WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 011212

A profile of the arsonist mindset is provided by our first article today (1); while the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has approved a $150 fee on property owners with structures on 31,000,000 acres of State Responsibility Areas (2). Texas Agri-Life Extension Service will be hosting a wildfire preparedness seminar at the end of this month in Kerrville (3); even as the next article reiterates the threat to suburban communities in that state, where fire officials are inviting people to build "firewise" communities (4); and nearly 2 dozen ranchers will be receiving $1,000 vouchers to help with fence rebuilding costs in areas hard-hit by wildfires this summer around Bastrop County (5); but Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is the latest power utility to be pulled into court over wildfires sparked by their equipment, this time in Bastrop County in 2009 (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ed Kleiman, Corporate Wildland Operations Coordinator for Florida-based GelTech Solutions, sent along a press release detailing how their firefighting gel protected a home in the path of a Montana wildfire last week (7); the following item including a video interview with a Black Eagle Fire Department spokesman discussing the incident (8); and an article that takes a closer look at dwindling federal money from Secure Rural Schools funds allocated to Missoula County for wildfire prevention (9). In Washington DC, the Federal Wildland Fire Service Association complained that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee made light of the destruction done by wildfires in 2011 by organizing an office pool to see who could guess how many acres burned (10). Having successfully fended off numerous forest fires, officials in Indonesia's Kutai National Park now face an even bigger threat from land developers (11); while critics complained that Victoria, Australia's, Powerline Bushfire Safety Taskforce is lacking $250 million in federal funds needed to implement bushfire plans (12). An Erickson Air-Crane helicopter was called in to assist firefighters in New South Wales in bringing a 75-hectare bushfire under control (13); where police have arrested a man charged with starting at 19-hectare bushfire in the Blue Mountains last October (14); and Rural Fire Service Northern Tablelands reported that Bruxner Highway was briefly closed by a 100-hectare bushfire yesterday as a 260-hectare bushfire continued to burn in Dthinna Dthinnawan National Park (15). Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has evacuated hundreds more campers on Moreton Island due to an ongoing bushfire that has already burned 3,000 ha (16); while a South Australia veterinarian has set up a new organization that aims to rescue fleeing pets and native animals during bushfires (17). A 300,000-hectare bushfire which is burning near Gascoyne, Western Australia, continues to pose a threat to homesteads in the area (18). And finally, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters averted a cat-astrophe when they freed a kitty trapped inside a car's engine compartment!

(1) Arson: Intentional Wildfires, Negligence, Insurance Fraud and Murder for Hire

(2) FIRES: State board approves revised fees

(3) Wildfire Preparedness Seminar set for Jan. 30 in Kerrville

(4) Texas communities face new wildfire threats

(5) Vouchers help rebuild fences in Bastrop

(6) Trial over 2009 Bastrop fire begins; utility accused of negligence

(7) FireIce Protects Montana Homes From Wildfire

(8) Montana firefighters add another tool to their arsenal

(9) Missoula County taking comment on funds to reduce wildfire hazards

(10) Congressional wildfire ‘office pool’ angers firefighters

(11) For Kutai Forest, Not Your Typical Threat

(12) Bushfire changes await funds

(13) Bushfire believed to started with burnt-out car

(14) Man charged over Blue Mountains bushfire

(15) Bushfire closes Bruxner Highway

(16) Campers flee as Moreton Island bushfire rages into second week

(17) Vet's pet fire rescue plan

(18) Gascoyne Bushfire - January 2012

(19) Firefighters Remove Cat From Car Engine