WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 012011

Another lawsuit has been filed by a coalition of eastern San Diego County organizations to block San Diego Gas & Electric's proposed Sunrise transmission line project, which the lawsuit claims poses a significant wildfire threat (1); this at a time when Santa Ana winds, unusual for this time of year, are whipping through the region, increasing the fire danger (2). An article takes a closer look at the cooperative agreement between NASA and CAL FIRE on mapping wildfires with drones (3). Washington State Department of Natural Resources will be issuing fire assistance grants to nearly 2 dozen districts across the state to help with preparations for, among other things, wildfires (4); while a prescribed burn is planned for the Douglas Ranger District in Arizona's Coronado National Forest (5). Taos, New Mexico's, Forest and Water Climate Adaptation Plan reflects concern for wildfires worsened by climate change (6); and controlled burns are planned in Colorado's Boulder Ranger District today (7). The governor of Texas has issued fire restrictions for 190 of the 254 counties in that state due to continued drought conditions (8); followed by an article that takes a look at Wyoming's forestry forecast, which has to take into account the wildfire danger posed by 3.1 million beetle-killed trees statewide (9). Arkansas had a very busy fire season in 2010, one which saw more fires than the previous two years combined! (10) As Florida Division of Forestry celebrates 75 years, the state has one of the most active prescribed burning programs in the US (11). Officials in Greece have approved a wildfire protection plan for Mt. Olympos National Park (12); but wind-driven veld fires in Cape Town, South Africa, are giving firefighters headaches (13). Heading to Australia, Orana Rural Fire Service is concerned about the bushfire danger across New South Wales (14); while firefighters were battling a bushfire south of Perth, Western Australia, that damaged several homes yesterday (15). And finally, the US Office of Naval Research may be creating your next colleague: a firefighting robot!

(1) More litigation against the Sunrise project

(2) Santa Ana winds hit 50 mph inland

(3) REGION: Fire agencies benefiting from NASA technology

(4) DNR announces 2010 volunteer fire assistance grants to 23 districts and departments across Washington

(5) Prescribed Fire in the Chiricahua Mountains

(6) New regional plan proposes 'climate adaptation' for Taos County

(7) Forest Service to burn slash piles near Nederland

(8) Perry extends drought order for at least 190 counties

(9) Wyoming forestry officials look to forests' future

(10) Number of wildfires in Arkansas in 2010 surpasses the number of previous 2 years combined

(11) Ag Comm. Introduces Forestry Resolutions

(12) Protection plan for Mt. Olympos

(13) Firefighters battle Cape veld fires

(14) Staring down barrel of bushfire danger

(15) Four homes in Perth damaged in Western Australian bushfire

(16) Researchers to Develop Firefighting Humanoid