WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041812

US Forest Service plans to burn off 33 acres of Northern California's Grover's Hot Spring State Park in the near future (1); while a 400-acre wildfire continues to expand in New Mexico's Gila National Forest (2). The response to a small wildfire in October may have shown flaws in Colorado State Forest Service's tactics which would bear deadly fruit when the Lower North Fork Fire broke out this spring (3); and at least one survivor pronounced the 152-page report on that massive fire an exercise in "CYA" (4). Idaho Panhandle National Forests plans to conduct controlled burns on 12,000 acres this year (5); but residents and firefighters in Hardin County, Texas, reflected on lessons learned from wildfires that burned 30,000 acres in the region last year (6). Wyoming Air National Guard is conducting MAFFS training at Camp Guernsey Training Center today in preparation for wildfire season (7). As Minnesota's Wildfire Prevention Week continues, Department of Natural Resources officials warned that recent rain will not put off wildfires forever (8); while the next article takes a closer look at preparations by Bureau of Indian Affairs Wildland Fire Management program to fight wildfires in Wisconsin's "blowdown area", where thousands of acres of timber that have been knocked down by storms in the past make excellent fuel (9). Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provides tips to protect property from wildfires in the next article (10); where a 2-acre wildfire outside of Allentown forced evacuations (11). After four wildfires were reported in Carroll County, New Hampshire, over the weekend, fire officials are on edge due to the elevated wildfire risk (12). Firefighters continued to douse hot spots in a 50-acre wildfire that burned outside of Dighton, Massachusetts (13); but despite warnings from the National Weather Service about the wildfire danger statewide, fire officials in Belmont are confident that the risk is low in their area (14). A six-acre wildfire was reported near New York's Washington Correctional Facility yesterday (15); and another was battled by volunteer firefighters assisted by New York Forest Rangers near Manorville on Long Island (16); where, following a wildfire which burned over 1,000 acres, officials are advocating more prescribed burns to reduce the wildfire danger (17). The fire danger in Jackson, New Jersey, is underscored by the report of eight small wildfires over the weekend (18). A brief summary of wildfire activity in Virginia is provided by the next article (19); where, although a wildfire that burned through Page County may have been arson, hunters are pleased with the results (20). One year later, a wildfire which burned 483 mi.² in Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is finally out (21); but Flagler County, Florida, is conducting wildfire recon flights as the fire danger reaches elevated levels (22). Firefighters in Siberia, Russia, battled 91 wildfires that scorched 8,357-hectares, threatening towns in the Zabaikalsky and Novosibirsk regions and in Buryatia (23). Firefighters doused a wildfire outside of Buhangin, Mindanao, in the Philippines (24); and a 4.8-hectare wildfire was reported in Buhisan forest on the island of Cebu (25). Researchers with Australian Bush Heritage are mapping Queensland's Simpson Desert to see what impact bushfires which burned 800,000 ha last year had on the region (26); but Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment is under fire for the deaths of several koala bears during a controlled burn in the Otways (27); while bushfires on South Australia's Lower Eyre Peninsula drew a sharp response from Country Fire Service volunteers (28). And finally, firefighters in West Park, Florida, had to perform a tricky extrication operation: getting a newborn kitten out of a pipe!

(1) Forest Service plans Markleeville burn

(2) BREAKING: Wildfire Spreads in Gila Wilderness

(3) Report: Small fire in October portended Lower North Fork tragedy

(4) Wildfire report is just “CYA report,” victim says

(5) Prescribed burns planned in forest

(6) Wildfires: One year later

(7) Wyo. Air Nat'l Guard practices aerial firefighting

(8) Wildfire Prevention Week raises awareness for fire safety

(9) Firefighters ready in case of a wildfire in blow-down region

(10) Tips for protecting home/property from wildfires

(11) Dozens of firefighters respond to forest fire on South Mountain

(12) Firefighters on edge as wildfire risk rises

(13) UPDATE: Firefighters battle lingering hot spots at scene of serious brush fire in Dighton

(14) Wildfire risk low in Belmont despite National Weather Service warning

(15) NY official: More 'prescribed burns' needed

(16) Forest fire near prison in Washington County

(17) Wildfires Erupt In Manorville: Another Long Day For Volunteer Fire Fighters

(18) Jackson Police Department Reminds Residents of Ban on Open Fires by Forest Fire Service

(19) Wednesday wildfires update: Rain to help containment, more crews heading home

(20) Neighbors of Wildfire Say Fire Might Help Hunting Season

(21) Okefenokee Wildfire Is Out

(22) Crews on alert to reduce fire threat

(23) Wildfires Hit Zabaikalsky Town

(24) Wildfire doused

(25) Burned:14 houses in Mandaue city, 4.8 hectares in Buhisan forest

(26) Experts probe outback Qld bushfires' impact

(27) Three koalas die in controlled burn

(28) CFS volunteers are battling three fires on the Lower Eyre Peninsula

(29) Firefighters rescue kitten from pipe