WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111212

Our first article today provides some sobering statistics on this year's fire season in the US (1). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tony Morris, Communications Director for Wildfire Research Network, sent along his latest article on the return of the CL-415 Super Scoopers to Southern California for the 19th year in a row (flip to page 28 for the story) (2); while a four-acre wildfire in the Cajon Pass has been contained (3); but as warm weather returns to San Diego County, recent rains have dampened the fire danger (4); fall weather allowing burn bans for Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties to be lifted as CAL FIRE declared the end to the wildfire season in the Bay area (5). Arizona's Coconino National Forest plans to do both broadcast burn and pile burn projects this week (6); while the debate over "open" versus "valued" insurance policies is being debated in Colorado after a summer of wildfires (7). The International Association of Wildland Fire, sent along a Request for Proposals from the city of Austin, Texas, for a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (8); but a firefighter was killed when his truck crashed on the way to a wildfire in Fort Wayne, Indiana (9). Fire crews battled a 50-acre wildfire outside of Appalachia, Virginia (10); and a 30-acre blaze in the George Washington National Forest as well (11). In Mercer County, West Virginia, a wildfire burned between 400 and 600 acres on a mountainside (12). A 140-acre wildfire that began as a warming fire has finally been contained in Watauga County, North Carolina (13); and a six-acre wildfire was also active in Guilford County (14); but an 800-acre wildfire on Pilot Mountain is now 70% contained (15); the following article discussing the need for prescribed burns to reduce the incidence of wildfires in the area, in spite of the fact that that blaze began as a prescribed burn (16). A vehicle fire from an auto collision sparked a wildfire outside of Greenville, South Carolina (17); while the Alberta, Canada, community of Bragg Creek has set up a 'FireSmart' wildfire protection plan to avoid suffering the same fate as Slave Lake, which was nearly destroyed by a wildfire (18). A total of 76 homes were damaged or destroyed by a raging wildfire in South Africa's Eastern Cape (19). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Colin Stewart, of Thermo-Gel Australia, sent along an interesting article about how Victoria aims to put GPS trackers on convicted bushfire arsonists (who start an estimated 18,000 bushfires per year) in order to keep them from lighting any more blazes (20); which could be an important edge as the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Land and Fire Manager for Gippsland stated that they faced a challenging bushfire season (21); but fearing that the crowds associated with a class action bushfire suit against electrical utility SP AusNet could overflow existing courtrooms, officials plan to build a brand-new one which can house the multitude (22). After battling nearly 100 fires so far this spring, Forests NSW reminded campers that campfires are illegal due to the fire danger (23); while South Australia's Country Fire Service has contained a 2,000-hectare bushfire that burned on the Eyre Peninsula (24). Firefighters outside of Queenstown, Tasmania, received a little help from precipitation in corralling a bushfire that burned between 1,100 and 1,500 hectares (25). And finally, firefighters in South Australia managed not only to save homes from a 2,000-hectare bushfire, but wildlife as well!

(1) U.S. endures near-record wildfire season

(2) LA County Welcomes Superscoopers for 19th Firefighting Season

(3) SB COUNTY: Wildfire contained near Interstate 15-Cajon Pass

(4) Warm weather to return with Santa Anas

(5) Wildfire season to end Monday for most of South, East Bay

(6) Coconino burns piles this week

(7) Fires reignite debate over valued policies in Colorado

(8) City of Austin, Texas RFP for CWPP

(9) Firefighter dies after tanker crash

(10) Crews battling forest fire near Southwest Virginia town

(11) Crews Work Hard to Contain Forest Fire

(12) 4-alarm blaze burns mountain

(13) Watauga County wildfire burns 140 acres

(14) 100 Firefighters Battle Guilford County Wildfire

(15) Pilot Mountain fire 70 percent contained, 800 acres burned

(16) Pilot Mountain fire shows paradoxical need for prescribed burns

(17) Greenville fatal crash sparks forest fire

(18) Alberta Wildfire Protection Plan 'FireSmart' Approved For Bragg Creek

(19) Devastating St Francis Bay fire destroys dozens of homes

(20) GPS plan to track arsonists

(21) Fire season looms large

(22) New courtroom for bushfires hearing

(23) Illegal campfires have kept forestry fire crews busy

(24) Firefighters contain blaze on Eyre Peninsula

(25) Rain and burn-offs help firefighters control Zeehan blaze

(26) Fire fighters rescue koalas from South Australian bushfires