WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 043011

First up in wildfire news today, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Britt Gourley, CEO of air-tanker giant Aero Union, sent along the following message on their operations:

Mike: We are good to go for 7 day ops starting Sunday in New Mexico. Typically we fly six days, not because of the airplanes, but because the crews have to get a day of rest. We have a spare crew. This will be done on three-week cycles for four aircraft.

Elsewhere in the news, the National Interagency Fire Center released its annual wildfire projection on Friday (1); but as Wildfire Awareness Week kicks off in California Sunday, the wet winter has led to a dangerous buildup of fuel across the state (2); where the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011, a bill in Congress which would open up 43,000,000 acres for public use, is explained by a sponsor (3). The concept of Fire Adapted Communities in Nevada is explored by the next article (4); while two firefighters were injured battling a 4,500-acre wildfire burning along the Arizona/Mexican border yesterday (5); and firefighters in Gila County came upon a grizzly discovery while responding to a forest fire alert (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, provides a behind-the-scenes look at how fire managers coordinate multiple incidents in the next article (7); the following article focusing on wildfires in that state (8). A 300-acre lightning-sparked wildfire in Colorado's San Isabel National Forest forced evacuations south of Canon City (9); while high winds kept Oklahoma National Guard helicopters grounded, even as the residents of Cement had to be evacuated due to an approaching wildfire (10). Having already fought 7,807 wildfires since December 2010, firefighters in Texas were worried about wind stirring the pot on current blazes (11); one in Kimble County forcing evacuations when it jumped containment lines (12); while grass fires in Cochran and Hockley Counties scorched thousands of acres (13). Although rain helped dampen fuel around a 2,800-acre wildfire burning in Florida's Golden Gate Estates, firefighters said the fire threat still remains as the blaze is only 70% contained (14). British Columbia Forest Service announced that a burn ban will take effect in that Canadian province beginning Monday (15); but fire authorities reported that wildfire activity was nonexistent in the province of Ontario (16). Firefighters in the Northern Chinese province of Shanxi mobilized 2,600 personnel to battle a major wildfire (17). A volunteer bushfire brigade captain is testifying about the difficulties between Western Australia's Fire and Emergency Services Authority and volunteer fire departments (18). And finally, a San Bernardino, California, firefighter plans to get into the Guinness World Records on a snowboard!

(1) Wildfire experts predict low-risk, delayed fire season for NW

(2) Wet winter leads to dangerous summer for wildfires

(3) Congressman McCarthy Highlights Wilderness & Roadless Area Release Act of 2011

(4) Wildfire awareness: It takes a community

(5) 2 firefighters suffer injuries battling blaze along border

(6) Body found in burning vehicle

(7) Spring wildfires spark challenges for managers

(8) New fire erupts in Gila National Forest

(9) Sand Gulch fire grows, forces evacuations south of Canon City

(10) Wildfire Burns In Cement; Residents Evacuated

(11) Wildfires burn in south, central and west Texas

(12) Wildfire threat forces Texas community to evacuate

(13) Cochran, Hockley counties fighting grass fires

(14) Firefighters battle Day 4 of 2,800 acre brush fire

(15) First fire ban issued in B.C.'s Cariboo region

(16) Update on forest fire situation

(17) Forest Fire Breaks out in North China

(18) Firefighter to expose FESA 'dysfunction'

(19) San Bernardino firefighter wants to set record