WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 011911

Strong winds forced US Forest Service to cancel a controlled burn that it had planned to do on the northeastern face of Southern California's Palomar Mountain (1); but authorities in Ashland, Oregon, are looking to burn off several acres of dangerous vegetation ahead of the fire season (2); and firefighters will be burning piles of debris in Arizona's Prescott National Forest over the next two days as well (3). A veteran wildland firefighter comments on the mountain pine beetle plague in Idaho (4); while substantial rain in parts of Texas have allowed some counties to suspend the burn ban, but the Texas Forest Service is still advising caution (5); and the next article takes a look at the history of wildfires and insect infestations in South Dakota's Black Hills (6). A firefighter from Minnesota pled guilty to starting a 1,500-acre wildfire at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Refuge (7). An article from North Carolina takes a look at the opportunities stewardship contracts with US Forest Service offer for forest health, including wildfire prevention (8); but although St. Johns County, Florida, has received some rainfall, fire authorities are keeping the fire ban in place until they get a "soaker" (9). Despite the fact that an enormous amount of forest was burned in Saskatchewan's far north in 2010, much of the acreage was simply allowed to burn since it was in remote areas (10). The Sagada Environmental Guides Association is hoping to raise awareness of the damage wildfires are doing to watersheds in the Philippines' Mountain Province (11); while authorities on the hunt for an arsonist in Western Australia are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his/her capture (12). And finally, some firefighters get an early start in their careers, but one in Staten Island, New York, is just out of his diapers!

(1) REGION: Controlled burn canceled near Palomar Mountain

(2) Fighting fire with fire

(3) Firefighters burn slash piles in Prescott

(4) The impacts of beetles on forests and wildfires

(5) Fire danger is low, but don't forget winter fire safety

(6) Pine beetles attack like a slow moving wildfire

(7) Forest Lake Firefighter Pleads Guilty To Starting Wildfire

(8) Logging for cash versus long-range forest health

(9) County extends fire ban

(10) 2010 Bad Year for Forest Fires

(11) 'Sagada Trek' to protect watersheds

(12) Rewards offered for capture of Lake Clifton arsonists

(13) Staten Island toddler named a junior firefighter after saving family from blaze