WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 060812

The U.S Department of Agriculture and the Interior Department have unveiled their national wildfire management strategy, which outlines how they will handle wildfires of the future with the limited resources available to them (1); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for the Associated Aerial Firefighters, sent along an article from Aviation Week about some new candidates for mid-sized air-tankers of the future (2). International Association of Wildland Fire sent along an announcement about the release of a report on the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Phase 2 (3); followed by an addendum on P-2V air-tanker crashes from Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chuck Bushey, Past President of the IAWF (4). Congressional Fire Services Institute sent along a reminder about the opening of the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) programs next Monday (5); and another about HR 5855, which establishes the FEMA budget for AFG and SAFER funding (6). A 4-acre wildfire was reported along Interstate 5 near the Southern California community of Castaic (7); while Santa Maria Airport Air Attack Tanker Base has been brought to full readiness in Santa Barbara County (8); and CAL FIRE announced 80% containment on a 20-acre wildfire in Yuba County (9); but firefighters in Oakland were battling a wildfire along Interstate 580 that was sparked by an auto accident (10); California's wildfire fees once again generating controversy (11). Legislation sponsored by Oregon's Senator Wyden that waives a 30-day waiting period that's required before the US Forest Service can award contracts for seven new tankers sailed through the House and is headed to President Obama for signature (12); while treatment of the first 5,000 acres of a 300,000-acre thinning project that is part of Arizona's Four Forests Restoration Initiative will begin soon (13). Firefighters in Colorado battled a small wildfire burning in Summit County landfill (14); followed by an article about the contribution of inmate fire crews battling wildfires in that state (15); where an Op-Ed takes a look at the concept of Stewardship Contracting Projects (16). Wildfires in south-central Utah continue to battle a trio of wildfires, two of which have increased to 2,300 acres each (17); and another 10-acre blaze burned near Ogden (18); as National Transportation Safety Board investigators recovered the voice recorder from the crash of Neptune Aviation's Tanker 11 (19); where firefighters have brought the 6,250-acre blaze that air-tanker was fighting to 90% containment (20). As the weather begins to warm in Central Texas, the community of Lake Travis is preparing for wildfire prevention (21); but although firefighters battling the 6,500-acre wildfire in Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest brought containment to 15%, they are worried about the impact of gusty winds forecast for the weekend (22). A resident of Caledonia, Wisconsin, accidently burned down his barn when an unattended debris burn got out of control, sparking a wildfire (23). Firefighters in Iuka, Illinois, battled a wildfire that began as a debris burn yesterday afternoon (24); while a semi with a stuck wheel is believed to be the cause of multiple wildfires along Indiana's Interstate 69 (25). Despite copious rainfall over the past two days, Florida Forest Service reported that six wildfires that have scorched over 1,000 acres are still burning near Jacksonville, 33 more wildfires burning statewide (26); and a trio of lightning-sparked wildfires are currently burning in Alaska (27). A 150-acre wildfire burning outside of Waianae on Oahu, Hawaii, is now 20% contained (28); but firefighters on the nearby islands of Maui and Molokai were busy with investigations of three additional blazes that may have been deliberately set (29). The Insurance Bureau of Canada has release a new study entitled "Telling the Weather Story: Can Canada Manage the Storms Ahead?" that discusses a possible upturn in wildfire activity in British Columbia (30); the following article discussing the problem of forest fragmentation which is resulting in habitat loss across Canada (31).

(1) Feds consider regional challenges in fire planning

(2) Expanded Missions Eyed For Small Transports

(3) National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Phase 2 Report Released

(4) P2V Airtanker Crashes - Addendum

(5) Application Period for FY 2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Opens Monday, June 11, 2012

(6) HOUSE APPROVES FY13 DHS SPENDING BILL

(7) Brush fire forces closure of northbound 5 freeway near Lake Hughes Road in Castaic

(8) Santa Maria Air Tanker Attack Base Up and Running

(9) PHOTOS: Cal Fire contains 80 percent of brush fire

(10) Crash sparks Oakland brush fire

(11) Brushfire of criticism hits fees

(12) Wyden legislation to speed arrival of aerial tankers to fight wildfires passes Congress

(13) Fire-Preventing Forest Thinning to Begin

(14) Crews extinguish small wildfire near shooting range

(15) Inmates battling wildfires in state

(16) OPINION: Forest Stewardship in Colorado's Future?

(17) Wildfires in south-central Utah grow to 2,300 acres each

(18) Firefighters extinguish fire burning above Ogden

(19) Voice Recorder Recovered in Utah Air Tanker Crash

(20) Wildfire on Utah/Nev. border 90 percent contained

(21) Lake Travis area eyes wildfire prevention

(22) Wyo. firefighters work to secure containment lines

(23) Man Cited After Brush Fire Burns Down Barn

(24) Iuka Firemen Report No Damage In Brush Fire

(25) Brush fires sparked along I-69

(26) Wildfires still burn even after rain

(27) Lightning strikes cause Interior Alaska wildfires

(28) UPDATE: Battle to extinguish Waianae brushfire continues

(29) Maui County firefighters busy with 3 brush fires

(30) A 50 per cent jump in BC forest fires predicted: study

(31) Forest Fragmentation Comprising the Health of Canadians & Driving the Need for a National Forest Restoration Program