WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 032912

The Eastern Nevada Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs is recruiting wildland firefighters for this summer's fire season (1). Over 500 firefighters brought containment on Colorado's 4,100-acre Lower North Fork Fire to 15% (2); where the governor toured the fire line to see the devastation for himself (3); even as air-tankers assigned to fight the fire were pulled off to fly to South Dakota, an Erickson Air-Crane filling the gap (4); one family filming their harrowing escape (5); friends remembering an elderly couple who died before they could escape the fire (6); but some evacuees are being allowed to return (7); fire officials apologizing for accidentally sparking the wildfire, but defending the practice of setting controlled burns (8); while insurance companies are using the Lower North Fork Fire as a cautionary tale to prompt policyholders in Grand Junction to check their policies for wildfire coverage (9). The next article takes a look at Idaho's Mullan Forest Health Project, which is designed to reduce the incidence of wildfires in Shoshone County (10). A wildfire in South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest has scorched 515 acres after being sparked by a lightning strike (11); and a structure fire turned into a wildfire near Rockerville (12); while Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands, which covers parts of both South Dakota and Nebraska, has implemented fire restrictions due to extremely dry conditions (13). Tennessee Division of Forestry announced that a 100-acre wildfire in Carter County is now under control (14). A 130-acre wildfire in Connecticut's Devil’s Hopyard State Park has been reduced to a few smoldering stumps (15); while New Jersey Forest Fire Service remarked on an active wildfire season which has seen 315 wildfires burn 254 acres, as compared with 167 fires that burned 176 acres during the same period last year (16); but the National Weather Service is also forecasting ideal conditions for wildfires in Maryland (17). Winds gusting up to 30 mph have prompted officials in Virginia to elevate the wildfire danger (18); while a 2.5-acre wildfire in Transylvania County, North Carolina, was sparked by a house fire (19). Northern Ireland Fire Service reminded people that personnel and equipment required to fight wildfires drains resources that could be better used dealing with medical emergencies in residential areas (20); continued dry conditions across the UK prompting fire officials to issue a wildfire warning for much of the British Isles (21); where, in the wake of a 17-acre wildfire at Britain's largest cemetery, firefighters in Surrey are still on high wildfire alert (22); and authorities are asking for the public's help in discovering who set two wildfires near Forres, Scotland (23). Hundreds of firefighters grappled with 15 forest fires across Spain's northern Cantabria region, which has seen 150 wildfires scorch 650 ha since last Friday (24). In India, four people were apprehended for setting a forest fire in Metikuppe Reserve Forest Range (25); while a wildfire in Rajiv Gandhi National Park that was snuffed on Tuesday showed no signs of re-kindling yesterday (26). Heat and winds have prompted South Australia's Country Fire Service to ban fires in some parts of that state (27); but Rural Fire Service firefighters noted a substantial drop in bushfire callouts in Tamworth, New South Wales, this season (28). Residents of a neighborhood in Perth, Western Australia, have been issued a bushfire warning (29); while trees have been cleared from the perimeter of the BP Kwinana Refinery to reduce the bushfire danger to that facility (30). And finally, Victoria, Australia's, Country Fire Service, in an effort to reduce bushfire danger, has just released their own gardening book!

(1) Federal firefighting agency recruiting summer firefighters in Elko

(2) Colorado wildfire has 8.5-mile perimeter, firefighters work while hot weather looms

(3) Gov. Hickenlooper To Tour Fire Damage

(4) Air tankers re-assigned; ‘sky crane’ arrives to fight Colo. wildfire

(5) Family Films Frantic Escape From Colorado Wildfire

(6) Couple killed in wildfire was ‘packed and ready to leave’

(7) Wildfire crews work to allow residents' return

(8) Colorado fire experts defend prescribed

(9) Preparing For Wildfires

(10) Project Prevents Forest Fires

(11) SD Forest Fire Burns 515 Acres; No Injuries

(12) Garage destroyed in Ghost Canyon Fire

(13) Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands implement fire restrictions

(14) Carter County forest fire contained

(15) Devil’s Hopyard fire 'essentially out'

(16) New Jersey Forest Fire Season More Active Than Last Year

(17) Gusty winds mean risk of wildfires

(18) Elevated Fire Threat Thursday

(19) House Fire Sparks Wild Fire

(20) Stark warning over wildfire consequences

(21) Firefighters feel the heat as dry weather brings rise in wildfires

(22) Surrey wildfire alert after Brookwood Cemetery blaze

(23) North-east forest fires 'started deliberately'

(24) Firefighters battle 15 forest fires in Spain

(25) 4 arrested for forest fire

(26) Forest fire doused

(27) CFS declares total fire ban for Lower Eyre Peninsula and West Coast

(28) Mild season lessens Tamworth bushfire load

(29) Bushfire warning for Bold Park

(30) Refinery trees cleared

(31) Garden guide to fireproof Vic homes