WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 110111

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist with USGS Western Ecological Research Center, sent along a pair of studies on the effectiveness of fuel breaks on large fires in Southern California (1)(2); followed by two new studies that reveal how Global Warming could be impacting the biosphere: A Canadian study published in the journal Nature Communications which reveals that the drying of peatland in Russia, Indonesia and Canada has increased the carbon dioxide output of wildfires in those areas nine-fold (3); and a Princeton University study published in the journal Science which shows the ongoing war between forest and savanna wildfires (4). Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and NextG Networks have found themselves the target of a lawsuit in regards to Southern California's 2007 Malibu Canyon Fire, apparently because of cell phone equipment tacked onto power poles (5); while the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for Marin County and the San Francisco Bay area (6). Fire managers set two controlled burns in Arizona's Coconino National Forest to treat 130 acres yesterday (7); even as New Mexico's Bandelier National Monument reopened prehistoric Native American archaeological sites closed by wildfires and flooding in those parts of the park (8). Hours of dashcam video show how Bastrop County Sheriff’s Department aided wildfire evacuees in the hectic first few hours of the Labor Day wildfires in that Texas county (9); where Texans continue to find ways to raise money to help wildfire survivors (10). A 300-acre wildfire in South Dakota was 20% contained by Monday night (11); and as Illinois' Shawnee National Forest begins 4,700 acres of controlled burns, the next article takes a look at how the fires will benefit the forest's ecology (12). Although rain is on the way, parts of Missouri are going to have Red Flag wildfire conditions today (13); but a smoky wildfire is burning in inaccessible terrain on the grounds of Fort Benning, Georgia (14). The next article looks back on Ontario, Canada's, active fire season in which 1,330 wildfires scorched 632,533 hectares (15); followed by one which takes a closer look at British contributions towards the EU's European Forest Fire Networks Project while working with partners in Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Poland and the Slovak Republic (16); as France dispatched additional firefighters to battle the 2,600-acre wildfire burning on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean (17). Country Fire Authority officials reminded residents of Victoria of the elevated grass fire danger across the region (18); while Queensland Corrective Services has offered the assistance of 12-13 convicts to help rebuild fences destroyed by 500,000 ha of bushfires (19). A cattle station at Banka Banka Station, Northern Territory, is being threatened by a bushfire which jumped the Stuart Highway (20). And finally, firefighters in Martin County, Florida, are making a dream come true for World War II vets!

(1) Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests

(2) Factors Affecting Fuel Break Effectiveness in the Control of Large Fires on the Los Padres National Forest, California

(3) Drying intensifying wildfires, carbon release ninefold, study finds

(4) Savannas, forests in a battle of the biomes, Princeton researchers find

(5) Wildfire Litigation Still Burning

(6) Red flag warning in San Francisco Bay area

(7) Prescribed fires on the Coconino National Forest today

(8) Bandelier reopens to auto traffic after fire

(9) New video shows race to save lives in Bastrop County

(10) Clear Creek ISD to hold relief drive for wildfire victims

(11) Crews Battle Wildfire In Southwest South Dakota

(12) Shawnee National Forest to begin burning program

(13) Wildfire alert again today, then rain likely Wednesday

(14) Wildfire burning on Fort Benning

(15) One of the worst ever forest fire seasons in Ontario comes to an end

(16) County hosts wildfire workshop

(17) Wildfire threatens Reunion Island national park

(18) Grass fire warning

(19) Prisoners help repair properties after bushfires

(20) Buildings under threat as bushfire jumps highway

(21) Firefighters accompany WWII veterans to national memorial in D.C.