WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 031312

A USA Today article highlights the fire danger posed by an early spring in the US (1); the following article looking at the impact of climate change on fires worldwide (2). In Southern California, the Los Padres National Forest Fire Management Officer provides a forecast on California's fire season in the next article (3); while property owners in Grant County, New Mexico, received training on how best to protect their homes from wildfires (4). Officials in Rapid City, South Dakota, credit fast responses by firefighters in preventing numerous wildfires from burning out of control as Red Flag conditions continue across the region (5); but South Dakota Wildland Fire is bracing for more (6). An article from Michigan takes a look at the weather picture across North America as it relates to wildfires (7); followed by an Op-Ed piece from a wildland firefighter that gives a first-person perspective on battling wildfires in Missouri (8). Having responded to 103 wildfires which burned 1,400 acres over the weekend, the Arkansas Forestry Commission warned of the heightened fire danger (9); and firefighters near Dauphin, Pennsylvania, battled a small wildfire in hilly terrain Monday night (10). Officials in Massachusetts warned homeowners conducting backyard burns of the elevated fire danger (11); even as residents of upstate New York were reminded by the Department of Environmental Conservation of the residential burn ban which begins March 16th (12). The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has dispatched an arson investigator to a wildfire that burned near Clinton Township which has been deemed suspicious in origin (13); but in the meantime, fire wardens are keeping an eye on things in Passaic and Bergen counties (14). Officials are seeking public input in developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Augusta County, Virginia (15); while a wildfire was reported in Botetourt County (16). Georgia Forestry Commission officials are investigating a suspicious 671-acre wildfire which burned near the Tennessee border last week (17); but runaway debris fires in Clay County, Florida, are now 60% contained after burning nearly 150 acres (18). In Canada, a new wildfire operations center has been unveiled in British Columbia's Robson Valley (19). The Central American nation of Costa Rica continued to grapple with wildfires which have burned 700,000 ha so far (20); while fire managers in Spain are remarking on the unusual number of wildfires for this time of year (21). In India, the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister is concerned about a forest fire which is threatening water supplies for the cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun (22); and several homes have been destroyed as a wildfire continues to rage out of control in the Himalayan nation of Nepal (23). An update from Australia on a bushfire arson case in the Victorian Supreme Court dealing with a Black Saturday bushfire which killed 10 people is provided by the next article (24). Western Australia's Police Commissioner is under fire over his whereabouts during the bushfires in Perth Hills which destroyed 71 homes last year (25); but a 200-hectare bushfire which briefly threatened Donnybrook-Balingup and Nannup has been contained (26). And finally, art workshops set up by Monash University Gippsland in towns ravaged by bushfires in Victoria, Australia, have yielded unexpected benefits to the participants!

(1) Early spring is a mixed blessing from N.J. to Wyoming

(2) Climate change could increase fires, logging, and hunting in rainforests

(3) Chief: Calif. wildfires may signal busy season

(4) Residents learn how to protect their home from wildfire

(5) Preparing For Quick Response

(6) South Dakota Wildland Fire jumps into action to prepare for Red Flag warning

(7) Warm winter leads to fiery forecast

(8) Wildfire fight: Who does this?

(9) Forestry Commission warns of fire danger

(10) Crews tackle mountain fire near Dauphin

(11) Officials: Be Careful with Backyard Burnings

(12) DEC: State Ban on Residential Brush Burning Begins March 16

(13) Clinton Township brush fire believed to be arson

(14) Fire Warden Keeps Watch On Passaic, Bergen Counties

(15) County to hold public input sessions for community wildfire protection plan

(16) Crews battle wildfire on Purgatory Mountain

(17) Dade, Marion border fire called 'suspicious'

(18) Caribbean Circle Fire in Keystone Heights Still Burning, 60% Contained

(19) New wildfire facilities coming to Valemount and Merritt

(20) Forest Fires All Over Costa Rica

(21) Forest fires in Spain come early

(22) Tuki directs departments to take actions against forest fire

(23) Wildfire rages on in Dhankuta

(24) Black Saturday bushfire accused prosecuted on circumstantial evidence, court told

(25) Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan probed over bushfire 'lies'

(26) Bushfire contained in WA's southwest

(27) More than art on show