Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111511

US Forest Service and the National Volunteer Fire Council unveiled their new Wildland Fire Assessment Program, in which firefighters learn how to assess the defensibility of homes in the Wildland Urban Interface (1). Reflecting the fire trend this year across the state, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Andrew Madsen, Public Affairs Officer for Southern California's Los Padres National Forest, commented on the quiet fire season in which only 1,048 acres burned (2); where roads closed by a 2009 wildfire will finally reopen (3); while a CAL FIRE captain's master's thesis discusses the importance of online maps and social networks in disseminating wildfire news to the public (4); but CAL FIRE dismissed its contingent of seasonal firefighters in the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit as it transitions into winter mode (5). US Forest Service is moving ahead with plans to set controlled burns on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe this week (6); and they plan to burn 25 acres in Arizona's Coconino National Forest today (7). As Texas' fire season comes to an end (officially), the stats are appalling: 29,000 fires burned more than 3.9 million acres, destroyed 2,912 homes and claimed 10 lives, including four firefighters (8); but generous donors have contributed $3.8 million to wildfire relief efforts in that state (9). A 45-acre wildfire burning near Lander, Wyoming, is 90% contained (10); followed by an article that takes a look back at the 1988 wildfires that devastated Yellowstone National Park (11). Environmental groups were at loggerheads with US Forest Service in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest once again over perceived 'knee-jerk' fire suppression (12). Fire officials from Kentucky Division of Forestry expect that rain will quench more than a dozen wildfires that have been burning since the weekend (13); while firefighters in Tennessee are hoping they will do the same for a 300-acre wildfire burning in Perry County (14). US Forest Service has deemed six fires that burned in Virginia's George Washington National Forest to be arson (15); and also reported that a 100-acre wildfire forced closure of the Blue Ridge Pkwy (16). Firefighters battled a bushfire burning in northern New Zealand's Matai Bay (17). In Australia, the next article examines Victoria's 'Connecting our Community Friends and Neighbours' program, in which bushfire warnings take a grapevine approach (18); something which could be of importance to the community of Blackwood, where Country Fire Authority warned that they may not have enough resources to protect the community in the event of a major bushfire (19); some of the resources being cut including substantial numbers of aircraft (20); but a number of homeowners still have a bushfire plan (21); while at least one community feels that they're ready (22). Air-tankers swung into action over a bushfire burning near Charleville, Queensland (23); and New South Wales' Rural Fire Service warned homeowners to prepare for bushfires (24). A contingent of 25 firefighters was airlifted to South Australia's Gawler Ranges to help battle a 4,000-hectare bushfire (25); but with 80% of Western Australia experiencing high bushfire danger, FESA's Fire Services Spokesperson offered some tips on how to prepare (26). And finally, nearly a score of fire departments in South Carolina will do battle at the Annual Firefighters Barbecue Challenge!

(1) Forest Service, NVFC Partner for Wildland-Fire Assessment Training

(2) Quiet fire season ends in forest

(3) Forest Roads Closed After La Brea Fire to Reopen Thursday for Public Use

(4) County wildfire info grows with online maps, social networks

(5) CalFire prepares for winter

(6) Prescribed Fires this Week at Lake Tahoe

(7) US Forest Service plans burn in Oak Creek Canyon

(8) Texas' most destructive wildfire season ever closes

(9) $3.8M donated for Central Texas wildfires relief

(10) Sinks Canyon wildfire 90 percent contained

(11) Yellowstone on fire

(12) Environmental groups challenge forest management

(13) Rain falling across Ky. could ease danger of wildfires in eastern counties

(14) Forest fire burns 300 acres in Perry County

(15) Augusta County Forest Fires Ruled Arson

(16) Fire closes part of Blue Ridge Parkway near Bedford-Rockbridge line

(17) Firefighters battle Northland bush fire

(18) Hope for Mt Eliza bushfire alert service

(19) Blackwood fire risk: residents say town indefensible

(20) Firefighting air force budget slashed and burned

(21) Most Victorians still have no bushfire plan

(22) Noojee tests bushfire evacuation plans

(23) Water bombers attack huge bushfire

(24) North coast warned to be bushfire ready

(25) Bushfire burning in Gawler Ranges

(26) 2011 South West bushfire season outlook

(27) Firefighters throw down the barbecue gauntlet

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