WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111811

The legality of California's new $150 fire tax is discussed in our first article today (1); while the University of California will be getting a sizable grant of forest land from Pacific Gas & Electric on which to do studies of phenomena such as wildfires (2). An Op-Ed piece discusses the importance of performing controlled burns in North Central Washington to reduce the incidence of destructive wildfires in the future (3). A fast-moving 400-acre wildfire on the outskirts of Reno, Nevada, forced hasty evacuations of homeowners (4); prompting officials to declare a state of emergency (5); the next article providing photos from the fire lines (6); even as Nevada lawmakers praised firefighters and prayed for wildfire survivors (7). In the aftermath of Arizona's summer wildfires, residents from the White Mountains spoke out about changes they would like to see in forest management at a Senate hearing on Wednesday (8). As relief efforts wind down in Bastrop County, Texas, the FEMA assistance center has closed (9); while information for wildfire survivors will be offered at Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center this Saturday (10); but as if Texas senior citizens didn't have enough on their minds after surviving wildfires, now they have to deal with Medicare as well (11). Wildfires were reported in wind-swept Muskegon County, Michigan, this morning (12); and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry reported a wildfire near Albany yesterday afternoon (13). Although rain and snow snuffed most of a 200-acre wildfire in Bedford County, Virginia, a 20-acre portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway remained closed (14); while a wildfire which burned nearly 600 acres in George Washington National Forest has finally been contained (15). Australia's University of Melbourne will be conducting a new study entitled Beyond Bushfires: Community Resilience and Recovery to better chart recovery efforts in parts of Victoria impacted by the Black Saturday bushfires (16); but Queensland Fire and Rescue battled a bushfire near Meringandan yesterday (17). Several bushfires have erupted across South Australia, which continues to bake under a heat wave (18); including a suspected arson blaze near Blewitt Springs (19). Shire officials were concerned that school officials in Mundaring, Western Australia, had some vulnerabilities in their bushfire defenses (20); Perth Hills Water Corporation warning homeowners not to rely on public water supplies to defend their homes during a bushfire (21). And finally, a Florida Humane Society facility devastated by a 2007 wildfire is rising from the ashes!

(1) State Wildfire Fee 'Not Legal'

(2) UC researchers get forest land from PG&E

(3) Smoke now, or more later

(4) Reno wildfire destroys homes, residents evacuated

(5) State of emergency declared in Reno wildfire

(6) PHOTOS: Reno wildfire burns 400 acres

(7) Nevada lawmakers praise Reno firefighting effort, pray for victims

(8) Concerns remain after fires are out in northern Arizona

(9) Bastrop FEMA center closes

(10) Bastrop County Expo offers variety of information for wildfire survivors

(11) FEMA: Wildfire Survivors Reminded of Medicare 'Open Season'

(12) Winds whip up wildfires, wires down across West Michigan

(13) Crews extinguish wildfire near Albany

(14) Wildfire still has part of parkway closed

(15) Wildfire under control, contained

(16) Beyond Bushfires, a study into community resilience and recovery

(17) Arson suspected in bushfire

(18) SA fires contained as state swelters

(19) Arsonist lit scrub fire near Blewitt Springs

(20) Bushfire sparks fly

(21) Water Corp in warning about bushfire season

(22) Jacksonville Humane Society moving on from 2007 fire