WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 030912
An Op-Ed piece from the National Fire Protection Association tackles the ticklish issue of developers building homes in areas frequented by wildfires in the US (1); while San Diego Gas & Electric is protesting that they actually increased powerline maintenance prior to the 2007 wildfires in that Southern California area, contrary to charges that they had reduced powerline maintenance in that period (2); and Mendocino National Forest will conduct controlled burns on several hundred acres in the Grindstone Chaparral Burn today (3). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources has begun seasonal firefighter hiring (4); while a 40-acre blaze in southern Arizona's Baboquivari Mountains is one of several that have broken out as the wildfire danger elevates (5). The Bureau of Land Management cited a failure in leadership for abuse of wildfire funds as the scandal spreads from Utah to other states (6); the wildfire outlook for Texas being provided by the next article (7). Due to a seasonal lack of precipitation coupled with warming temperatures, Red Flag wildfire warnings have been issued for much of Central Montana (8); and although a 2,000-acre wildfire burning on the Tennessee-Georgia border has been contained, it's not out yet (9). In these tough financial times, Mississippi Forestry Commission has learned to make do with less to fight wildfires (10); but a retiree who lit six debris burns in Windham, New Hampshire, simultaneously sparked a wildfire yesterday (11); and windy conditions made for some tough firefighting on a 2-acre blaze in Southington, Connecticut (12). A wildfire that was reported by New Jersey Forest Fire Service in Morris County was apparently sparked by teenagers playing with matches (13); and a 50-acre blaze was also reported in Cumberland County (14). Florida Forestry Service has determined that a 108-acre wildfire along Interstate 10 at Garçon Point, Pensacola, may have been caused by a meth lab fire (15); while another 100-acre wildfire burning in Brevard County forced closure of Interstate 95 for a while (16). In Australia, the prosecutor in a court case regarding an alleged arsonist accused of starting a 36,000-hectare Black Saturday bushfire near Churchill, Victoria, that destroyed 156 homes and claimed 10 lives has issued his closing arguments (17); but the Mountain Cattlemen's Association of Victoria weighs in on the issue of cattle grazing in Alpine National Park to reduce the bushfire threat (18). Continued mild weather has prompted New South Wales Rural Fire Service to announce the end of the Bush Fire Danger Period (19). Western Australia's Premier has ordered an independent investigation of bushfires which blazed through Margaret River and Nannup last November (20); very hot conditions prompting FESA officials to issue bushfire warnings around Perth (21). And finally, the next time you fight a barn fire, be careful where you get your water from!
(1) Does Regulation Work?
(2) ENERGY: SDG&E increased powerline maintenance in years leading up to wildfires
(3) Helitorch prescribed fire planned on National Forest
(4) DNR looking to hire seasonal firefighters
(5) Wildfire Danger Soars; Small Blazes Break Out
(6) BLM confirms abuse of wildfire funds
(7) Wildfire outlook improves for 2012
(8) Extreme fire danger this afternoon & evening; Red Flag Warning in effect
(9) Wildfire along TN-GA state line
(10) Fire agencies rely more on teamwork during tough economy
(11) Windham brush fire gets out of control
(12) Strong winds complicate firefighters' battle with blaze in Southington
(13) Firefighters battle brush blaze in Riverdale
(14) Forest fire destroys 50 acres in Lawrence Township, Cumberland County
(15) Meth lab potential cause of Garcon Point blaze
(16) Fire crews monitor smoldering Brevard wildfire near I-95
(17) Black Saturday fire deliberately lit, jury hears
(18) Alpine grazing fight a national issue, cattlemen warn
(19) Bushfire danger period ends early
(20) Bushfire reviews may stay secret
(21) Perth prepares for record breaking heatwave
(22) Firefighters' Parasites Came from Barn Fire, Report Finds
An Op-Ed piece from the National Fire Protection Association tackles the ticklish issue of developers building homes in areas frequented by wildfires in the US (1); while San Diego Gas & Electric is protesting that they actually increased powerline maintenance prior to the 2007 wildfires in that Southern California area, contrary to charges that they had reduced powerline maintenance in that period (2); and Mendocino National Forest will conduct controlled burns on several hundred acres in the Grindstone Chaparral Burn today (3). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources has begun seasonal firefighter hiring (4); while a 40-acre blaze in southern Arizona's Baboquivari Mountains is one of several that have broken out as the wildfire danger elevates (5). The Bureau of Land Management cited a failure in leadership for abuse of wildfire funds as the scandal spreads from Utah to other states (6); the wildfire outlook for Texas being provided by the next article (7). Due to a seasonal lack of precipitation coupled with warming temperatures, Red Flag wildfire warnings have been issued for much of Central Montana (8); and although a 2,000-acre wildfire burning on the Tennessee-Georgia border has been contained, it's not out yet (9). In these tough financial times, Mississippi Forestry Commission has learned to make do with less to fight wildfires (10); but a retiree who lit six debris burns in Windham, New Hampshire, simultaneously sparked a wildfire yesterday (11); and windy conditions made for some tough firefighting on a 2-acre blaze in Southington, Connecticut (12). A wildfire that was reported by New Jersey Forest Fire Service in Morris County was apparently sparked by teenagers playing with matches (13); and a 50-acre blaze was also reported in Cumberland County (14). Florida Forestry Service has determined that a 108-acre wildfire along Interstate 10 at Garçon Point, Pensacola, may have been caused by a meth lab fire (15); while another 100-acre wildfire burning in Brevard County forced closure of Interstate 95 for a while (16). In Australia, the prosecutor in a court case regarding an alleged arsonist accused of starting a 36,000-hectare Black Saturday bushfire near Churchill, Victoria, that destroyed 156 homes and claimed 10 lives has issued his closing arguments (17); but the Mountain Cattlemen's Association of Victoria weighs in on the issue of cattle grazing in Alpine National Park to reduce the bushfire threat (18). Continued mild weather has prompted New South Wales Rural Fire Service to announce the end of the Bush Fire Danger Period (19). Western Australia's Premier has ordered an independent investigation of bushfires which blazed through Margaret River and Nannup last November (20); very hot conditions prompting FESA officials to issue bushfire warnings around Perth (21). And finally, the next time you fight a barn fire, be careful where you get your water from!
(1) Does Regulation Work?
(2) ENERGY: SDG&E increased powerline maintenance in years leading up to wildfires
(3) Helitorch prescribed fire planned on National Forest
(4) DNR looking to hire seasonal firefighters
(5) Wildfire Danger Soars; Small Blazes Break Out
(6) BLM confirms abuse of wildfire funds
(7) Wildfire outlook improves for 2012
(8) Extreme fire danger this afternoon & evening; Red Flag Warning in effect
(9) Wildfire along TN-GA state line
(10) Fire agencies rely more on teamwork during tough economy
(11) Windham brush fire gets out of control
(12) Strong winds complicate firefighters' battle with blaze in Southington
(13) Firefighters battle brush blaze in Riverdale
(14) Forest fire destroys 50 acres in Lawrence Township, Cumberland County
(15) Meth lab potential cause of Garcon Point blaze
(16) Fire crews monitor smoldering Brevard wildfire near I-95
(17) Black Saturday fire deliberately lit, jury hears
(18) Alpine grazing fight a national issue, cattlemen warn
(19) Bushfire danger period ends early
(20) Bushfire reviews may stay secret
(21) Perth prepares for record breaking heatwave
(22) Firefighters' Parasites Came from Barn Fire, Report Finds
Labels: air-tankers, bushfires, firefighting, forest fires, wildfire news, wildfire news of the day, wildfires
posted by Michael Archer @ 11:41 AM
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