WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050112

National Fire Protection Association's Firewise Communities Program Manager sounds off about how to prepare for wildfire season across the US in our first article today (1); followed by one which takes a closer look at the acidic byproducts of wildfire smoke (2). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist for US Geological Survey, sent along an article he co-authored that examines the extent to which land use planning could alleviate wildfire risk to homes in Southern California (3); but folks in Washington state are battling conservationists from Montana over a fire lookout tower the conservationists want torn down (4). US Forest Service conducted controlled burns across 3,300 acres of New Mexico's Gila National Forest (5); while legal wrangling continued in Denver, Colorado, over how best to compensate homeowners impacted by the recent Lower North Fork Fire, which did $11 million in damage (6). Oklahoma's governor signed a bill into law which prevents convicted arsonists from working as firefighters (7). Texas Forest Service reported two wildfires covering 20,000 acres in the Davis Mountains (8); while the Texas Wildfire Prevention Task Force has been unveiled by the state's Agriculture Commissioner to coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies battling wildfires (9); and Austin neighborhoods hard hit by wildfires last year thanked the many people who helped rebuild their communities at a picnic (10); even as another neighborhood cleared out vegetation to reduce the wildfire threat (11); while fire officials in Potter County, where dozens of structures and 37,000 acres burned last year, prepared for a new wildfire season (12). The rejuvenation of an area scorched by wildfires in Rapid City, South Dakota, is the topic of the next article (13). Blackhawk helicopters from the New York Army National Guard’s aviation air support unit will be involved in a wildfire demonstration on Thursday over Long Island's David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens Preserve (14); while a New Jersey-based wildfire equipment provider touted firefighting products like FireIce that improve property owners' home protection (15). As Virginia's spring wildfire season comes to an end, fire officials look back on wildfires that scorched 43,000 acres statewide (16); and a 100-acre wildfire burning in Pasco County, Florida, forced the evacuation of nearly 200 people (17). Light rain has helped dampen wildfires that have raged across southern Manitoba, Canada (18); while dozens of firefighting hopefuls showed up at Alberta's Hinton Training Centre to compete for slots on wildland firefighting crews (19). Fire-prone Pune, India, has unveiled a new Fire Alert Messaging System to alert officials of outbreaks of wildfires via satellite (20); and fire authorities believe that a newly refurbished steam engine may have sparked a bushfire in New Zealand's Hutt Valley (21). The Victorian Government has allocated $33 million to help Australians prepare for bushfires, including $2 million for bushfire refuges (22); but bushfire survivors in Margaret River, Western Australia, complained about the slow response of the state government to their financial needs (23). And finally, for the thrill-seeking athletes among you, consider enrolling in a new firefighter obstacle 5K run titled the Hero Rush!

(1) Get Ready for Wildfire Season: NFPA Offers Home Safety Tips

(2) Billions Inhale Acid from Fires

(3) Housing Location Factors Determine Risk of Housing Loss from Wildfires in Southern California

(4) Effort continues to save Green Mountain fire lookout

(5) Forest Service: Prescribed burns in the Gila burning as expected

(6) Bill to pay Colorado wildfire victims gets hearing

(7) Fallin signs bill banning firefighting arsonists

(8) Wildfires Threaten Remote Texas Resort

(9) TX Agriculture Commissioner Creates Wildfire Prevention Task Force 5/1/12

(10) Scenic Brook, Windmill Run neighborhoods mark wildfire anniversary

(11) Best Defense For Wildfires Is Offensive Home Protection

(12) Firefighters prep for new wildfire season

(13) Cowboy Hill proof of fire's regenerative powers

(14) National Guard choppers part of wildfire training

(15) All Hands Fire Equipment Announces Wildfire Home Protection Innovations For 2012

(16) Spring Fire Season Winding Down In Virginia

(17) Part of U.S. 19 in Hudson closed due to fire

(18) Rain brings relief to Manitoba wildfire battle

(19) An education in fighting forest fires

(20) Fire alert system to check damage to forests

(21) Steam engine may have sparked bush fire

(22) STATE BUDGET: Funds for bushfire-prone communities

(23) Help stalled: bushfire victims feel 'abandoned'

(24) First firefighter-themed obstacle course held in Clarksburg