WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 053012

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden stated at a press conference at Oregon's Medford Air Attack Base that the US Forest Service was not doing enough to fill the depleted ranks of heavy air tankers, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Pat Pilolla, Erickson Air-Crane's Director of Customer Support , commenting on the long lead time required to bolster the air-tanker numbers (1); and speaking of Erickson, they just announced a $44 million contract with the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency to provide firefighting services to Greece (2). In Washington state, the San Juan Fire Chiefs’ Association has unveiled a new Wildland Fire Risk Assessment to help homeowners prepare for wildfires of the future (3); while firefighters battled a 100-acre wildfire in East Valley that briefly threatened homes on Memorial Day (4). An update on the 16,240-acre Gladiator Fire burning in Arizona's Prescott National Forest shows that the blaze is now 60% contained (5); and on the first anniversary of the Wallow Fire, the next article takes a look at recovery efforts in the burn areas (6); while Flagstaff Fire Department conducted arson investigations on two wildfires that were deliberately set (7); and campfires continue to be lit in the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests despite a burn ban (8); the next article asking whether logging might help prevent another Wallow Fire (9). A 170,272-acre wildfire burning in the Gila National Forest earned the dubious distinction of the largest wildfire in New Mexico's history (10); threatening several endangered species of wildlife (11); Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, commenting on the impact humans and drought have on that state's wildfires (12). Residents of Cedar City, Utah, are learning about the virtues of defensible space to save their homes from wildfires (13); while Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources announced a new batch of wildland fire suppression grants for fire departments in that state (14). A 21,450-acre wildfire that has destroyed 115 structures on Michigan's Upper Peninsula is now 55% contained (15); but the federal government will not have to pay the state of Michigan $85,000 for a 2007 wildfire that started as a controlled burn (16); the next article profiling an AT-802 Fire Boss pilot and his mount, which have seen action over that state (17). A spokesman for Virginia-based Lexington Institute discusses some thoughts on US Forest Service's shrinking heavy air-tanker fleet (18); while the International Association of Wildland Fire has issued a call for papers for its upcoming Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, next February (19). A wildfire in Florida's Okaloosa County that passed the 1,200-acre mark is less than 20% contained (20); while a wildfire drill in Flagler County assessed first responders' preparedness for wildfires of the future (21). Global Warming is once again getting the blame for wildfires, this time in Northern Ontario, Canada (22); but a young boy was accused of setting a new wildfire in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador (23). Arsonists apparently ignited some bushes in Doncaster village, UK (24); and in the African nation of Tanzania, 1,500 ha of valuable teak stands have been destroyed by bushfires sparked by slash and burn agriculture practiced on nearby farms (25). Although an Australian bushfire arsonist was convicted by the Victorian Supreme Court last month of setting a deadly bushfire on Black Saturday, the Department of Public Prosecutions wants the sentence extended (26); and the Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group is calling for more funds to increase bushfire safety throughout the region (27). Rangers plan to burn approximately 2,000,000 acres of Northern Territory's Kakadu National Park this season (28); but as Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation prepares to conduct 100,000 ha of controlled burns over the next few weeks, the Australian Workers Union fears that they have a shortage of fire crews needed to control the blazes (29). And finally, students at Western Australia's Margaret River Primary School are doing their part to help replant trees destroyed by bushfires!

(1) Wyden: More air tankers needed

(2) Erickson Air-Crane Wins $44M Greek Firefighting Contract

(3) When fires rage, there is a plan

(4) Washington Crews Keep Brush Fire Away From Homes

(5) Gladiator Fire closure area to shrink soon

(6) Community, forest on way to recovery 1 year after Wallow Fire

(7) FD: Flagstaff wildfire human-caused

(8) Campfires lit despite bans

(9) Can logging forests prevent another Wallow Fire?

(10) Wildfire shatters record for largest in New Mexico

(11) Whitewater-Baldy wildfire threatens wildlife

(12) Humans, drought behind record wildfires

(13) Defensible Space Could Save Your Home From Wildfires

(14) Grants Available for Forest and Wildland Fire Suppression

(15) Upper Peninsula wildfire destroys 115 structures

(16) Feds off the hook for '07 U.P. wildfire

(17) 'Fireboss' reigns in Gaylord for a few days

(18) Forest Service Needs To Recapitalize Its Fleet of Aerial Tankers

(19) 4th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference

(20) Eglin wildfires top 1200 acres

(21) Drill assesses wildfire danger

(22) Risk of forest fires flaring up due to global warming

(23) Firefighters put out small Labrador blaze

(24) Bush fire started deliberately

(25) 1,500 ha of treak farms destroyed by bush fires

(26) DPP appeals bushfire arson sentence

(27) More cash call to tackle fire safety

(28) Annual bushfire burn-off begins in Kakadu

(29) Fire crew shortage warning for SW

(30) Students plant trees by the sea