WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112112

The first class of inmate wildland firefighters has graduated from Southern California's Inmate Fire Camp Training Facility (1). A 30-acre wildfire in Arizona's San Francisco Peaks was apparently started by improper disposal of ashes from a wood stove (2); while in New Mexico, Lincoln County officials refused to fund a single-engine air-tanker which it was proposed should be based at Ruidoso's Blanca Regional Airport (3). Wildfires continued to burn across Tennessee, which has imposed burn bans in 24 counties (4); and the wildfire risk will remain elevated through the Thanksgiving weekend (5); even as fire crews grappled with a 2,000-acre blaze in Hawkins County (6). North Carolina's Pilot Mountain State Park has reopened following a 675-acre wildfire two weeks ago which started as a controlled burn (7); and a 100-acre wildfire burning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been contained near Cherokee (8). Researchers from the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources are exploring the link between wild turkeys and prescribed burns (9); while motorists in Baker County, Florida, received warnings about low visibility due to a 20-acre wildfire currently burning in the Osceola National Forest (10). Tangent Link sent along a special offer associated with their upcoming Aerial Firefighting Europe conference, scheduled to kick off the 10th of April, 2013, in Aix-en-Provence, France (11). In Australia, CSIRO has released a report entitled 'All Hazards: Digital Technology & Services for Disaster Management', which discusses research in disaster planning, preparation, rescue and recovery from natural disasters like bushfires (12); but Parks Victoria has decided not to rehire a contract firefighter who was seriously injured during prescribed burns this past April, stirring up a bit of controversy (13). The bushfire situation in Queensland, where fire crews struggled to bring blazes in the Jericho and Blackall regions to containment, is summarized by the next article (14); but New South Wales' Bureau of Meteorology continues to forecast a grim bushfire season this summer (15). Following 31,000 lightning strikes across South Australia, more than 300 bushfires are burning (16); which added urgency to the beginning of Fire Danger Season (17). An estimated 20,000 ha have been scorched by a bushfire burning in Western Australia's Karijini National Park (18); but as the one-year anniversary of the devastating Augusta-Margaret River bushfires approaches, the next article reviews the situation there (19). The Tasmanian Fire Service continued to monitor a bushfire burning near Lulworth (20). And finally, art imitates life as an author who is researching firefighting for a book recounts her exploits with members of the Rochester Fire Department!

(1) Calif. Inmates Graduate From Fire Training Academy

(2) Flagstaff fire season rekindles

(3) New Mexico Officials Balk at Paying for Air Tanker

(4) More wildfires reported; state suspends burn permits in 24 counties

(5) Risk of wildfire up in East Tennessee for Thanksgiving weekend

(6) Hawkins County forest fire a 2,000 acre uphill battle

(7) Pilot Mountain State Park reopens after fire

(8) Oven Fork wildfire contained in Smokies

(9) UGA researchers looking for answers to declining wild turkey populations

(10) Baker County wildfire prompts warning for drivers

(11) Aerial Firefighting Europe 2013

(12) Technology to help weather bushfires, floods and more

(13) No job for injured state firefighter

(14) Wildfires fought in Jericho and Blackall region

(15) High Bushfire Risk For NSW In 2013

(16) Crews hoping for upper hand over SA bushfire

(17) Fire Danger Season commences in LSE

(18) Bushfire burning out of control at Karijini

(19) Stark contrasts in Margaret River a year on from bushfire

(20) Bushfire alert for Pipers River and Weymouth

(21) Kathryn Shay takes firefighting research seriously