WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 040612

In California, San Diego Gas & Electric got an earful at a California Public Utilities commission hearing in which 650 mostly-irate ratepayers were up in arms about the SDG&E proposal to make ratepayers pay for the utility's wildfire losses (1); while software company FireWhat touted new products at the "Oreilly 2012 Where Conference" in San Francisco which can be used by homeowners to track wildfires (2). As Washington's Department of Natural Resources prepares for the wildfire season, homeowners are being advised to become "Firewise" (3); and fire officials in Colorado are drawing lessons from the difficulties firefighters faced battling the recent Lower North Fork Fire (4). The Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief announced that April 9-13 would be Wildfire Awareness Week (5); and homeowners in Northeastern Wisconsin have been warned about the extreme wildfire danger by fire officials (6). After a motorhome sparked grass fires along a highway in Michigan, Department of Natural Resources officials warned of the elevated fire danger (7); while Illinois Department of Natural Resources officials warned property owners about the wildfire dangers of recreational fires during the current warm, dry spring conditions (8). Maine Forest Service called in the assistance of a helicopter in battling a five-acre wildfire on Tumbledown Dick Mountain (9); while several wildfires were reported across New Hampshire, including an 86-acre blaze outside of Hill (10); and Vermont has reported wildfires as well, National Weather Service forecasting Red Flag conditions until this evening (11). Fire officials in Massachusetts warned property owners about the wildfire danger due to storm-damaged timber and dry conditions (12); and firefighters in Connecticut responded to reports of a small fire burning on Hammonasset Beach State Park (13). Two wildfires totaling about 125 acres between them have been reported in Camden County, New Jersey, near the Atlantic City Expressway (14). Georgia Forestry Commission crews used bulldozers to create a buffer zone around a wildfire burning along Interstate 95 near Savannah (15); while new research from the University of Georgia shows that the seeds from approximately 1,200 species of plants respond well to wildfire smoke (16). Firefighters have brought a 1,000-acre wildfire burning in Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge to 50% containment (17); even as Florida Forest Service investigators are still probing the remains of a 150-acre wildfire that destroyed a mobile home in Volusia County to determine the cause of the fire (18). High temperatures, little rain and windy conditions in China's northern and southwestern forests have State Forestry Administration officials worried about the danger of wildfires (19); while lightning sparked a number of bushfires in Western Australia's Millstream Chichester National Park (20). And finally, firefighters in Prince George County, Maryland, added something new to their skill set: wrangling pygmy goats!

(1) ENERGY: Wildfire expense hearings attract hundreds

(2) FireWhat Unveils New Wildfire Apps at Where Conference in San Francisco

(3) Summer wildfire prevention rules for DNR land begin April 15

(4) Area officials work to ensure wildfire safety plan

(5) FEMA: Wildfire Awareness Week Reminds Texans to Get Prepared

(6) Wildfire Danger is High in Northeast Wisconsin

(7) Wildfire danger high throughout Michigan

(8) Warm, dry spring prompts wildfire warning in region

(9) Maine Forest Service continues efforts to contain mountainside fire

(10) NH still at risk for wildfires

(11) Vt. fighting small wildfires, fire danger strong

(12) Mild winter, hot spring: Dry conditions increase risk of brush fires

(13) Small, Smoldering Fire At Hammonasset Quickly Extinguished

(14) Forest Fires Burning Near Atlantic City Expressway

(15) Forest fire causing heavy smoke on Interstate 95

(16) Prof. researches plant growth caused by smoke

(17) 1,000-acre fire near Alligator Alley now 50 percent contained

(18) Fire west of New Smyrna Beach considered 'suspicious'

(19) China on high alert for forest fires

(20) Bushfire warning for Millstream Chichester

(21) Pygmy goats on the loose in Prince George’s County rescued by firefighters