WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101612

An editorial from Southern California discusses the virtues and vices of fire agencies building a trio of helicopter dip-tank sites near Bel-Air Sky Crest (1); but San Diego Gas & Electric's request to pass along wildfire costs to ratepayers was rejected by the California Public Utilities Commission (2); while Lassen National Forest will be hosting a tour of areas scorched by the Chips Fire this past summer on October 27th (3); and Burned Area Emergency Response teams will have their efforts in rehabilitating 41,983 acres burned by Mendocino National Forest's North Pass Fire funded (4); more favorable weather allowing Six Rivers National Forest to finally lift fire restrictions (5). Fire restrictions on power tools in Oregon's Jackson County have been eased after weekend rain (6); an editorial counseling that Congress should do a better job estimating the costs of wildland firefighting for the US Forest Service budget (7). Fire restrictions on several ranger districts in Washington State's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest are being eased (8); even as the Naneum Ridge State Forest reopens following the Table Mountain Fire (9); and the remaining wildfires in the state were turned over to local control by federal incident command teams (10); allowing firefighters to return home after a summer of wildfires (11); the next article taking a closer look at the impact of wildfires on tourism in the Wenatchee Valley (12). Firefighters continued to grapple with a 100-acre wildfire sparked by lightning in Arizona's Tonto National Forest (13); while legislators in New Mexico got an earful from survivors of the Little Bear Fire, which destroyed almost 300 structures and cost an estimated $250 million (14). A 673-acre wildfire burning in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park is now 30% contained (15). The impact of Idaho's wildfires on sage-grouse populations is examined by the next article (16); the one that follows taking a look at the impact of drought and wildfires on beef ranchers (17). Two months after an arson-caused 2,700-acre wildfire in Luther County, Oklahoma, destroyed 50 homes, sheriff's deputies have identified suspects (18); while fire crews in Minnesota are still battling a 100-acre wildfire that broke out Friday in the Pillsbury State Forest (19). With the advent of the fall wildfire season, Tennessee Division of Forestry reminded homeowners that burn permits are required for some outdoor fires (20); and the International Association of Wildland Fire sent along a reminder of their upcoming Fire Behavior & Fuels Conference, to be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, next February (21). Wildfires were reported in Portugal and Bulgaria yesterday (22). The next article takes a closer look at Australia's $2.3 million NSW Rural Fire Service Prepare Act Survive campaign (23); while residents of communities in Queensland joined firefighters in battling several arson-caused bushfires (24); but volunteer firefighters are threatening to reimpose a ban on fighting bushfires on government land (25). NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite provides a striking photo of bushfires burning in Western Australia (26); even as that state's Emergency Services Minister coped with the fallout from the serious injuries suffered by two firefighters battling a bushfire outside of Albany (27). And finally, firefighters in New Zealand traded hot and dusty conditions for wet, cold conditions while competing in the Rural Firefighter Challenge!

(1) Helicopter Noise on the Westside

(2) Regulators Rebuff SDG&E's Special Request To Recover 2007 Wildfire Costs SDG&E's Fire Cost BID Rejected

(3) Chips Fire impacts and tour

(4) Repairs funded for Mendocino National Forest roads, trails and snag removal following North Pass Fire

(5) Six Rivers National Forest lifts fire restrictions

(6) ODF: Rainfall dampens wildfire risk

(7) H&N View: Congress should do better arithmetic on firefighting costs

(8) Campfire restrictions lifted for National Forest lands in Chelan, Kittitas and Yakima Counties

(9) DNR Statewide Burn Ban Ends at Midnight, October 15 Naneum Ridge State Forest Reopens As Rain, Lower Temps Ease Fire Danger

(10) Cowlitz 2 crew returning home from wildfire duties

(11) Federal Wildland Firefighters Leave Western Wash

(12) Big soccer tourney, other sports tourism, goes up in smoke in Wenatchee

(13) Lightning-caused forest fire in northern Arizona

(14) Locals describe Little Bear Fire impacts to state legislative committee

(15) Containment grows on RMNP wildfire

(16) Wildfires Impact Sage-Grouse Populations

(17) Drought, Wildfires Have Beef Farmers Looking for Cheaper Feed

(18) Two-Month Investigation Leads To Suspects In Luther Wildfire

(19) DNR fights wildfire at Pillsbury State Forest

(20) Safety tips to prevent forest fires

(21) 4th Fire Behavior & Fuels Conference

(22) EFFIS - Current Situation

(23) Bushfires: Govt says you are not prepared

(24) Residents fight fires as arsonists strike in bushland near Daintree Close and Eton Court, Forest Lake

(25) Firefighters threaten to reinstate bans on Government land

(26) Fires in Western Australia

(27) Pressure to determine why firefighters injured

(28) Conditions test rural firefighters