WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 040711

A video segment shows French firefighters from Aix-en-Provence getting some pointers from CAL FIRE in Northern California earlier this week (1); while a wildfire that burned 8,000 acres in Arizona's Coronado National Forest will make for some smoky conditions, prompting health officials to issue warnings to people with respiratory problems (2); and an eight-acre wildfire burning in the southern part of that state briefly threatened homes in the area (3). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, provides an update on fire conditions across the state (4); and the governor toured burn areas to survey the damage for herself (5). A wildfire that burned 8 acres in Durango, Colorado, was blamed on hot ashes from a fireplace that were disposed of improperly (6); while several wildland firefighters from Idaho's Shoshone-Bannock Tribes received personal thanks from Colorado's governor for their help battling wildfires in that state (7); even as cooler weather was helping firefighters rope in the blazes (8); but there are some unanswered questions about how a possible federal government shut down will affect US Forest Service firefighters battling the Crystal Fire (9). CNN provides some information on fire conditions in Oklahoma in the next item (10); where National Guard Black Hawk helicopters assisted firefighters from four counties battling a massive wildfire that destroyed several structures in Oklahoma County (11); and health officials warned residents about the smoky breathing conditions in the area (12). A summary of wildfire activity across Texas is provided by the next article (13); where 605 wildfires have burned 279,279 acres, destroying over 160 structures so far this year (14). A wildfire that was burning in Wichita County, Texas, has been contained after burning 300 acres (15); while Acts Community Organization, an outfit which is helping rebuild homes destroyed by wildfires, is profiled in the next article (16). Several members of Congress petitioned the US Department of Agriculture Secretary for more funds to deal with the fire hazard posed by beetle-killed trees in South Dakota (17); and fire season has arrived across Minnesota, as evidenced by several small wildfires (18). An incident management team is helping coordinate firefighting efforts in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest, which has seen 76 wildfires burn 12,000 acres so far this year (19); while firefighters in Arkansas's Ouachita National Forest will be lighting controlled burns over 500 acres to reduce the wildfire danger (20). US Forest Service will be burning approximately 90 acres in Alabama's Talladega National Forest today (21); where firefighters have already battled blazes that burned 1,000 acres, many of them apparently arson jobs (22). The uptick in major forest fires in Virginia is the topic of the next item (23). The destruction of Trinidad's watershed by bushfires is something of concern to that Caribbean island nation (24). Firefighters continued to battle a wildfire in India's Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, which has burned 650 hectares of forest over the past few days (25); prompting the Bombay High Court to come down hard on forestry officials for the damage done over the past several years by wildfires (26). An Australian researcher from the University of Sydney has turned down an offer to work with Victoria's government on the controversial cattle grazing project being conducted in Alpine National Park (27); while a bushfire in Western Australia's Nilgen Nature Reserve presented firefighters with an additional hazard: unexploded ordnance! (28) And finally, in a case of serious overkill, nearly 2 dozen firefighters were called out to rescue one cat stuck on a roof in the UK!

(1) VIDEO: French firefighters visit CalFire

(2) Duke Fire smoke will be visible for some time

(3) Wildfire near the southern Ariz. community of Hereford burns 8 acres. Fire crews protect homes

(4) Firefighters dig in against winds at NM wildfire

(5) Gov. Martinez tours areas burned by wildfire

(6) Durango wildfire blamed on fireplace ashes

(7) Gov. Hickenlooper visits firefighters' base camp

(8) Cool forecast not so hot for outdoor enthusiasts but helpful for firefighters

(9) Government shutdown's impact on Crystal Fire fight undetermined; RMNP to close

(10) Wildfires put Oklahoma to the test

(11) Homes, Buildings Destroyed By Wildfire In Spencer

(12) Smoke drifting in calm winds across north Oklahoma City, northeast Oklahoma County

(13) Wednesday wildfire update

(14) Wildfires still devastating much of Texas

(15) Wildfire Contained In Wichita County

(16) Rebuilding homes destroyed by the wildfires

(17) Noem asks for money for pine beetle fight

(18) Wildfire season officially underway

(19) Team to help in managing wildfires in Mark Twain National Forest

(20) Forest Crews Set Fires in Ouachita National Forest

(21) Forest Service to burn 90 acres near Sylacauga today

(22) Arson prevention urged as historic barn burns

(23) Forest fires on the rise

(24) Burning up water resources

(25) Forest fire rages in Bor, Gorewada

(26) Take steps to prevent forest fires: HC

(27) Top scientist rejects grazing trial

(28) Bushfire in Nilgen Nature Reserve

(29) 22 firefighters called out to save one cat stuck on a roof