WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 032311

A wildfire that has burned over 4,000 acres in Arizona's Coronado National Forest is now 10% contained (1); and due to unusually dry conditions, New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest will be beginning fire season a little early this year (2). Air-tankers saw a lot of action over wildfires burning near Golden, Colorado, yesterday (3); and homeowners who had been evacuated were allowed to return home (4); however, high winds grounded all firefighting aircraft in the afternoon (5); the situation not helped at all by two out-of-control prescribed burns outside of Pueblo (6); or a seven-acre wildfire that was reported in Boulder County (7). A grass fire destroyed two homes and a barn in Texas County, Oklahoma (8); but although firefighters near Mannford managed to bring a wildfire under control, one firefighter was injured in the operation (9). With 176 of Texas' 254 counties under burn bans, airtankers were called into action battling blazes in West Texas yesterday (10); a summary of wildfire activity provided in the following article (11); where high winds made battling wildfires in Smith County a bit more difficult yesterday (12); and a mobile home fire sparked a 300-acre blaze in Midland County (13); as Texas Forest Service dispatched additional resources to the Panhandle (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along an announcement about their upcoming Wildland Fire Safety Summit to be held in Missoula, Montana, in April (15). The governor of Kansas has issued a disaster proclamation to free up funding to help in the aftermath of a 38,000-acre wildfire that burned in Stanton County (16); and the Arkansas Forestry Commission indicated that firefighters had put out 21 wildfires that burned approximately 400 acres in one 24 hour period (17). A wildfire that burned over 400 acres in Louisiana's Beauregard Parish has been contained (18); while a man has been arrested in Kentucky in regards to several wildfires that burned 200 acres in the Daniel Boone National Forest (19); and a former New Jersey firefighter who admitted to setting nine fires in wooded areas may receive a 20 year prison sentence (20). TangentLink sent along information about their aerial firefighting conference due to kickoff the 25th of May in Washington DC (21). Eighty-seven counties in North Carolina are under a wildfire threat through today (22); while a cold front will increase wildfire danger in parts of South Carolina and Georgia today and tomorrow (23); even as authorities in Georgia have posted a $10,000 reward for information on who started a wildfire in the vicinity of Bloomingdale (24). Firefighters were unable to prevent a wildfire from severely damaging a mobile home in Citrus County, Florida (25); but although a 30-acre wildfire in Brevard County is contained, it is still considered a threat (26). As a wildfire burning in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park topped 1,900 acres, firefighters struggled to keep it out of a protected rain forest (27); and preventing forest fires has been given a high priority by the State Council of China (28). India's Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves have been the scene of a number of human-caused wildfires lately (29); while another fire that burned 3 acres in Tamil Nadu state injured a woman trapped by the flames (30). Scientists warned that nearly four dozen endangered species were threatened with extinction in Australia unless more was done to reduce the impact on their habitats from, among other things, wildfires (31). And finally, a story from Canada shows that wildland firefighting technology can even be used to douse nuclear reactor fires!

(1) Wildfire 10 Percent Contained

(2) Fire season talk of the town

(3) Colorado wildfire fought from the air

(4) Indian Gulch Fire Evacuees Allowed Home, Threat Remains

(5) Helicopters, air tankers grounded by wind at Colo. wildfire

(6) Wildfires began as controlled burns

(7) Firefighters contain wildfire west of Longmont; Boulder County issues fire ban

(8) Two houses, one barn destroyed in Guymon wildfire

(9) Keystone Firefighter Injured In Grassfire Near Mannford

(10) Tanker planes used to fight West Texas wildfires

(11) Current wildfire status - March 23, 2011

(12) Heavy winds fuel grass fires

(13) Mobile Home Fire Sparks Grassfire in Midland County

(14) Texas Forest Service sends help to South Plains area for fires

(15) 11th International Wildland Fire Safety Summit

(16) UPDATE: KS Wildfire Reportedly 95 Percent Contained

(17) Wildfires Continue to Plague Arkansas

(18) Forest fire north of Starks contained

(19) Man admits to setting wildfires that burned 200 acres of National Forest

(20) Ex-NJ firefighter admits setting nine fires, may face 20 years

(21) Aerial Firefighting Conference & Exhibition

(22) Windy, warm weather brings wildfire threat

(23) Enhanced Wildfire Danger Again Today

(24) $10,000 Reward Offered for Information on Wildfire in Bloomingdale Area

(25) Firefighters battle two fires in Homosassa

(26) Firefighters watch contained brush fire

(27) Big Island wild fire poses threat to environmentally sensitive area

(28) China Takes Measure to Prevent Forest Fires

(29) Locals in Bandipur spark off fires in tiger reserves: officials

(30) Woman found trapped by forest fire

(31) Extinction threat for 45 Australian species

(32) B.C. innovation helping to douse Japanese nuclear reactors