WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 022312

Campfires and target shooting will be allowed once again in Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest as fire restrictions were eased due to recent rainfall (1); but firefighters in Finley, Washington, believe a passing train may have sparked several small fires (2). A wildfire burning in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest has reached 150 acres in size (3); while firefighters in the White Mountains are urging residents to prepare for the wildfire season (4). Hurricane-force winds stirred up wildfires around Boulder County, Colorado, on Wednesday (5); including a 20-acre blaze near Lyons (6); even as an AmeriCorps volunteer recounts her experiences helping with controlled burns in Colorado in the next item (7). A 20-acre wildfire was reported along the Appalachian Trail in Westchester County, New York (8); while the National Weather Service is issuing wildfire warnings for Washington, DC, for Friday (9). The importance of special off-road vehicles in fighting a wildfire that burned in Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, UK, over the weekend is highlighted by the next article (10). Wildlife cameras provided photo evidence which led officials to apprehend two wildfire arsonists in Malaysia's Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (11); but a wildfire raged through Thailand's Umpiem Refugee Camp, destroying over 100 shacks (12). A new bushfire report from Mick Keelty reveals that firefighting agencies were not prepared or organized enough for the enormity of a blaze that raced through Margaret River, Western Australia, last year (13); but wildfire survivors in Nannup (which was also ravaged by a controlled-burn gone wrong) feel that they are being ignored (14). And finally, the Arizona Wildfire and Incident Management Academy has found a unique way to raise money for scholarships: raffle a pickup truck!

(1) REGION: San Bernardino National Forest fire restrictions eased

(2) Small wildfires reported in Finley

(3) Fire on Government Prairie now at 150 acres

(4) Firefighters go door-to-door to help prepare for wildfire season

(5) Boulder winds hit 88 mph, spark wildfires, tip trucks, cause power outages

(6) Lyons fire: Crews contain 12-acre wildfire in Stone Canyon

(7) Mandarin woman helping to reduce wildfire risk in Colorado

(8) Firefighters battle 20-acre brush fire near Bear Mountain Bridge

(9) Fire Weather Watch posted for Friday afternoon

(10) Off-road vehicles assist Ashdown Forest blaze

(11) Cameras Help Officials Nab Two For Starting Forest Fire

(12) Battle to save fire-threatened refugee camp

(13) Prescribed burns program overhauled

(14) Nannup bushfire victims 'ignored' as Margaret River report due

(15) Wildfire Academy raffles GMC truck to help train firefighters