WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101911

The San Diego chapter of Habitat for Humanity has admitted that it mishandled donations intended to help rebuild Southern California homes after the devastating 2007 wildfires (1); but wind worked to the advantage of firefighters for a change, helping keep a 20-acre wildfire away from homes in Kern County (2); even as US Forest Service announced prescribed burns for the Greenhorn Mountains area (3). In an Op-Ed piece, a fire chief from Colorado points out the importance of wildfire preparations even in small towns across the western US where small wildfires cause a great deal of damage, too (4); while a forestry policy professor discussed the difficulties of executing woody biomass programs on areas impacted by wildfire in this financial climate at Utah State University’s "Restoring the West" conference (5). Several Texas Senate committees will tackle the thorny issues of drought and resultant wildfires at the direction of the Lieutenant Governor (6); but the Texas Forest Service has left it up to individual counties as to whether they should lift their burn bans, although over 230 still have them in place (7); even as a law firm has launched a new website to help homeowners running into problems filing insurance claims for damage done by wildfires (8); while officials in Harrison County contemplated ways to recompense farmers and timber owners, in an article that takes a look at the overall wildfire losses suffered by the timber industry (9); and a wildfire relief concert at the University of Texas raised “way north of $500,000”, according to organizers (10). A wildfire has charred 300 acres in Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park (11); while Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources has cautioned hunters to keep an eye on their fires after five dozen wildfires destroyed one structure and threatened many others (12). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Rodger Ozburn, a Regional Fire Specialist with West Virginia Division of Forestry, provided some safety tips to schoolkids, reminding them that the number one cause of wildfires in that state is careless people (13). Numerous wildfires continue to burn in Spain and Portugal (14); NASA snapped a striking photo from orbit showing the haze produced by wildfires in eastern China over the Bo Hai region (15). Australian Agricultural Company provided an update on a worker who was badly burned fighting the bushfire near their South Galway Station in Queensland last week (16); while South Australia's Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to conduct over 100 controlled burns to treat 19,600 ha in an effort to reduce the bushfire threat across the state (17). And finally, firefighters in British Columbia got some pointers on performing some really big rescues!

(1) Group Admits Mishandling Wildfire Victim Funds

(2) Wind Keeps California Wildfire Away From Homes

(3) Forest Service to begin fuel reduction projects

(4) Wildfires Occur in Small Towns, Too: Are You Ready?

(5) Experts: Fire up incentives for Utah forest energy

(6) Wildfires, drought focus of interim studies

(7) Lifted burn bans haven't caused wildfire issues, officials say

(8) The Bastrop Wildfire Claims Attorneys of Williams Kherkher and the Leon Law Firm Launch Site to Help Wildfire Victims

(9) Harrison County co-sponsors seminar to help wildfire victims

(10) Wildfire benefit concert draws stars

(11) Voyageurs National Park: Tooth Lake Fire Remains at 300 acres

(12) DNR asks hunters to be cautious with wildfire numbers up

(13) Kids Learn to Play It Safe Around Fire

(14) EFFIS - Current Situation

(15) Forest Fires And Pollution Produce Thick Haze Over Eastern China

(16) Burnt station worker recovering

(17) Controlled burn off season begins as smoke covers Mt Lofty Ranges

(18) Firefighters take the reins of large animal rescue