WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 052611

In California, Santa Clara County Fire Safe Council weighed in with some useful tips for homeowners to use to protect their homes from wildfires (1). Several campgrounds will be closed in Arizona's Douglas Ranger District (Coronado National Forest) due to firefighting efforts (2); however, as the 44,600-acre Horseshoe Two wildfire continues to burn in southern Arizona, 900 firefighters have brought containment to 35% (3). The next article takes an in-depth look at US Forest Service's use of fire retardant on Arizona's and New Mexico's wildfires as a lawsuit against its use moves forward in the courts (4); but despite nearby wildfires, New Mexico's Gila Cliff Dwellings will reopen for Memorial Day (5). A wildfire that prompted evacuations in five neighborhoods outside of Amarillo, Texas, has now been contained (6); firefighters battling blazes in Midland and Andrews counties as well (7); the third article in the set recounting a 7,500-acre blaze in Hansford County (8). Congressional Fire Services Institute sent along a press release which provides more details on the severe cuts to FEMA's fire grants programs by the US Congress (9). As firefighters in North Carolina increased containment on the 28,000-acre wildfire burning in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge to 65%, a local highway has been reopened (10); while smoke from wildfires in Georgia drifting north to South Carolina caused health officials to issue some useful tips for people with respiratory problems (11). A new 4,000-acre wildfire has been reported near Georgia's Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge (12); and a 125-acre wildfire threatened homes in Volusia County, Florida, Wednesday night (13); while arson investigators looked into a suspicious four-acre blaze, the 20th reported in St. Johns County (14). A Canadian wildfire researcher commented on the inability of current climate change models to determine whether Global Warming is influencing wildfire activity (15); the following article taking a look at the dangers posed by aerial firefighting in Canada (16). June is going to be a busy month for firefighters in British Columbia as the B.C. Fire Service Expo gets underway on June 1st (17). Although several of Alberta's oilsands fields remain idle due to power outages, some oil pipelines are beginning to carry fuel south following suspension of service due to wildfires (18); and the harrowing experiences of two dozen volunteer firefighters who were all that stood between Slave Lake, Alberta, and the raging forest fire that would go on to destroy 1/3 of the town is recounted next (19); but as wildfire activity remains nil in Ontario, 82 firefighters are being dispatched from that province to help battle blazes in Alberta (20). A wildfire on Spain's Mediterranean island of Ibiza has burned upwards of 2,500 acres, forcing the evacuation of 80 people (21). There was a bit of a scuffle in Australia between Forests New South Wales and South East Region Conservation Alliance over the danger posed by controlled burns (22). And finally, firefighters in Evansville, Indiana, had to add one unusual detail to their standard operating procedure to knock down a house fire: call a beekeeper!

(1) Protect yourself from wildfires

(2) Closures due to firefighting operations

(3) Horseshoe Two fire increases to 44,600 acres

(4) AZ & NM Wildfires Rage as Forest Service Takes Heat Over Policies

(5) The Gila Cliff Dwellings and campgrounds reopening for holiday weekend

(6) Wildfire at Western & Hester Contained

(7) Firefighters extinguish Midland, Andrews county fires

(8) Wildfire in Hansford County

(9) House Appropriations Committee Approves FY12 Homeland Security Spending Bill

(10) Firefighters control wildfire enough to open 264

(11) Smoke from GA wildfire drifting into Midlands

(12) Firefighters Battle New Wildfire Near Okefenokee

(13) Wildfire Threatens Volusia County Homes

(14) Forestry officials investigating fire they believe is arson

(15) Models don't yet allow researchers to link local wildfire incidence with global climate change patterns: fire expert

(16) Killed pilot was from Montreal

(17) Preparations heating up for B.C. firefighting conferences

(18) Oil starts flowing through forest fire zone

(19) As Slave Lake went up, volunteer firefighters made desperate choices

(20) Ontario to send additional firefighters to Alberta

(21) Forest fire rages on Spanish island of Ibiza, 80 people evacuated

(22) Forests NSW denies burn claims

(23) Bee swarm buzzes Evansville firefighters