WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 011012

Helicopters assisted firefighters on the ground in knocking down a 25-acre wildfire in the Southern California seaside community of Rancho Palos Verdes last night (1); while a 14-acre wildfire burning north of the mountain community of Idyllwild is now 95% contained (2); even as US Forest Service’s Predictive Services Group is projecting a heightened wildfire danger for Orange County this winter due to the unusually dry conditions throughout the region (3); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Thomas Turner, Chairman of the Fire Technology Department at Victor Valley College, sent along a flyer about an upcoming wildfire class on their Southern California campus (4). With the majority of Washington state's firefighters coming from the volunteer ranks, the state government kicked off volunteer firefighter recognition week to pay them tribute (5). A school in Summit, Colorado, is teaching students about the ecological importance of forest fires (6); but fearing that 2012 could be a repeat of 2002, when the Hayman Fire scorched 138,000 acres, that state is suffering through a snow shortage which could lead to a very bad wildfire season (7). Fire departments in Potter and Randall Counties, Texas, will be able to apply for FEMA funds to help with expenses incurred in their fight against wildfires in 2011 (8); and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has awarded $80,000 to over 50 volunteer fire departments that protect the state from forest fires (9). A 50-acre wildfire burning in Florida's Apalachicola National Forest prompted officials to issue smoke advisories to motorists (10); even as Florida Forest Service arson investigators were checking out the origins of two wildfires that ignited in Lehigh Acres on Monday (11). Burn Area Emergency Recovery efforts by Chile's National Forestry Corporation in Torres del Paine National Park is the focus of the next article (12); while rainfall assisted firefighters in Argentina's Chubut Province in extinguishing a 3,500-ha wildfire (13). Four helicopters joined firefighters on the ground battling a wildfire burning on South Africa's Western Cape (14); and a 1-hectare bushfire which burned near Fiordland, New Zealand, may have been caused by a campfire (15). In Australia, Abbotsford has earned the dubious distinction of being Melbourne, Victoria's, most bushfire-prone suburb (16); and the nearby community of Kew is not doing much better (17); while police are mobilizing residents of Northern Grampians Shire and Ararat Rural City in efforts to catch bushfire arsonists as part of the Operation Firesetter campaign (18). Firefighters were able to throw containment lines around a 50-hectare bushfire burning near Bundaberg, Queensland (19). And finally, an airborne commando from the 82nd Airborne Division who has fought the Taliban is looking to take on a new adversary as a smokejumper!

(1) Firefighters knock down Rancho Palos Verdes brush fire

(2) UPDATE: Lawler Fire Near Idyllwild 95 Percent Contained

(3) Dry start for 2012 could raise fire risk

(4) Hired Equipment Operator Fireline Safety Awareness

(5) State of Washington Kicks Off Volunteer Firefighter Recognition Week

(6) Teaching fire … with fire

(7) Colorado Sees Worst Snow Drought Since Early 1980s, Foreshadowing Water Shortages And Potential Wildfires

(8) Potter, Randall now able to recover some wildfire costs

(9) Grants Awarded To Volunteer Fire Departments

(10) Wildfire near Liberty County causing smoke advisory

(11) Two wildfires in Lehigh called suspicious

(12) Chile preparing forest restoration plan for ravaged areas of Torres del Paine Park

(13) Chubut fires tamed by overnight rainfall

(14) Firefighters battle Tulbagh blaze

(15) Campfire blamed for Fiordland bushfire

(16) Abbotsford named inner-Melbourne's most bushfire-prone suburb

(17) YOUR SAY: Kew put on fire alert

(18) Police campaign to stop arsonists

(19) Fire crews hope to contain bushfire near Bundaberg

(20) After military service, Andre Camacho gung-ho to be a firefighter