Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 031512

First up in wildfire news today, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for the Associated Aerial Firefighters, sent along a letter drafted by CAL FIRE Chief Pimlott to US Forest Service Chief Tidwell expressing his concerns over the federal heavy air-tanker plan. US Forest Service Aviation Chief Tom Harbour responded to some inquiries on the current state of the heavy air-tanker fleet in the next article from San Bernardino, California (1); even as firefighters in San Bernardino County battled a 20-acre wildfire in Yucca Valley that briefly threatened homes (2); while Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to settle nearly $30 million in lawsuits for wildfires sparked by their equipment (3). As wildfire experts fear that fire conditions which saw 1,000,000 acres scorched last year in Arizona could be repeated this year, the 10th annual Arizona Wildfire Academy is winding down (4). The next article provides information on a number of wildfires across Colorado (5); but firefighters deliberately lit a 600-acre blaze in the Pawnee National Grassland (6). Although firefighters have reached 60% containment on a wildfire burning in Clay County, Texas, they fear it could be several more days before they have full containment (7); while fire officials in Bandera County will host a wildfire seminar next week (8). Firefighters battled a 210-acre wildfire on South Dakota's Standing Rock Reservation (9); and a trio of grass fires reminded Nebraskans of the wildfire danger across their state (10). Homeowners in Michigan's Upper Peninsula were reminded that the departure of snow signals the arrival of wildfire season (11); while firefighters in Overton County, Tennessee, grappled with a wildfire which briefly threatened a pair of homes (12). Pennsylvania's governor has proclaimed next week as Wildfire Prevention Week (13); and the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service will be conducting controlled burns today and tomorrow on the border between South Brunswick and Monroe Township (14). Nature Conservancy and Forest Service firefighters will oversee 5,700 acres of controlled burns near Hot Springs, Virginia (15). A 12-acre wildfire was contained this morning in Fairview, North Carolina (16); while South Carolina Forestry Commission investigators are looking into a suspicious 50-acre wildfire in Florence County (17); and a 25-acre blaze was brought under control in Sarasota County, Florida, with a little help from above (18). Despite assertions from the oil industry that replanted forests in the tar sands region of Alberta, Canada, are just as good as the boreal forest they replace, a new study from the University of Alberta takes exception with that theory (19); followed by an article from the Caribbean archipelago of Trinidad and Tobago which examines the effectiveness of the Fondes Amandes Community Re-Forestation Project at preventing forest fires (20). As Spain and Portugal suffer through unusually dry conditions, forest fires which normally don't appear until summer are already breaking out (21); and an Op-Ed piece from India takes an in-depth look at wildfires in the Koraput Forest Division (22). A 5-hectare bushfire burning in Tapawera Forest near Nelson, New Zealand, drew the attention of a trio of firefighting helicopters (23). The Black Saturday bushfire trial of an Australian accused of setting a deadly blaze outside of Churchill, Victoria, is winding down (24); while Western Australian bushfires appear to have become a political football in Federal Parliament (25). And finally, another silver lining from wildfires in Montana is being provided in a bounty of mushrooms!

(1) Air Fleet Ready, Forest Service Says

(2) Yucca Valley Wildfire Briefly Threatens Homes

(3) PG&E settles forest-fire suits for $29.5 million

(4) Arizona firefighters prepare for wildfire season

(5) Wildfire threatens homes in Parker south of Denver

(6) Pawnee National Grassland on fire Wednesday in controlled burn

(7) Wildfire keeping units busy

(8) Fire marshals host wildfire seminar

(9) Firefighters battle wind, residents

(10) Danger made real in area grass fires

(11) Wildfire season just around the corner in U.P.

(12) Crews Battle Ten Acre Forest Fire In Overton County

(13) Governor Corbett Proclaims March 18-24 Wildfire Prevention Week

(14) State Forest Fire Service Conducting Live Burn Near Dayton

(15) Controlled forest fire scheduled today

(16) Firefighters Battle Fairview Brush Fire

(17) Wildfire investigated as arson

(18) UPDATE: Fire on Fruitville Road under control

(19) Reclaimed land drier than original forests: study

(20) Fondes Amandes to launch annual ‘gayap’

(21) Troubled Spain, Portugal now desperate for rain

(22) Community based organizations fighting forest fire: A study on koraput forest division

(23) Fire burns through Tapawera forest

(24) Jury retires in Black Saturday arson trial

(25) Randall blasts Rob Johnson over 2011 bushfires, law and order

(26) Bitterroot National Forest prepares for morel mushroom harvest

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