WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051011

The impact of La Niña on the United States is blamed by scientists at NOAA for rampant wildfires (1). Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters will be conducting live fire drills on Southern California's Pitchess Detention Center property from tomorrow through July 1st (2); but difficult terrain hampered firefighters trying to battle a 150-acre blaze in the San Gorgonio Wilderness (3). University of California researchers recently published a new study in the journal Physical Review E which showed a link between suppressing small wildfires and the catastrophic mega-fires which are plaguing many states (4). A summary of wildfire activity across Arizona is provided by the next item (5); where the uneven penalties meted out by justice to those who start wildfires is examined (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, provides some details on wildfires burning in that state in the next article (7); where a 2,000-acre wildfire burning in Otero County is now 10% contained (8). Firefighters in Colorado are bracing for wildfires as winds pick up and humidity drops (9); and a 150-acre wildfire burning in Park County is now 20% contained (10). The next article takes another look at the contentious debate between the US President and the Governor of Texas over a disaster declaration for massive wildfires that have burned 2.4 million acres so far (11); while firefighters in Brewster County had to continually shift resources between three wildfires in their area (12). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association, sent along a press release about their members' activities battling the Texas wildfires (13). A 152-acre wildfire reportedly was burning in Lake County, Michigan, yesterday (14); while firefighters in Connecticut battled a 100-acre wildfire on Bear Mountain, the highest point in the state (15). Firefighters set backfires to try to halt the advance of a wildfire that has already burned over 20,000 acres in North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (16); but the state of Florida has an unwanted visitor as the Honey Prairie fire, which has burned 90,990 acres in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, has crossed into the northern part of Florida (17); meanwhile, smoke from a 35,000-acre wildfire burning in Big Cypress National Preserve is making life difficult for people with respiratory problems in Miami-Dade and Broward counties (18). Cuba, which suffered 322 wildfires that burned 12,355 acres last year, is working with Canada to help predict wildfire activity more accurately (19); but the Central American nation of Belize has been ravaged by wildfires, over two dozen burning 29,000 acres in the Mountain Pine Ridge area alone (20). In Australia, the Victorian Supreme Court has given the green light for a class-action Black Saturday lawsuit against a power utility and the state government to proceed (21); while the role that bushfire smoke plays in germination of seeds has been unveiled in a new study by researchers at the University of Western Australia (22). And finally, a tricky firefighter extrication in Kent County, England, turned out just ducky!

(1) Fire and rain: Fed scientists point to wild April

(2) L.A. to train for wildfires

(3) FOREST FALLS: Blaze grows to about 150 acres

(4) Facebook and Forest Fire Prevention

(5) Prescott area agencies to join fire-use restrictions Wednesday

(6) Fire and punishment: Penalties for starting big wildfires vary

(7) Fire evacuates New Mexico village of Queen

(8) Mayhill residents flee advancing fire

(9) Local fire crews ready for difficult conditions

(10) Wildfire burns near Kenosha Pass, large swath of Colorado under fire warning

(11) Wildfire Politics Grip State as Disasters Hit Elsewhere

(12) Crews still battling trio of area wildfires

(13) Private Aerial Firefighters Taking On Texas Blazes

(14) Forest fire torches 152 acres

(15) Forest Fire Reported On Bear Mountain

(16) Back-burn to protect Stumpy Point from NC wildfire

(17) Honey Prairie Fire has burned 90,990 acres and crossed into Florida

(18) Big Cypress National Preserve’s wildfire causing smokey smell

(19) Cuba & Canada Develop Forest Fire Warning System

(20) 29,000 acres burned out from over 25 forest fires in Mountain Pine Ridge

(21) Bushfire class action to go ahead

(22) Plant 'smoke detector' gene

(23) Sheerness firefighters rescue 15 ducklings