WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050411

Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters and fireships contained a 117-acre wildfire that broke out on Southern California's Catalina Island (1); and they also knocked down a 60-acre blaze burning in the Antelope Valley (2). Firefighters battling a 2,000-acre blaze near Sonoita, Arizona, feared that increased wind could make the fight that much harder (3). An advisory panel is recommending that Boulder County, Colorado, establish a "forest improvement district" which would raise money for wildfire mitigation projects (4); meanwhile, a 495-acre wildfire burning in the San Isabel National Forest is now 85% contained (5). Texas Forest Service provides an update on current wildfire activity across that state in the next item (6); where the massive Rock House Fire, which has burned 313,323 acres near Fort Davis, should be contained today (7); even as that state tallies its losses from recent wildfires, they're estimating that $20 million have been chalked up to agricultural losses in April alone (8); but since the governor got no response from President Obama in regards to declaring the Texas wildfires a disaster (which would free up federal funds for battling them), two Texas Senators have weighed in in hopes of getting Obama's attention (9); even as FEMA attempted to deflect criticism over its decision to cut off further aid to the state (10). Tangentlink sent along a link to their upcoming aerial firefighting conference in Washington DC, at which a panel of experts will focus on the recent wildfires in Texas (11). Firefighters have established an 11 mile perimeter around a 2,000-acre blaze burning in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp (12); while a wildfire that burned nearly 4 acres in Polk County, Florida, destroyed a propane tank, some sheds, and a couple of vehicles (13); but firefighters in Volusia and Flagler Counties are keeping an eye on a score wildfires burning there (14); where a wildfire burning in the Big Cypress Preserve killed a family of endangered panthers (15). An update on the wildfire situation in British Columbia, Canada, which has imposed a burn ban, is provided by the next article (16). Firefighters in Ireland have been battling 755 wildfires over the past several days (17); something which resulted in the Irish Defense Forces being pressed into service to help (18); while the Minister for Forestry laid into wildfire arsonists for starting numerous blazes across the country (19). As wildfires continued to ravage the UK, firefighters from Dorset battled a blaze in Wareham Forest (20); but some teenagers were reported near fire starts in Berkshire's Swinley Forest (21); while officials feared that the damage done by that wildfire could take a decade to heal (22). Some video footage from Northern England shows firefighters and heli-tankers in action (23); and the following article provides a map of wildfires across the UK, where the Prime Minister praised firefighters for their heroics (24). Even the Queen of England's Balmoral estate has reported wildfires (25); while the National Trust for Scotland estimated that recent wildfires have cost £100,000 in damage (26). Scientists from Spain's University of Barcelona are studying the impact of wildfires on the Mediterranean ecosystem (27); and as Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations sees a 50% jump in wildfire activity over previous years, their firefighters are preparing for a busy season (28). Heading to Australia, the Victorian shire of Nillumbik could be socked with a $337,000 bill for bushfire damage repair if the state government does not step in to help (29); while NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite snapped a striking photo of bushfires burning in Northcentral Australia on April 24th (30). And finally, wildfire sightseers in Northern Ireland got more than they bargained for when the wind changed direction and firefighters had to come to rescue them!

(1) Firefighters contain Catalina brush fire

(2) Firefighters battle 20-acre brush fire in Antelope Valley [Updated]

(3) Fire crews battling high winds near Sonoita

(4) Advisory team: Boulder County needs a forest improvement district

(5) Sand Gulch fire 85 percent contained

(6) Texas Forest Service: Wednesday Wildfire Update

(7) Rock House fire could be contained Wednesday

(8) Texas Wildfires Cause $20 Million In Agricultural Losses

(9) Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Cornyn ask Obama for Texas wildfire aid

(10) FEMA defends no more help over Texas wildfires

(11) The Future of US Aerial Firefighting - defining and implementing the correct path

(12) Stronger winds today could strengthen Okefenokee fire

(13) Wildfire destroys vehicles, sheds

(14) Firefighters keeping tabs on 20 wildfires in Volusia, Flagler

(15) Big Cypress Preserve wildfire consumes panther den killing 4 kittens

(16) Forest Grove fire precludes burning ban

(17) Firefighters in Ireland fight over 755 wildfires in dry highlands

(18) Soldiers help with wildfires battle

(19) Minister for Forestry condemns fire starters

(20) Dorset firefighters tackle Wareham Forest fire

(21) 'Arsonists' seen near Swinley Forest fire in Berkshire

(22) Forest fire's environmental impact could last a decade

(23) Firefighters continue to tackle blazes

(24) David Cameron praises crews tackling heath fires

(25) Wildfire burns swathes of Balmoral estate

(26) Wildfire damage to Highland forest projects estimated at £100,000

(27) Improving Post-Fire Forest Management to Promote Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Ecosystems

(28) Russia Prepares for Forest Fire Season

(29) Nillumbik disaster funding woes

(30) NASA MODIS Image of the Day: May 4, 2011 - Northcentral Australia

(31) Wildfire 'sight-seers' trapped by blazes