WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 022812

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist at California's USGS Western Ecological Research Center, has written a new book which aims to improve the understanding of fire regime diversity and its role in the assembly and evolutionary convergence in Mediterranean ecosystems (1). Staff at Arizona's Coconino and Prescott National Forests are bracing for an active wildfire season (2); while firefighters in New Mexico's Sandia Ranger District are also worried about catastrophic wildfires in the upcoming season (3). Continued dry conditions across Oklahoma prompted officials in Grady County to reinstate a burn ban (4). Texas Forest Service's Predictive Services Department is profiled in the next article (5); followed by an Op-Ed piece from the Executive Director of the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas and its Texas Wildfire Relief Fund discussing the invaluable contributions of volunteer firefighters in staving off 2011's wildfires (6); while a video segment describes the current fire conditions in East Texas (7); even as the Texas Panhandle Red Cross is preparing for another busy fire season this year (8). A fallen power line was determined to be the cause of a wildfire that burned nearly 6 acres near Rapid City, South Dakota (9). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services and Aerial Firefighting Association, discusses US Forest Service's long-term plans for large air tanker modernization in a press release (10); Montana's Senator Tester providing a copy of the letter he sent to the head of US Forest Service on that topic in the following item (11). Arkansas Forestry Commission Single-Engine Air-Tankers (SEATs) have been busy battling wildfires across the state (12); but fire officials will be conducting 400 acres of controlled burns in Kentucky's Cumberland Gap National Park (13). The next article takes a look at how the New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducts controlled burns across thousands of acres in that state to reduce the incidence of catastrophic fires (14). Virginia Department of Forestry continued to grapple with a 800-acre wildfire burning in rugged terrain (15); and firefighters in North Carolina continued to battle a wildfire that has burned nearly 600 acres in Nantahala National Forest (16). Two dozen homes were destroyed by wildfires in the Valparaiso Region of Chile (17); while a wildfire raging in India's Dzukou Valley has churned through 15 km² of territory since the weekend (18). The Victorian state government is tussling with the Australian federal government over its controversial grazing policy in Alpine National Park (19). New South Wales Rural Fire Service is easing restrictions on outdoor burning as the Bushfire Danger period reaches its official conclusion (20); nevertheless, Cobbitty's Rural Fire Service brigade has beefed up their resources to handle bushfires of the future (21). A six-hectare bushfire was reported near Esperance, Western Australia, yesterday (22); while the Tasmanian Fire Service has determined that a 500-hectare bushfire near Powranna was not deliberately set (23). And finally, Tigger, Eeyore, and Christopher Robin are probably relieved that firefighters quickly contained an out-of-control debris fire in East Sussex, UK's, "Winnie the Pooh" Forest!

(1) Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems

(2) After dry winter, Arizona's forests looking at tough wildfire season

(3) Crews prepare for catastrophic wildfire in Sandias

(4) Dry winter, wildfire combination may sway commissioners to reinstate county burn ban

(5) Keeping wildfire outbreaks on radar

(6) State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas (SFFMA): A Debt of Gratitude to True Texas Heroes

(7) Dead trees, drought spark early wildfires

(8) Firefighters, Red Cross prepare for wildfires

(9) Grass fire burns 5.7 acres

(10) Aerial Firefighters Promote Large Air Tanker Modernization Plan

(11) Tester: Forest Service Must Modernize Airtankers for Fighting Wildfires

(12) Arkansas crews battle multiple wildfires

(13) Cumberland Gap to conduct prescribed fires

(14) Controlled burns play important role in Pinelands ecology, forest fire prevention

(15) Forestry officials say wildfire has scorched 800 acres in southwest Virginia, threatens homes

(16) Wildfire expected to reach to more than 500 acres in western NC

(17) Forest Fires Destroy Dozens of Homes in Chile

(18) Forest fire in Nagaland's Dzukou Valley continues to raze

(19) Test for Tony Burke on grazing ban

(20) Bush fire danger period ends

(21) Better equipped to fight bushfires

(22) Firefighters control blaze near Esperance

(23) Northern fire not suspicious

(24) Sussex fire crews tackle blaze in 'Winnie the Pooh' wood