WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112812

Even though a fuel abatement issue in the Southern California mountain community of Big Bear has been resolved, fire officials reminded homeowners that the wildfire danger persists (1); while homeowners living in parts of Northern California where vegetation was destroyed by wildfires this summer have been warned of the danger of mudslides as heavy rain approaches (2). High school and college students were encouraged to enroll in Arizona's Southwest Forest Fire Fighter Academy this coming Friday to learn more about being wildland firefighters (3). Officials at Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park indicated that the 1,370-acre Fern Lake Fire is now 40% contained (4); but the lack of snow has forced Castle Rock officials to retain a burn ban (5); even as communities in southwest Colorado struggle to recover from the wildfires of 2002 (6). The efforts of a Lufkin, Texas, company in providing seeds to reforest Bastrop State Park is examined by the next article (7); while National Public Radio reports on the Travis County Fire Marshall's study which shows that power lines sparked wildfires that destroyed 23 homes (8). Tennessee Forestry firefighters who battled a wildfire that scorched 2 to 3 acres near Lobelville said that the blazes had reignited, burning an indeterminate number of acres (9); but as dozens of wildfires blazed across more than 6,300 acres in East Tennessee, fire officials feel that the majority were arson fires (10). Fire crews in North Carolina contained two out of three wildfires currently active in that state (11). Firefighters pounced on a small scrub fire on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand's, Mount Wellington Domain (12); and another blaze scorched 2-3 acres in the Upper Takaka region (13). Fire crews in Victoria, Australia's, Murray Sunset National Park have contained a lightning-sparked bushfire (14); but as the deputy chief officer of Country Fire Authority warned of a bushfire season worse than those of the previous two years, the lessons from Black Saturday were being re-examined (15). After proclamations of gloom and doom about the upcoming bushfire season, meteorologists have determined that Central Australia faces far less of a threat than was originally forecast (16). Fire crews continued to use thermal monitors to check for hot spots in areas scorched by the recent bushfires on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula (17); while the effect of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on bushfire survivors is examined by the next article (18); and people have been warned about inaccurate and even false bushfire information posted on social media (19); but following the Port Lincoln bushfires, volunteers have determined that over 700 koala bears have survived the blazes (20). And finally, a Colorado Springs T-shirt company which did fundraising for survivors of Colorado's Waldo Canyon Fire has found a new cause: Hurricane Sandy survivors!

(1) Wildfire danger remains, abatement issue resolved

(2) Residents in fire zones warned of mudslide danger

(3) Gila National Forest announces Southwest Fire Fighter Training - students only

(4) Gusts fuel Rocky Mountain National Park wildfire

(5) Lack of snow feeds wildfire near Estes Park, fire ban in Castle Rock

(6) Community still recovering from 2002 wildfire

(7) Seeds from Lufkin business will help in Bastrop wildfire recovery

(8) Wildfire Report Sparks Concern Over Power Line Safety

(9) Forest Fire

(10) Wildfires intentionally set? 62 fires burn 6,300 acres+ in East Tennessee counties

(11) N.C. fires burn 400+ acres; 2 of 3 contained

(12) Firefighters douse Auckland scrub fire

(13) Chopper battles Takaka forest fire

(14) Firefighters control park blaze

(15) Black Saturday lessons 'still current'

(16) 'Neutral conditions' to ease bushfire threat

(17) Crews check bushfire with thermal monitors

(18) Recurrent bushfires can cause distress

(19) Beware of false social media alerts in SA bushfire season

(20) Burnt koalas on road to recovery

(21) Wild Fire Tees makes Hurricane Sandy shirt