WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 020912

A meteorologist with the Forest Service’s Fire Predictive Services group said that, due to a La Niña condition in Southern California, more wildfire activity is expected in the near future (1); but despite the fact that San Diego Gas & Electric has paid out $1.5 billion in wildfire claims from blazes started by its equipment in 2007, it still has hundreds of millions of dollars in costs outstanding (2). New Mexico State Forestry reported a small wildfire near the La Joya State Game Refuge (3); and as homeowners continue to battle insurance companies for reasonable settlements following Colorado's Fourmile Canyon Fire, a bill in the state legislature that would have tightened up control on insurance companies has died a quiet death (4). Texas Forest Service will be basing air-tankers at Abilene Regional Airport for the inevitable wildfires to come (5); while FEMA announced that it has distributed $39 million to wildfire survivors in Texas over the past five months (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Snyder, President of Montana-based Neptune Aviation, commented on an FAA report about a 24-inch crack in the wing of one of his P-2V air-tankers, which prompted inspections of all nine of those heavy air tankers in their fleet (Wildfire NOTD subscribers sent along a copy of the FAA document) (7); which was not good news because the wildfire danger across much of Minnesota has Department of Natural Resources fire officials worried (8). Arkansas Forestry Commission will be rehiring 15 personnel laid off due to budget shortfalls by tapping into $550,000 of available federal money (9). North Carolina will be kicking off its Prescribed Fire Awareness Week next Monday (10); however, a pair of wildfires in Horry County, South Carolina, scorched 23 acres (11). A two-acre wildfire in Escambia County, Florida, briefly threatened resort towers nearby (12); while firefighters at the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center conducted controlled burns in Lehigh Acres to reduce the wildfire danger (13). An Israeli tourist who was accused of accidentally starting a 320,000-acre wildfire in Chile has been released from jail (14); even as Israel's state comptroller has issued the final draft of a report on the deadly Carmel Forest fire, which killed 44 people in December of 2010 (15). A nine-month study by Australian researchers revealed some details on how best to prepare for bushfires based on the experiences of people who survived blazes like the Black Saturday bushfires (16). And finally, two Petaluma firefighters had their 15 seconds of fame with Clint Eastwood in a Super Bowl ad!

(1) Spring drought, higher fire danger for O.C.

(2) Accounting for the 2007 wildfires

(3) Wildfire burning at La Joya game refuge

(4) Colorado Lawmakers Douse Wildfire Insurance Bill

(5) Airport board approves return of air tanker base, hiring of consulting firm

(6) FEMA: Assistance to Texas Wildfire Survivors Tops $39 Million in Five Months

(7) Large crack found in wing of Neptune slurry bomber

(8) Department of Natural Resources concerned about dry conditions and spring fire risk

(9) AP Interview: Beebe says money found for firefighting not sign of inefficiency in Ark. budget

(10) Prescribed Fire Awareness Week Is February 13-19

(11) Wildfires burn 23 acres in Horry County

(12) Wildfire threatens Portofino

(13) Prescribed burn in Lehigh reduces chances of wildfires

(14) Israeli tourist released from Chile jail

(15) Comptroller hands out final draft of Carmel report

(16) Bushfire property defence

(17) Petaluma firefighters hit big time in Clint Eastwood ad