WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 120612

The Wildfire NOTD weblog has reached a milestone today with over 100,000 pageviews reported by Blogger.com! Approximately 8,000 rural property owners in Ventura County, California, will begin receiving wildfire prevention fee bills of $115 this week (1); while San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob asked the California Public Utilities Commission to oppose San Diego Gas & Electric's wildfire cost recovery plans (2); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for the Associated Aerial Firefighters, sent along a link to their newly revised website (3). Both of Oregon's US Senators requested that the Obama administration provide wildfire disaster aid funding for that state before the end of 2012 (4); but evacuations remained in place for communities near Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park, where heavy precipitation is needed to squelch a wildfire (5). In the wake of NASA's warning about an increase in wildland fires across the US, property owners in Illinois worried about the impact of fires on Shawnee National Forest (6); however, the damage done by a wildfire which raged through North Carolina's Holly Shelter Game Land has proved to be a boon for hunters (7); while more than 11,000 acres of Florida's Everglades National Park will go up in smoke today in a controlled burn, weather permitting (8). Heading to Australia, the impact of logging and bushfires on Victoria's emblem, the Leadbeater's possum, is examined by the next article (9). Queensland Fire and Rescue Service continued to battle a 21,000-hectare bushfire burning on the Darling Downs (10); even as dozens of others burned across the state (11). And finally, after 15 years of ringing in the holidays as Santa Claus, a Maryland volunteer firefighter will get a farewell sendoff parade December 15th!

(1) Unincorporated areas hit with fire protection fee

(2) Supervisor Jacob Asks CPUC To Oppose SDG&E's Wildfire Cost Recovery "Scheme"

(3) Associated Aerial Firefighters

(4) Wyden, Merkley seek Oregon wildfire disaster aid

(5) Cooler, wetter weather not expected to stop RMNP wildfire

(6) NASA warns of increased fire risk

(7) Wildfire helps ducks and hunters at Holly Shelter

(8) Prescribed burn at for Everglades National Park

(9) A state of extinction?

(10) Crews hope wind change will help bushfire battles

(11) Scores of bushfires sparked in Qld heat

(12) Elkridge: Firefighters' Santa hanging up his red suit