WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 092611

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ty Bonnar, Vice President of Global Operations for Southern California-based Flexible Alternatives, sent a video from Boeing along with the following comments:

2 weeks ago PCADS tested a very large number of units dropping from a C-130, a huge success for our US ARMY test program. We had Army reps present and everybody was very pleased with the results. We dropped over 130,000 lbs of water. We dropped from various altitudes testing the reliability and performance of the system. Everything tested 100% - we are very happy with the direction that the program is going. We have strong interest from US and International agencies, we are excited about the future of PCADS (1).

Elsewhere in the news, the US Forest Service expects to have a 541-acre wildfire that burned this weekend near the Southern California community of Palm Springs fully contained by this evening (2); while San Diego County officials have concluded that changes to their building codes intended to mitigate the effects of wildfires have been successful (3); but the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center reported that smoke from a 1,200-acre wildfire burning in California's Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest was drifting into Nevada (4); although rainfall dampened down a 1,515-acre wildfire that forced evacuations in Trinity County (5). Wildfire activity in Oregon over the weekend is discussed in the next article (6); where a child playing with matches sparked a wildfire which drew the attention of 60 firefighters in a Portland neighborhood (7). Six papers published in the journal Rangeland Ecology & Management show the interaction between invasive plants and wildfires in the Western US (8). A 4,300-acre lightning-sparked wildfire continues to burn in Arizona's Tonto National Forest (9); while prescribed burns are creating a good deal of smoke in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (10). A summary of wildfire activity in Texas is provided by the next article (11); where afternoon winds whipped up wildfires across the state on Sunday (12); and a fast-moving five-acre wildfire burned a structure and forced evacuations in Lake Belton (13); while a two-acre wildfire that burned in a Austin greenbelt forced the evacuation of 10 homes (14); and firefighters brought in heavy equipment to help battle wildfires in Gregg and Harrison Counties on Sunday (15); even as Texas Forest Service firefighters expected to have a 25-acre wildfire in Hays County completely contained today (16). A change in weather conditions has prompted Texas Forest Service to impose fire restrictions around Houston (17); but despite losing everything in one of the East Texas wildfires, residents plan to rebuild (18); while homeowner responsibility in keeping their property safe from the Texas wildfires is the topic of the next article (19); and Global Warming once again got blamed for an increase in wildfire activity, this time President Obama indicating that it is the cause of the Texas firestorms (20). The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up shop to help Texas wildfire survivors cope (21); while hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations have been received by charities assisting with the recovery (22); and another organization has donated $10,000 as well (23); but State Farm Insurance has paid out $5 billion in claims in 2011, a sizeable chunk due to wildfire activity in Texas (24); nevertheless, the residents of Montgomery County showed their appreciation for the bravery of firefighters who battled blazes in their neighborhood at an event held Sunday (25). A summary of wildfire activity in northwest Montana is provided by the next article (26); but warm weather has aided the spread of three wildfires currently burning in Wyoming (27); while fire officials in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest have scheduled a few fires of their own (28). The 93,500-acre wildfire burning in Minnesota's Superior National Forest is now 53% contained (29); but although the moose herd has been declining in numbers since 2005, there is hope that new growth brought on by the wildfires will spur new growth within the population (30). Firefighters battled a wildfire burning in wooded areas on Barksdale Air Force Base outside of Shreveport, Louisiana (31); but a 60-hectare Canadian wildfire burning south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, is being steered away from the city by favorable winds (32). Firefighters quelled over four dozen wildfires in Russia, most of them in the Siberian District (33). A 40-acre wildfire ripped through Lihinyagala Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka (34); while two bushfires which burned on New Zealand's South Island are being investigated by Department of Conservation personnel (35). Firefighters were honored at a ceremony in Perth, Western Australia, for their actions during February's Roleystone-Kelmscott bushfire, which destroyed dozens of homes (36); but FESA's Chief Operations Officer has resigned, another victim of a scathing after-action report on the bushfire which burned through Roleystone a few months ago (37); while residents of Kimberly have been warned about bushfires in the area (38). After several suspicious fires in New South Wales, law-enforcement officials have teamed up with the Rural Fire Service to smoke out arsonists (39); while homeowners in Parkes were advised that the bushfire season commences October 1st (40). A press release cites work done by CSIRO to encourage homeowners to bushfire-proof their homes in New South Wales and Victoria (41); builders in Victoria putting bushfire-damaged timber to good use in Dandenong (42). Queensland Fire and Rescue Service called on homeowners in the Western Downs to prepare for bushfires (43). Wildfires prompted a detour for a 600-kilometer bike ride in the Northern Territory (44); but funding shortfalls are endangering the North Australian Fire Information website (45); while bushfire smoke from blazes around Alice Springs is being blamed for several cases of pneumonia reported in the kangaroo population (46); And finally, a Seattle firefighter had a house fire to battle at a familiar address: his own!

(1) Boeing 'PCADS' system ready to fight fires from the air

(2) Fire near Palm Springs burns through weekend

(3) San Diego County building codes tested in wildfires

(4) Smoke from Calif. wildfire seen in northern Nevada

(5) Ruth Fire evacuees allowed to return

(6) Cooldown Brings Wind, Challenges Firefighters

(7) Firefighters douse blaze on N. Portland bluff

(8) Invasive plants encourage wildfires

(9) Wildfire in northern Arizona burns 2,000 acres

(10) ID prescribed burns sending out new smoke

(11) Monday: Wildfire updates from the Texas Forest Service

(12) Weather change increases wildfire danger across Texas

(13) Wildfire Burns Garage, Forces Evacuations In Local Neighborhood

(14) Two acres burned, firefighter hurt from fire in Southwest Austin

(15) Wildfires in Gregg, Harrison counties scorch 10 acres

(16) San Marcos fire almost fully contained

(17) Grilling ban extended to Conroe, The Woodlands due to fire danger

(18) After losing everything in fire, Cass residents look to rebuild

(19) Firefighters tell homeowners how to keep houses safe from fires

(20) President Obama Blames Texas Wildfires on Global Warming

(21) FEMA Arrives To Help Wildfire Victims

(22) Donations flood in for fire victims

(23) BBVA Compass Foundation Donates $10,000 to Aid Wildfire Recovery Program

(24) State Farm payout for catastrophic losses at $5B

(25) Residents show appreciation to firefighters for saving homes

(26) Wildfires keep burning in Northwest Montana

(27) Warm weather causes some growth in Wyo. wildfires

(28) Black Hills National Forest to Begin Prescribed Burning

(29) With BWCA wildfire 53 percent contained, officials plan for wilderness rehab

(30) Big fires might help state’s moose herd

(31) Fire on Barksdale's east side

(32) Winds creating buffer between Alta. wildfire and Fort McMurray

(33) Firefighters put out 50 fires across Russia

(34) Fire destroys over 40 acres of forest reserve

(35) Investigation into two fires

(36) Roleystone firefighters receive top awards

(37) Former FESA chief officer Craig Hynes quits in Hills fire report wake

(38) Kimberley residents warned of bushfires

(39) Police and RFS ready to target arsonists this bushfire season

(40) Bush fire danger period commences October 1

(41) Bushfire Proof Your Home This Season

(42) Hassell and Grocon's new Dandenong icon gets 6 Green Stars

(43) Bushfire plans vital: Council

(44) Bike challenge re-routed after bushfires

(45) NT bushfire website under threat

(46) Bushfires blamed for roo pneumonia

(47) Quick-thinking cops, off-duty firefighter help at fire scene