WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102312

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tony Morris, Communications Director for Wildfire Research Network, sent along a link to his new Vertical Magazine article about how the US Navy and Marines partner with CAL FIRE on wildfire operations in Southern California (1); while the US Forest Service plans to burn 10 acres a day around Lake Tahoe's West Shore to reduce the fire danger (2); and Lassen National Forest will be hosting a public meeting and interpretive tour of the Chips Fire burn areas this weekend (3); even as Calaveras Big Trees State Park begins its fall prescribed burning program, weather permitting (4); the next article chronicling the damage done to ranches in northeastern California this year (5). With rains and cooler weather diminishing the fire danger, Oregon Department of Forestry is ending closures of private lands (6); but the speed of fast-moving wildfires this summer across southeastern Oregon and northern Nevada did so little damage to plants' root systems that the region may recover more quickly than expected (7). US Forest Service officials reminded residents of New Mexico that wildfires in the Four Corners region and the Sandia Mountains are normal for this time of year (8); and firefighters in West Valley City, Utah, snuffed a fast-moving grass fire near Interstate 215 (9). A class-action suit in Stillwater, Oklahoma, against a pipeline company which started a wildfire while welding during a burn ban has added dozens of plaintiffs to the list (10). To assist the survivors of a wildfire which destroyed half of Bucyrus, North Dakota, Dakota Plains Federal Credit Union has set up a relief fund (11); and it is hoped that the annual pheasant and grouse hunt will help as well (12). Nebraska's Spotted Tail Fire, which has burned 83 acres outside of Chadron, is now 100% contained (13); the next article exploring the reasons that Kentucky's fall fire season is especially bad this year (14). Australian Capital Territory's elite Remote Area Fire Teams are profiled in the next article (15). Victorians were warned about the elevated bushfire risk as a hot, dry summer is being forecast (16); where 108 properties would be bought up by the state as part of their $50 million bushfire buyback program (17); even as the federal government contemplates joining a bushfire class-action suit against SPI Electricity (18); meanwhile, a new hotel is planned for bushfire-ravaged Marysville (19). Bushfire activity in southeast Queensland prompted fire officials to issue "watch and act" alerts, as well as health warnings, as the next two articles show (20)(21); but even though 60 bushfires continued to burn in the state, the fire danger was diminishing (22); and a young man faces up to 14 years in jail for setting a series of bushfires in Blenheim and Mt Berryman over the past two months (23). New South Wales Rural Fire Service is currently dealing with over 100 bushfires across the state (24); where an out-of-control bushfire was burning near Bargo State Forest (25); light rainfall failing to extinguish some blazes (26); but a young man has been arrested in connection with four bushfires started along the North Coast (27). Fire officials reported that lightning-sparked bushfires in South Australia's Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara region have scorched 425,000 ha since the weekend (28). Officials continue to probe the causes behind the severe burning of two Department of Environment and Conservation firefighters in Western Australia during a burnover (29); bushfires through the years prompting changes in how fire agencies in that state prevent and control bushfires (30). And finally, residents of Saratoga Springs, Utah, are nonplused by the name incident commanders chose for a local wildfire!

(1) Partners in Fire

(2) Prescribed fire operations begin today on Tahoe's West Shore

(3) Lassen National Forest to host Chips Fire meeting, tour

(4) Calaveras Big Trees State Park Begins Fall Prescribed Burning Program

(5) Wildfires force ranchers into tough choices

(6) Forestry district ends closure decree for private lands

(7) Range burned by Long Draw, other huge wildfires may recover more quickly than expected

(8) Wildfires normal for this time of year according to Forest Service

(9) Firefighters quickly knock down grassfire near I-215

(10) More join wildfire lawsuit against pipeline company

(11) Dakota Plain FCU Responds After Wildfire Nearly Levels Tiny Town

(12) Annual ND pheasant hunt helps town, Bucyrus, hit by wildfire

(13) (Neb.)-Spotted Tail Fire Now 100% Contained

(14) Experts predict volatile fall fire season

(15) Crack firefighters members of an elite rapid response team

(16) Victorians warned about bushfire risk as hot, dry summer is predicted

(17) More than 100 homeowners accept bushfire buyback

(18) Government may join bushfires class action

(19) New hotel for bushfire ravaged Marysville

(20) Fires in southeast prompt 'watch and act' alert at Crows Nest and health warnings near Springfield

(21) Residents put on alert as bushfire threat looms

(22) Fire danger eases

(23) Man to face court over wildfires

(24) NSW battling more than 100 fires

(25) Bushfire threatening Bargo State Forest

(26) Showers fail to extinguish bushfires

(27) Man charged with starting bushfires

(28) Bushfires burning across SA

(29) Burnt firefighters' truck probed

(30) LAW meeting told fire risk on the rise

(31) 'Dump Fire' name irks some in Saratoga Springs