WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 030911

A National Public Radio segment discusses the thorny issue of insurance companies covering homes in wildfire-prone parts of California and Colorado (1); but the Colorado chapter of the Red Cross reports that many homeowners struck by wildfires don't have any insurance at all (2). A Flagstaff, Arizona, resident vents at the US Forest Service in an Op-Ed piece that recommends removing immunity from prosecution from fire managers who refuse to heed public requests for stricter wildfire prevention standards (3). Officials in Socorro County, New Mexico, discussed tighter coordination amongst fire agencies in an era of limited resources (4); followed by a story in which Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, comments on the wildfire danger in that state (5); even as it is gearing up for more wildfires, in some cases increasing crew strength tenfold (6). Montrose County, Colorado, spent nearly $80,000 to create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan as wildfire season approaches (7). An update on Texas wildfires, along with the weather forecast for the next few days, is provided by the next item (8); followed by one that profiles two Texas Forest Service fire managers who have been busy battling the many blazes that have plagued that state lately (9); where, even though fires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres, firefighters are setting prescribed burns in Jones State Forest! (10) Randall County, Texas, passed a resolution honoring first responders who helped battle the raging wildfires last week (11); while in Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park personnel plan to conduct prescribed fires this spring to help the ecosystem (12). Floridians may be facing the worst wildfire danger in a decade, according the next article (13). Firefighters in Vöcklabruck, Austria, raced to extinguish a wildfire set by an elderly woman yesterday (14). Authorities have identified the arsonist who set a wildfire near Southwest China's Baoshan City (15); and a wildfire was reported in India's Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the fifth in the past three months (16). Not content that bushfires have burned enough vegetation this year, Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service in New South Wales, Australia, are taking advantage of the end of bushfire season to set a few fires of their own! (17) In a bit of a gender bender, a teenage girl has been charged with setting a bushfire in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, yesterday (18). And finally, we have a success story from Victoria, Australia, about an endangered fish species saved from extinction after the Black Saturday bushfires devastated their habitat!

(1) Insurance Companies Rethink Risk Of Wildfires

(2) Many wildfire victims cope with no insurance

(3) Remove immunity for national forest officials

(4) Firefighters concerned as fire season approaches

(5) New Mexico wildfire partially contained, still threatens

(6) Crews prepare to attack wildfires from all angles

(7) Montrose County Develops Wildfire Protection Plan

(8) Current Texas wildfire status - March 9, 2011

(9) J’ville Forest Service personnel respond to wildfires

(10) Keeping the forest green with fire

(11) Wildfire heroes honored

(12) Staff at Mammoth Cave preparing for 2 prescribed fires this spring

(13) Wildfire season could be worst in a decade

(14) Elderly woman causes forest fire

(15) Mentally ill man blamed for starting SW China forest fire

(16) Fire breaks out in national park

(17) Controlled bushfire burn in Wahroonga

(18) Girl, 14, on Ellenbrook bushfire arson charge

(19) Heidelberg project breeds success