WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112111

Congress may be cutting funding to the federal Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program, increasing the probability of mega fires, especially in California (1); while a vegetation ecologist and research scientist weighs in on the controversial issue of thinning forests to reduce the incidence of wildfires in Oregon (2); but with an abundance of beetle-killed trees to deal with, the Washington Commissioner of Public Lands is convening an emergency panel of foresters and scientists to address the issue (3). Fallen power lines are being blamed for the wildfire that destroyed 32 homes in Reno, Nevada, over the weekend (4). Two first responders reflected on the early days of the Bastrop County, Texas, wildfires (5); where FEMA reminded wildfire survivors who suffered losses this summer that they can obtain Small Business Administration assistance to help them financially (6); while the next article surveys the rocky road wildfire survivors are traveling in Wichita County, where several homes were destroyed by wildfires in April (7). Authorities in Shreveport, Louisiana, picked up a suspected arsonist after several suspicious wildfires threatened an apartment complex (8); but firefighters in Illinois received an assist from rainfall in dousing a 1,500-acre wildfire in Pere Marquette State Park (9). Firefighters in Niagara Falls, New York, battled a wildfire that began in a debris pile (10); while smoke from a 400-acre wildfire near Hawthorne, Florida, forced a traffic detour on State Route 20 (11). Firefighters in Bulgaria have snuffed a 25-acre wildfire that was burning in Pirin National Park (12). Firefighters battled a 300-hectare bushfire burning near Horeke, New Zealand (13); but they fear it may take weeks to subdue (14). In Victoria, Australia, Bendigo Police Department is beefing up its bushfire arson investigative branch under the auspices of Operation Firesetter (15); but in a sign of bushfire apathy in that state, only a score of people out of 140 households near Killawarra Forest participated in an emergency evacuation exercise (16); something which could be on their future, as Country Fire Authority's Chief Officer commented on the speed of wind-driven grass fires in areas choked by heavy fuels (17); and in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires, officials have established the Victorian Emergency Animal Welfare Plan to oversee all animal-related issues in future emergencies (18). Although a major bushfire near Rockhampton, Queensland, is no longer threatening homes, smoke is causing a navigational hazard on nearby roads (19); while a fast-moving bushfire prompted FESA officials to issue a warning to residents of Cockburn, Western Australia (20). And finally, a Pinellas County, Florida, firefighter is a hero after reviving a pair of puppies!

(1) Federal Wildfire Reduction Program Faces Funding Cuts

(2) Backcountry thinning is not the way to healthy forests

(3) State scrambles to fight massive tree die-offs

(4) Downed power lines blamed for Reno wildfire

(5) Vivid memories for first two responders at Bastrop fires

(6) FEMA: 30 Minutes Can Make a Difference in Wildfire Recovery

(7) Family rebuilds life with patience and thanks

(8) Suspected arsonist arrested for bush fires near Shreveport apartments

(9) Rain, firefighters douse state park blaze

(10) Crews deal with tricky brush fire

(11) Traffic detoured on SR 20 due to heavy smoke

(12) Rescue Teams Tame Bulgaria's Winter Wild Fire

(13) Far North pine plantation still ablaze

(14) Massive Bush Fire In Northland

(15) Bendigo Police put arsonists on notice

(16) Residents shun fire exercise

(17) Grassfire threat to country road users

(18) State launches animal welfare plan in response to Bushfire Royal Commission

(19) Bushfire no longer threatening homes near Rockhampton

(20) Bushfire in Atwell

(21) Tampa Bay area firefighter rescues 2 puppies from fire