildfires (11); then launched into discussions with several nations over the prospects of establishing a multinational wildfire-fighting force for the region (12). The Druze teenager who admitted to starting the Carmel wildfire has been remanded to his parents' custody at home (13); but an influential Jewish spiritual leader is suggesting using yeshiva students to help with firefighting in the future (14). The Jewish National Foundation has raised $10 million to help with the cleanup after Israel's deadly wildfire (15); while firefighters in the Central Asian republic of Azerbaijan were able to extinguish a wildfire burning in Shahdag National Park (16). The African nation of Ghana continued its anti-bushfire campaign by forming hundreds of groups to patrol villages in an effort to limit the destruction done by bushfires (17). The Australian town of Strathewen, Victoria, which was all but destroyed in the Black Saturday bushfires, has reopened its recreational facilities (18); while a press release by Western Australia's government provides a detailed look at the estimated cost savings their aerial firefighting fleet has provided in past bushfire seasons (19). And finally, firefighters in Scotland tackled an unusual public safety hazard: dangerous icicles suspended above an ATM!

(1) Gov't air safety questioned in firefighting crash

(2) Prison for man who started Flagstaff wildfire

(3) Building resistance: Educator aims to reduce threat of wildfires

(4) Virginia forest fires double from last year

(5) Beware of wildfire threat, officials say

(6) Firefighters put out brush fire in Brevard

(7) Lebanon and Israel Wildfires Let Up After Prayers for Rain

(8) Forest fire thaws Turkish and Israeli cold shoulders

(9) In Climate Solidarity, Palestinian Firefighters Help Israelis Fight Wildfire

(10) Turkish planes return home after firefighting mission in Israel

(11) Israel Thanks Foreign Fire Fighters for Help in Dousing Carmel Fire

(12) PM to leaders: create a regional firefighting force

(13) Teen who admitted starting fire is released

(14) Deri: Train yeshiva students as firefighters

(15) JNF aims to raise $10m. for reforestation and firefighting

(16) Forest fire extinguished in Azerbaijan

(17) 234 anti-bushfire campaign groups formed in Sunyani

(18) Bushfire town reopens recreation reserve

(19) WA's heroes of the skies return to help during busy bushfire season

(20) Firefighters remove Dundee shop roof icicles