WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 010512

An Op-Ed piece from Nevada points out the importance of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (1); and New Mexico's Gila National Forest is looking for a few good firefighters (2); while Idaho Panhandle National Forests has unveiled its plans for the future for public comment (3). The Texas Farm Service Agency is providing emergency loans to agricultural operations in the Panhandle that suffered losses from wildfires earlier this year (4); even as communities across Central Texas struggled to recover from the damage done in their area (5); but smoke from marsh fires in the southeastern part of the state is being blamed for a 50-car pileup caused by poor visibility (6). A NASA photo provides a striking overview of Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park as it recovers from wildfires that scorched 793,000 acres in 1988 (7); while hundreds of people were forced to evacuate as wildfires on Montana's Blackfeet Indian Reservation blazed through 16,000 acres, damaging or destroying several structures in their path (8). A 700-acre wildfire was reported on the grounds of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina (9); and the National Park Service reported a 45-acre wildfire burning on Georgia's Cumberland Island (10). Dry, windy conditions stoked wildfires which destroyed homes in Alberta, Canada (11); but one blaze which destroyed two structures near Fort Macleod appears to be under control now (12). A wildfire has burned over 400 ha in Argentina's Chuchut mountain range (13); where an Argentinian air-tanker pilot barely survived the crash of his aircraft while fighting the fire (14); the following article taking a look at the ecological damage done to Chile's Torres del Paine National Park by current wildfires (15). More details on a 50-hectare bushfire which burned through Wanaka, New Zealand, yesterday are provided by the next article (16). In Australia, Country Fire Authority put an Erickson AirCrane to work battling bushfires in Grampians National Park (17); but despite the fact three years have passed since the Black Saturday bushfires, communities around Geelong still lack bushfire safe havens (18). A bushfire burning on Queensland's Moreton Island was threatening the town of Bulwer (19); and fire authorities feel that it will continue to burn into the foreseeable future (20). A 2,500-hectare bushfire burning near Woolundunga, South Australia, is under close observation by fire crews (21); where police are keeping an eye out for a serial arsonist who set at least three blazes in that state (22). Firefighters in Western Australia have contained a bushfire near Perth airport (23); while lightning is being blamed for a new rash of bushfires near Nannup (24); where fire agencies are still under scrutiny after numerous homes have been lost in recent bushfires (25). Aurora Energy may emulate other electricity utilities by blacking out parts of Tasmania facing extreme bushfire danger (26). And finally, the next time you arrive at an incident, make sure that fire hydrant is the real thing!

(1) Spread this like wildfire

(2) Gila National Forest recruiting for 2012

(3) Forest plan is released

(4) Emergency loans save farmers and ranchers from wildfire damage

(5) Four months after Central Texas wildfires recovery continues

(6) 50 Vehicles Collide Along Texas Highway

(7) How Yellowstone Recovers from Forest Fires

(8) Wildfires on Blackfeet Res. force evacuations

(9) Firefighters battling 700 acre wildfire at Camp Lejeune

(10) Crews battle fire on Cumberland Island

(11) Wildfires level rural homes; wind causes havoc in Calgary

(12) Wildfire disaster averted

(13) Wildfire consumes over 400ha along Chubut mountain chain

(14) Argentina fire pilot survives crash

(15) Wildfires threaten Patagonia’s biodiversity

(16) Terrified Residents Flee Homes As Wanaka Bush Fire

(17) Ballarat air crane called to Grampians fire

(18) Still no safe havens for towns at high risk of bushfires

(19) Moreton Island bushfire advances on township

(20) Bushfire to burn 'for some time'

(21) Crews continue watch over Woolundunga bushfire

(22) Bushfire in Flinders Range out of control

(23) Firefighters contain Australian bushfires

(24) Lightning starts bushfires near Nannup

(25) WA's firefighting capabilities still under scrutiny

(26) Blackout plan to reduce bushfire threat

(27) Mass. Firefighters Discover Hydrant is Fake