WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051611

First up today, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along an attachment about opportunities to apply for three contributing editor positions at their organization with the following explanation:

Wildfire, the International Association of Wildland Fire’s membership magazine, is seeking three new “Contributing Editors,” and especially interested applicants from the fire communities in Australia and Europe. You do not need to be an IAWF member to apply.

Please see the attached application for an explanation of duties and terms for these volunteer positions that help IAWF obtain and distribute wildland fire information from around the world. Completed applications are due by July 1st and are to be sent to the Chair of the Wildfire Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. Following review the applicants will be notified of their selection – Chuck Bushey, FireNet Moderator and IAWF President

Elsewhere in the news, the US Forest Service, which is facing a deadline at the end of 2011 for implementing new retardant guidelines, has released a draft proposal addressing the issue (1); while officials from San Diego County, California, will be holding a Wildfire Evacuation Community Forum in Ramona this afternoon (2); the following story examining the high costs of wildland firefighting in rural residential areas of this state (3). As a wildfire in Southern Arizona continues to grow, heavy air-tankers operated out of a forward air base at Fort Huachuca (4); but an Op-Ed piece from that state argues for more realistic penalties for those who start major wildfires (5). An update on a 70,000-acre wildfire burning in New Mexico's Gila National Forest shows that it is now 20% contained (6); and a wildfire drill in Colorado brought together nearly 40 agencies to battle a mock blaze (7); while the Texas Forest Service wildfire update is provided in the next article (8). Michigan's Upper Peninsula faces an increased wildfire threat at least through this coming weekend (9); and a wildfire that has burned over 25,000 acres in North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge was apparently started by a lightning strike (10). A wildfire that has burned over 128,000 acres in Georgia’s Okeefenokee Swamp is now 30% contained following some timely rainfall (11); but that storm system, which also moved through North Florida over the weekend, sparked some additional fires while helping to tamp down some others (12); while a lightning-sparked wildfire that has charred nearly 3,000 acres over the past three weeks in and around Southern Florida's Golden Gate Estates has finally been contained (13). The Alaska Division of Forestry responded to six wildfires in the vicinity of Fairbanks over the weekend (14). Wildfires in Alberta, Canada, have devastated the community of Slave Lake (15); forcing evacuation of the Fort McMurray oil sands facilities (16); prompting a closure of rail service through areas frequented by fires (17); but firefighters from other provinces are on the way to help (18); as well as 100 additional firefighters from Calgary (19). A wildfire was reported near Mexico's vacation resort of Cancun (20); while the Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association noted that four months worth of forest products went up in smoke in recent wildfires (21). Wildfires were reported in La Valle Agordina, Italy, Minho-Lima, Portugal, as well as Algeria in North Africa (22); and wildfires in Siberia have doubled in size in the past 24 hours, requiring the attention of 2,300 firefighters and 534 pieces of equipment (23). Heading to Australia, Victoria's Acting Emergency Services Commissioner is asking for input from homeowners who have successfully defended their property from bushfires in the Yarra Ranges (24); while Country Fire Authority will be holding several bushfire meetings to discuss preparations for the inevitable blazes (25). New South Wales' Rural Fire Service dispatched firefighters with an air-tanker to deal with a bushfire near Bulli Tops (26); even as Western Australia's FESA apologized for stirring up trouble in regards to a volunteer bushfire brigade located in the Perth Hills (27). And finally, kids in Yakima, Washington, got to play firefighter for a day!

(1) Forest Service makes new plan for fire retardant

(2) Wildfire Evacuation Community Forum in Ramona is today

(3) Cameron Park at high risk for wildfire, California officials say

(4) Fires keep air tanker crew busy

(5) Toughen penalties to help reduce fire risk

(6) Crews continue to battle Miller Fire; new blaze reported

(7) Chilly drill in Larkspur helps 39 agencies better fight wildfires

(8) Texas Forest Service: Monday Wildfire Update

(9) Parts of Michigan see risk of flooding, wildfires

(10) Lightning blamed for Pains Bay wildfire

(11) Progress Fighting SE Ga. Wildfire

(12) Storms dampen some wildfires, jump-start others

(13) Golden Gate Estates wildfire contained

(14) Wildfires sparked around Fairbanks as weather warms, sun shines

(15) Slave Lake reeling after Alberta fires cause 'devastating' destruction

(16) Fort McMurray/oil sands forest fire update

(17) Energy, transport hit as fires sweep north Alberta

(18) B.C. firefighters head to ravaged Slave Lake

(19) Slave Lake fire: 'We have a very, very serious situation in Alberta'

(20) Forest fire breaks out in Cancun, Mexico

(21) Calls for prosecutions for forest fires

(22) EFFIS - Current Situation

(23) Russian wildfires double in size

(24) Views sought for fire research

(25) Tonight: Learn How to Beat Bushfires in the Yarra Valley

(26) Bushfire west of Bulli Tops

(27) Bushfire brigade will stay at Banjup

(28) Firefighters Fair offers community connection