WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 032612

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, Past President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along a reminder that papers are due for the upcoming Symposium on Fire Economics (1); but a timber company being sued over a 65,000-acre wildfire that blazed through California's Plumas and Lassen Counties in 2007 is countersuing US Forest Service with accusations that it covered up the fact that a fire lookout was smoking marijuana at the time the fire broke out (2). An Op-Ed piece from an environmentalist takes aim at the US Forest Service's plan to begin logging in spotted owl habitat in the Pacific Northwest again (3); while the impact of two difficult wildfire seasons on Arizona is examined by the next article (4). New Mexico State Forestry Division lifted evacuation orders for residents living near Chimayo after a 20-acre wildfire was brought under control (5); the following article taking a closer look at US Forest Service's efforts to place female firefighters on the fireline in that state (6). A 1.5-acre wildfire was contained near Fort Collins, Colorado (7); even as the National Weather Service forecast Red Flag conditions for Boulder County, which saw two small wildfires over the weekend (8). The impact of the Texas wildfires on the wild turkey population is examined by the next article (9). Northern Rockies Coordination Center officials are predicting a normal fire season (in which between 200,000 and 250,000 acres burn) for the northern Great Plains (10); nevertheless, the wildfire risk is elevated across much of the Great Plains through Tuesday (11). Several agencies are teaming up to conduct controlled burns outside of Little Rock, Arkansas, this afternoon (12); but Alabama's State Forester pointed to last week's 700-acre wildfire as a portent of things to come as the state government continues to cut funds to the fire agency (13). Fire officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey remarked on the early start to the spring wildfire season (14). Firefighters in Orange County, Florida, had to evacuate dozens of homes in the path of a wildfire (15); but firefighters quickly knocked down a two-acre wildfire in Volusia County (16); however, fire officials in the Osceola National Forest fear that this could be a repeat of the devastating 1998 fire season in which dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed (17). Irish authorities reminded landowners that they will be clamping down on unauthorized fires as the wildfire season begins (18); and a special warning went out to residents of County Clare, where thousands of hectares were scorched in 2011 (19); while across the Irish Sea, a number of fires in and around Dartford Heath, UK, prompted officials to warn residents of the wildfire danger (20); even as firefighters battled numerous gorse fires in Cornwall (21); arson investigators digging in to the remains of a 28-hectare weekend wildfire in East Sussex's Ashdown Forest to find out if it was deliberately set (22). A Serbian man has been arrested for starting six wildfires in that Central European nation (23). Recent forest fires in India have stirred controversy, as demonstrated by the next two articles (24)(25); where a couple of wildfires burned in Someshwar Reserve Forest over the weekend (26). As Indonesia's 17th National Sports Fair approaches, firefighters stand ready to snuff wildfires in order to keep smoke out of the area (27). A Victoria University professor who is the lead researcher on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that surges of heat waves could cause catastrophic bushfires in southeastern Australia unexpectedly (28); while 80% of respondents to a survey on building bushfire memorials in the Yarra Ranges are in favor of the idea (29). Residents of Margaret River, Western Australia, are incensed with the state government over how donations from the bushfire relief fund are being handled (30). And finally, in the wake of discussions about bringing elephants and rhinos into Australia to "munch down" tall invasive grass to reduce the bushfire threat, our last article today takes a look at what happened to Australia's indigenous large mammals!

(1) IV International Symposium on Fire Economics - Last Call for Papers

(2) Forest Service in legal stew over coverup of lookout's alleged marijuana use

(3) Opinion: Saving an Owl from Politics

(4) Arizona forest-restoration afoot after tough 2 years

(5) Evacuation order lifted on 20-acre suspicious wildfire near Chimayo

(6) Women train to tackle wildfires

(7) Update: Wildfire in Rist Canyon contained

(8) Boulder County crews douse 2 wildfires; 'fire weather watch' issued for Monday

(9) Turkey numbers should be fine despite drought, wildfires

(10) Normal wildfire season predicted for now

(11) High Wildfire Risk on the Plains

(12) Prescribed Burns To Take Place Monday

(13) Cuts may hinder wildfire fight

(14) Spike in New Jersey, Pennsylvania brush fires caused by mild winter, dry start to spring

(15) Firefighters investigating Orange County wildfire

(16) Firefighters battling brush fire in Osteen

(17) Dry conditions could mean intense wildfire season

(18) Fire warning as “wildfire season” begins

(19) Warning Issued As Wildfire Season Commences

(20) Firefighters issue warning after spate of fires on Dartford Heath

(21) Firefighters tackle numerous gorse fires in Cornwall

(22) Ashdown Forest fire under investigation

(23) Suspected arsonist arrested for starting wildfires

(24) ‘Forest fire reports exaggerated’

(25) Forests and our politicians

(26) Forest fire burns down 15 acre

(27) Indonesia Ready to Tackle Forest Fire During National Sports Fair

(28) Climate scientist warns of heatwave surge

(29) Survey gives a tick for bushfire memorials in Ranges

(30) Residents claim givers 'duped' over fire donations

(31) Human invasion ended reign of Australia's 'giants'