WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051911

A US Congressman discussed his Catastrophic Wildfire Community Protection Act proposal which would help reduce wildfire danger to California homes (1); but with the approach of fire season in Grant County, Washington, homeowners are being advised to clear defensible space around their homes (2). As Arizona's Horseshoe Fire Two expanded to 33,000-acres, winds were not helping firefighters contain it (3); and a 600-acre wildfire was reported along the Colorado River as well (4). New Mexico's Manzano Mountains State Park has joined the list of recreational areas closing due to the fire danger (5); but as cooler weather arrives, firefighters outside of Silver City hope to increase containment of a 77,000-acre wildfire beyond the current 40% mark (6). Texas Forest Service provides an update on wildfire activity and the critical danger faced across the state today (7); but as Texas counts the toll from wildfires that scorched 2.5 million acres, politicians are moving ahead with plans to slash Texas Forest Service's budget by a third (8); even as Independent Insurance Agents of Texas donated $100,000 to buy protective clothing for volunteer fire departments to help with future wildfires (9). Alabama Forestry Commission firefighters reported a 100-acre wildfire in Baldwin County yesterday (10); while smoke from the massive 25,000-acre wildfire burning in North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge continues to sully the skies in Dare County (11). The 138,000-acre wildfire burning in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge grew by another 10,000 acres yesterday with a little help from some firefighters (12). Florida's Treasure Coast is bracing for more wildfires as the weather dries out vegetation (13); even as a wildfire scorched over 1,000 acres in Martin County (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Flying Tankers, sent along a report on their success fighting wildfires in Mexico (15). As wind speeds drop in Alberta, Canada, firefighters are beginning to get a handle on dozens of blazes burning there (16); while the provincial government will be allocating $50 million from its $11 billion Sustainability Fund to help repair the damage done by recent wildfires (17). A fire lookout tower reported a 40 ha blaze in Saskatchewan's Nisbet Provincial Forest (18); one of several wildfires to crop up within the province (19); where there was a report of a girl lost in one of the forests that was ablaze (20). Russia has dispatched more firefighters and aircraft to help battle wildfires that have already burned 45,000 ha in the Yakutia, Sverdlovsk, Amur and Khanty-Mansiysk regions (21). Firefighters in Canberra, Australia, set a few controlled burns yesterday at Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve to help determine the right balance of fires in the ecosystem (22); while firefighters from New South Wales' National Parks and Wildlife Service set controlled burns in the Blue Mountains to reduce the bushfire hazard (23). And finally, Canadian firefighters using a new firefighting product may get a new title: Grenadiers!

(1) Herger visits Concow with fire plan

(2) Wildfire season arrives in Grant County

(3) Arizona wildfire grows amid windy condition, nearly 33,000 acres scorched

(4) Firefighters dealing with wildfire burning along the Colorado River in southwest Arizona

(5) Santa Fe forest to impose fire restrictions

(6) Miller Fire burns nearly 77,000 acres north of Silver City. Fire is 40 percent contained

(7) Texas Forest Service Update: Critical Fire Danger Thursday

(8) Texas plans to cut budget of agency battling fires

(9) Agents’ Group Gives $100K to Texas Volunteer Fire Departments

(10) UPDATE: Fire Officials say Homes Are No Longer Threatened in Wildfire

(11) Air pollution advisory still in effect due to Dare County wildfire

(12) Strategic burns continue in hopes of slowing Honey Prairie blaze

(13) Heat returns, dry weather prevails, boosting wildfire danger

(14) UPDATE: Martin County wildfire contained

(15) Hawaii Mars a Success in Mexico

(16) Alberta Wildfires Wane as Winds Ease, Lessening Risks to Oil Production

(17) Alberta pledges $50M in aid for wildfire victims

(18) Forest blazes south of Prince Albert

(19) Wildfires rage throughout Fort region

(20) Girl lost inside forest while bush fire rages nearby

(21) Russian fire fighters head to Far East

(22) Researchers lift the blanket on bushfires

(23) Mountains shrouded in smoke

(24) New technology makes firefighters’ job safer