WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 100312

California Fire Science Consortium sent along their October newsletter (1); but as hot, windy conditions continue in Southern California, the National Weather Service has issued Red Flag warnings for a third day (2); and although Forest Care grants will be coming to an end in February of 2013, residents of the San Bernardino National Forest community of Idyllwild will still be able to get free property evaluations until that time (3); while firefighters pounced on a pair of wildfires that broke out in Sequoia National Forest (4); and defensible space is once again being lauded by fire officials for helping protect homes threatened by a wildfire in El Dorado County (5); but CAL FIRE investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a five-acre wildfire that destroyed three homes in Cotati (6); while a 200-acre wildfire burning in Mendocino County is now 40% contained (7); and a 4-acre wildfire was reported in northern California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest (8). The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon today (9); while a wildfire near Omak, Washington, damaged two homes as well as a school on the Colville Indian Reservation (10). The devastation wrought on sage grouse habitat in northern Nevada is the focus of the next article (11); followed by an editorial from Colorado Springs, Colorado, that muses over the prospect of Al Qaeda starting the Waldo Canyon Fire (12). Idaho Department of Fish and Game indicated that the destruction wrought by the 150,000-acre Trinity Ridge Fire this year may actually help wildlife throughout the region (13); but as Red Flag conditions persisted across Utah, crews brought containment on a 2,500-acre wildfire in the southwest to 20% (14). Wildfire activity in Montana is summarized by the next item (15). Residents of Karlstad, Minnesota, will be allowed to return home after being evacuated as a wildfire destroyed numerous structures in the town (16); smoke from that wildfire being reported as far north as Ontario, Canada (17). Parts of Missouri face an elevated wildfire risk due to dry, windy conditions (18); while the Nature Conservancy of Mississippi expounds on the virtues of controlled burns in the aftermath of wildfires in the West (19). A retired wildland firefighter from British Columbia, Canada, discusses steps to be taken by communities to prepare for wildfires (20); even as a couple of blazes continue to burn in that province (21). Wildfire activity in Manitoba is the focus of the next article (22); where smoke from Assiniboine Forest continues to disrupt life in Winnipeg (23). An update on wildfire activity in Ontario, where air-tankers grappled with a forest fire outside of Sudbury, if provided by the next article (24). Numerous wildfires continue to burn in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Macedonia, as well as in the North African nation of Algeria (25); while the head of Russia's FSB (the successor to their KGB) indicated that they had evidence that some forest fires in Europe had been started by Al Qaeda operatives (26). Helicopters assisted military and civil defense firefighters battling a wildfire in Lebanon's Akkar district (27); and firefighters have contained a bushfire that threatened homes in Omokoroa, New Zealand (28). The International Association Of Wildland Fire, sent along the latest information from Australia-based Bushfire CRC (29); the following article providing some pointers on how to harden a home against bushfires (30). After continued reports of people being put through difficulties trying to build in bushfire-prone parts of Victoria, the state government has agreed to review its controversial bushfire management overlays (31); residents of New South Wales' Central Coast being reminded to have their bushfire survival plan in place as fire officials warn of a dangerous bushfire season ahead (32). Just as bushfire season is set to begin, a bushfire brigade from Augusta-Margaret River, Western Australia, has disbanded (33). And finally, a Smithville, Texas, cat owner and her pet were finally reunited one year after a wildfire separated them!

(1) October 2012 Newsletter

(2) Wildfire risk high with soaring heat, strong winds

(3) Forest Care grants ending

(4) Cause of Monday's Sequoia wildland fires unknown

(5) UPDATE: Defensible space credited for sparing homes threatened by El Dorado County fire

(6) Investigators probe cause of Cotati blaze destroying 3 homes

(7) Firefighters increase containment on Flynn Fire

(8) Fire in Post Mountain

(9) Red Flag Warning is in effect for high danger of forest fires

(10) Wildfire burns 2 homes near Omak, threatens school

(11) Nevada wildfires charring some of state's most vital sage grouse habitat

(12) OUR VIEW: Let's find out who started fires (poll)

(13) Fire shift wildlife migrations; long-term effect is positive

(14) Utah wildfire nears 2,500 acres, crews slowed by terrain

(15) Wildfires losing steam in old burns

(16) Wildfire evacuation order lifted in NW Minnesota

(17) Smoke from northwest wildfires blankets large part of northern Minnesota

(18) Wildfire risk higher today amid dry, windy, warm conditions

(19) Recent western wildfires matter to Mississippi

(20) Wildfire threat is a reality

(21) UPDATE: Cawston fire reduced in size

(22) Wildfires burn 4 homes, bridge in southeastern Manitoba

(23) Crews fighting fires in Assiniboine Forest

(24) Water bomber and helicopter battle Sudbury forest fire

(25) EFFIS - Current Situation

(26) Forest Jihad: Al-Qaida Turns to Eco-Terrorism says Russian Security Chief

(27) Five-day forest fire in Akkar extinguished

(28) Bush fire under control

(29) Latest Wildland Fire Reports and Research from Bushfire CRC in Australia

(30) How to prepare a house from bushfire

(31) Heat on bushfire laws

(32) Bushfire season has officially started on the Central Coast

(33) A bushfire brigade is disbanded as volunteers go

(34) Cat lost during wildfire returns home