WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101211

A study from the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate discusses results of their research into wildfire (1). As temperatures rise and winds pick up speed, fire agencies in Southern California are bracing for wildfires, as the next two articles show (2)(3); while a parcel of land is being set aside by Lockyer Valley Airport for the establishment of a firefighting helipad (4); even as government and fire officials were making progress on reactivating Santa Maria Airport as a full-time federal air-tanker base (5); and fire restrictions were lifted on the Mendocino National Forest, allowing residents of Corning to burn debris in their yards once again (6). Oregon Department of Forestry looks back on the 2011 wildfire season in a press release (7); as an out-of-control debris burn scorched 3 acres in Ashland (8). Fire officials reflected on the slowest wildfire season in 18 years in north-central Washington's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (9); while a Nevada man has been arrested in regards to a 1.5-acre wildfire that broke out July 8 in southwest Reno (10). A wildfire arsonist was sentenced in Flagstaff, Arizona, to two years behind bars (11); but the Arizona Cattle Growers Association rolled out their Save Arizona’s Forest Environment (SAFE) program, which is designed to bring commonsense land management back to the US Forest Service in a state heavily impacted by wildfires this year (12). Volunteer firefighters recall what it was like to fight the monster wildfire that roared through Bastrop County, Texas (13); but in the aftermath of that fire, Bastrop State Park looks like a moonscape now (14); the Lower Colorado River Authority agreeing to donate $5 million to help with the post-wildfire cleanup (15); while Texas Forest Service estimated that 12 million ft.³ of salvage timber had been collected from wildfire burn areas in Grimes, Jasper, Trinity and Polk counties (16); and FEMA rolled out temporary housing for Texans who lost their homes in the wildfires (17). Firefighters feel they have the 145 mi.² wildfire burning in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness 85% contained (18); while a 30,000-acre wildfire that was burning in Roseau County has finally been contained (19). Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources mounted standing air patrols to watch for wildfires (20); and the North Carolina Forest Service joined with US Forest Service to discuss the cause of most wildfires as part of Fire Prevention Week in that state (21). In British Columbia, Canada, Merritt Fire Rescue Department has responded to seven suspicious wildfires since September (22); but a grant of nearly $210,000 from the Union of B.C. Municipalities’ Operational Fuel Management Program has allowed West Kelowna crews to clear vegetation that could pose a wildfire hazard to the community (23). Recent experience with wildfires in Manitoba prompted cell phone users to ask for better service coverage in their area (24). Quebec loaned Ontario some aerial firefighting assistance to deal with nearly 3 dozen new wildfires (25); and as part of Ontario's Wildfires! A Firefighting Adventure in 4D program, students were allowed to check out a Ministry of Natural Resources turbo Beaver air-tanker (26). Firefighters in Russia's Far East extinguished eight wildfires in Primorye Territory and the Jewish Autonomous Region (27); while a new wildfire that scorched 96 ha in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province was met with a heavy response: 2,185 firefighters, a helicopter and three air-tankers (28). In the aftermath of mounting compensation expenses, Victoria, Australia's, Country Fire Authority is considering establishing a permanent fire academy to train firefighters (29); but a book which chronicled the Black Saturday bushfires won the reporter who wrote it $10,000 (30). The fire danger posed by African lovegrass in New South Wales is explored by the next article (31). As South Australia's bushfire season begins early in the north (32); an editorial reminds people to be prepared for bushfire season, including information on a new cell phone app from Country Fire Service (33). And finally, the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula, Montana, added a new member to its distinguished fleet of aerial firefighters!

(1) Spreading like wildfire? Maybe not always

(2) Heat wave raises Southern California fire risk, officials warn

(3) San Diegans Urged To Prepare For Wildfires

(4) Helipad a boost to disaster plan

(5) Contract in works for fed air tanker base

(6) City, forest fire bans lifted

(7) Moderate 2011 Wildfire Season Had Its Moments

(8) Firefighters stop grass fire up Dead Indian Memorial Road

(9) Light year in NCW for wildfires

(10) Man Arrested On Arson Charge After Reno Wildfire

(11) Wildfire starter receives 2 years

(12) Cattle Growers present SAFE plan to Globe and Miami Councils

(13) Texas Volunteers Recall Fighting Big Wildland Fire

(14) Fires leave popular park a 'moonscape'

(15) LCRA gives $5M after Bastrop County wildfires

(16) East Texas timber salvageable after wildfire

(17) Temporary housing available for residents affected by fires

(18) Firefighters Say BWCA Fire 85 Percent Contained

(19) 'Juneberry 3' wildfire fully contained after burning nearly 30,000 acres

(20) Fighting fire with flights

(21) Fire Prevention Week: Help prevent wildfires

(22) String of suspicious bush fires ignite Merritt

(23) Clearing forest fire 'fuel'

(24) Wildfire area seeks better cellphone service

(25) Ontario importing fire-fighting water bombers from Quebec

(26) Students get close look at firefighting plane

(27) Firefighters extinguish 8 out of 16 forest fires in Russia’s Far East

(28) Forest fire breaks out in NE China

(29) CFA volunteer compo budget up over $3m

(30) Bushfire book 'inspiring'

(31) No love for lovegrass as bushfire season approaches

(32) South Australia's bushfire season starts early in the north

(33) No reason not to be ready this fire season

(34) WWII-era bomber retrofitted for firefighting lands at Missoula museum