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.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091912

An article from the journal Nature takes a look at the triple-headed monster impacting forests in the West: fires, climate change and insect outbreaks (1). A new study from Insurance Information Network of California and Verisk Insurance Solutions shows that 2 million homes in California face wildfire danger, including 400,000 in Southern California's Los Angeles County alone (for a county-by-county view of the danger, go here) (2); and following two high-profile fires in western LA, Los Angeles City Fire Department is asking for upgrades to helipads to support future wildland firefighting in the area (3); while San Diego county and city officials unveiled new technology, like the Next Generation Incident Command System, which will help fight future wildfires in the region, with comments by Wildfire NOTD subscriber Hans-Werner Braun, the Director of the University of San Diego's HPWREN program (4); but an Op-Ed piece discusses the controversial issue of ratepayers paying for San Diego Gas & Electric's wildfire settlements (5); NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite showing the damage done by wildfires in Northern California (6); while its Aqua satellite provided some photos of wildfires in the northwestern US from space (7); smoke from wildfires through the region causing health issues for people with respiratory problems (8). Oregon's Pole Creek Fire has expanded to 22,000 acres in size and is only 20% contained (9); while the Coos Forest Protective Association reported two wildfires in their area (10); current fire conditions prompting officials in Willamette National Forest to impose fire restrictions (11). A wildfire in Liberty, Washington, is threatening 300 homes (12); but although fire crews continue to make progress on wildfires burning in Central Washington, one firefighter died on the fireline near Wenatchee (13); the current fire situation prompting the governor to extend his wildfire emergency order (14); while visitors to Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest are being advised of fire restrictions (15); with the Department of Fish and Wildlife imposing fire restrictions on lands they administer as well (16); wildfire smoke forcing Central Washington University's football team to relocate for a game (17). In the wake of Ruidoso, New Mexico's, devastating Little Bear Fire, property owners are lobbying US Forest Service to base a single-engine air-tanker at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport permanently (18). A deliberately-set wildfire in Boise County, Idaho, is keeping firefighters busy (19); where a teenage volunteer firefighter has been arrested for starting the blaze (20). Firefighters continued to make progress on wildfires in Utah (21); while authorities are close to filing charges in regards to a 58,500-acre wildfire in Creek County, Oklahoma, that destroyed 376 homes last month (22). A brief summary of wildfire activity in Wyoming is provided by the next article (23). The benefits of a couple of federal programs for Montana's forests are examined by the next article (24); but windy weather helped drive smoke away from the Sawtooth and Mustang Complex wildfires, clearing the way for renewed airstrikes (25). Two new wildfires were reported in southwestern South Dakota (26); and as wildfire activity diminishes, Arkansas Forestry Commission looks back on a year in which nearly 2,000 wildfires burned 32,185 acres statewide (27). Canadian fire crews pounced on a two-hectare grass fire which was reported in Oliver, British Columbia, yesterday (28); while a 1,000-hectare wildfire burning in Kootenay National Park was making for smoky skies over Calgary, Alberta (29); and Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources is concerned about wildfires that could be fueled by blown-down timber (30). In Southern Europe, wildfires were reported in Portugal and Serbia (31); while in Africa, Zambia Wildlife Authority reported that wildfires were blazing through Mosi-o-Tunya National Park (32). Smoke from wildfires is choking cities across Indonesia's Central Kalimantan state (33). Heading Down Under, Victorian state officials reassured residents that millions of dollars in budget cuts would not impact firefighting services (34); while Wildfire NOTD reader Darren Webb, General Manager for Phos-Chek in Australia, sent along an article from New South Wales that takes a look at the cost of fire suppression there, where Phos-Chek provides retardant, gel and foam for aerial operations (35); the following article offering some advice to government agencies on how better to disseminate information during emergencies like bushfires (36). And finally, a volunteer firefighter in New South Wales, Australia, has a unique way of getting out the Prepare/Act/Survive message: paint it on a sport utility vehicle!

(1) Forest fires: Burn out

(2) Study: More Than 2 Million California Homes Exposed To High Wildfire Danger

(3) Officials Say New Helipads Near Brentwood's Fire Station 109 Critical for Aerial Firefighting

(4) Fire Fighting Prevention, Innovation & Collaboration

(5) Hall: Should SDG&E pay for wildfire settlements with your money?

(6) California Wildfire Burn Scar Spotted from Space

(7) Northwestern Wildfires Spotted from Space

(8) NW wildfires creating health issues

(9) Pole Creek Fire spreads smoke, now 22,000 acres

(10) Two fires burn timberland near Scottsburg, Brookings

(11) Willamette National Forest going to fire restrictions

(12) Wildfire threatens 300 homes in Liberty

(13) Forest Service Identifies Fallen Fire Fighter

(14) Wash. governor to extend wildfire emergency order

(15) Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest bans open campfires

(16) WDFW imposes campfire ban, limits other activities to reduce wildfire threats

(17) Wildfire smoke forces CWU to move football practice to North Bend

(18) Group Pushes for Firefighting Plane for Ruidoso Area

(19) Karney Fire escapes containment, but firefighters keep flames from homes

(20) Idaho teen started wildfire to get dad's attention, police say: Northwest News Roundup

(21) Utah firefighters tame wildfires in Tooele, Utah counties

(22) Charges to be filed soon in Creek County wildfires, prosecutor says

(23) Wildfire west of Pinedale is 10 percent contained

(24) Act will boost fire preparation

(25) Helicopters return to fighting Sawtooth, Mustang Complex wildfires

(26) More wildfires spark in southwestern South Dakota

(27) Wildfires slow down after active summer, official says

(28) Crews cleaning up after grassfire near Vaseux Lake: No word on cause

(29) Haze from nearby forest fires hang over Calgary

(30) MNR studies fires fueled by wind-fallen trees

(31) EFFIS - Current Situation

(32) Fire sweeps Mosi-o-Tunya, animals flee

(33) Forest Fire Smoke Sweeps Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan

(34) Budget cuts no threat to firefighting services

(35) Firefighting is a costly exercise

(36) When disaster strikes, let information slip through the net

(37) Fire safety message painted on ute

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