Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 042811

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated that wildfire activity in the month of March 2011 (7,316 wildfires scorching 385,043 acres) was exceeded only by fires that burned in 2006, and April looks to continue the trend (1). A political battle over fire jurisdiction in the Southern California mountain community of Crestline was laid bare by a pair of resignations (2); while a 300-acre wildfire was burning outside of Needles (3); and fire season is approaching in Butte County, as evidenced by the need for burn permits beginning May 1st (4). In New Mexico, firefighting aircraft took advantage of reduced winds to help firefighters on the ground battle a 49,000-acre wildfire and a smaller 40-acre blaze (5). Wildfires continue to crop up in Texas (6); where firefighters in Corpus Christi battled a pair of wildfires (7); and a 100-acre wildfire required the ministrations of air-tankers in Walker County (8); another wildfire 10 miles south of Colorado City destroyed several homes which were unoccupied and is now 85% contained (9); Texas Governor Rick Perry saying that the wildfires which have ravaged his state have heavily impacted an already strained budget to the tune of $17.5 million of the $70 million in suppression costs (FEMA agreeing to pick up the rest of the tab) (10); while the U.S. Air Force provides some details on MAFFS-equipped firefighting aircraft battling blazes in Texas (11); even as Dyess Air Force Base dispatched firefighters to assist in battling a massive wildfire that has already burned over 200,000 acres (12); but Southern Baptists are doing their part to help both firefighters and families displaced by wildfires with a donation of 3,500 cases of drinking water (13). Facing drought, high winds, and wildfires, the governor of Kansas requested an emergency proclamation for 21 counties from the federal government (14); while a five-acre marsh fire was reported in New Jersey (15). A 50-acre wildfire was burning in Florida's Merritt Island National Refuge to the south of Kennedy Space Center (16); and FEMA agreed to foot 75% of the bill for the Slope Fire, which has burned 1,000 acres (17); but reinforcements arrived to help beleaguered firefighters battling a 1,700-acre wildfire in Collier County (18); and a wildfire in St. Johns County has reached 50% containment as it expanded to nearly 200 acres (19). Canadians living in Newfoundland and Labrador are being reminded of the beginning of fire season next month (20); while firefighters in Northern Ireland have had to deal with 700 gorse fires in the past two weeks, a problem made worse by the fact that there are no natural sources of water with which to battle the blazes (21). Updates on wildfires burning in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Bosnia, Serbia and Bulgaria are provided by the last item today (22).

(1) March 2011 Wildfire Activity Second Highest Since 2000

(2) 2 Resign from Fire Board

(3) San Bernardino firefighters get upper-hand on brush fire

(4) Burning permits required starting Sunday

(5) Updates: Last Chance, San Pedro fires

(6) Texas Forest Service: Thursday Wildfire Update

(7) Brush Fires Spread In Duval, Aransas County

(8) Crews Battle Walker County Blaze

(9) Firefighters Quickly Knock Down Champion Fire In Mitchell County

(10) Texas governor: Disaster could blow hole in budget

(11) As aircraft return home, others arrive to maintain firefighting capabilities

(12) Dyess AFB Sends Firefighting Help To Battle Rockhouse Fire

(13) Baptists collect more than 3,500 cases of water for wildfire relief

(14) Governor Requests USDA Declare Drought Disaster For 21 Kansas Counties

(15) Aberdeen marsh fire brought under control

(16) Wildfire burning near Kennedy Space Center

(17) FEMA: FEMA Authorizes Federal Funds to Help Battle Florida Wildfires

(18) Golden Gate Estates fire triples in size Wednesday

(19) Wildfire grows to 186 acres in St. Johns County

(20) Residents reminded to be careful during forest fire season

(21) NIFRS deal with 700 gorse fires

(22) EFFIS - Current Situation

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