WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 120512

Underscoring the difference of opinion on Global Warming, our first two articles today examine the impact of wildfires and climate change on each other and draw different conclusions (1)(2). The Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology, working in conjunction with US Forest Service, has created the world's first Wildland Urban Interface Hazard Scale to better adapt construction standards to dealing with wildfires (3); while cheatgrass is being blamed for the severity of wildfires across the West this past year (4). Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest has eased fire restrictions due to recent precipitation (5); similar conditions allowing Los Padres National Forest to lift fire restrictions as well (6). The International Association of Wildland Fire sent along a notice of deadline extension in regards to its upcoming Air Resource Advisor Workshop, scheduled to kick off in Seattle, Washington, in March 2013 (7). Official delays and weather kept a pair of heavy air-tankers grounded during a wildfire in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park (8); but following unprecedented December wildfires in that state, an Op-Ed piece discusses steps that the Legislature should take to address the issue early next year (9). Utah's Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands postulates that a blaze which burned 7,211-acres, destroying 15 homes in Duchesne County in June, may have been smoldering underground since December 2010 (10); while fire officials have determined that children are responsible for a November wildfire in Mercer County, West Virginia (11). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services urged residents of that state to exercise outdoor Fire safety due to the wildfire danger (12); but total fire suppression since 1957 has left US Forest Service with a daunting task in Florida's National Key Deer Refuge (13). Wildfire smoke is getting the blame for increasing the rate at which Greenland's snowpack is melting (14); and a Greek court has convicted an elderly man along with four local officials for negligence in regards to a 170,000-hectare wildfire that killed 36 people in 2007 (15); while the next article takes a look at Russia's 18,000-member Federal Forestry Agency (16). The report of a bushfire between Taupo and Tokoroa, New Zealand, led firefighters to a body in a burned-out car (17). Heading to Australia, an article from Victoria compares Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans (18); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer for Victoria-based Bushfire CRC, sent along a fire note on the Effective Communication: Communities and Bushfire program (19). A summary of bushfire activity across Queensland, where 54 bushfires are burning, is provided by the next article (20); while fire crews grappled with a bushfire southwest of Dalby (21). Of the nearly 50 bushfires burning across New South Wales, Rural Fire Service officials feel that arsonists are responsible for some of them (22); where a 10-hectare bushfire gave firefighters a run for their money in North Ryde (23). Fire crews in Western Australia have gained the upper hand on a couple of bushfires, allowing residents to return home (24); but lightning started another in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park (25); so the arrival of two new fire trucks in the Capes region was welcome news (26). And finally, a Florida firefighter calendar whose proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the families of fallen firefighters shows firefighters attired a bit differently than usual: in drag!

(1) US wildfire risk increases

(2) North American wildfires and global warming

(3) NIST and Forest Service Create World's First Hazard Scale for Wildland Fires

(4) Invasive grass blamed in Western wildfires

(5) San Bernardino National Forest: Fire, Shooting Restrictions Eased

(6) Fire Restrictions Lowered for Los Padres National Forest

(7) Air Resource Advisor Workshop - Application Deadline Extended

(8) For Now, Conditions Scrap Fern Lake Fire Air Tankers

(9) December Wildfires Should Mean January Policy

(10) Report: Blaze may have smoldered for 18 months before igniting Utah wildfire

(11) Officials: Brush fire accidentally set by children

(12) State Officials Urge Outdoor Fire Safety

(13) Study: Without fire, No Name could lose its pine forests

(14) Fire and ice: Wildfires darkening Greenland snowpack, increasing melting

(15) Greek court convicts 5 over negligence in huge 2007 wildfire that killed 36 people

(16) Forest Workers Getting Pay Raises, but Tasks Remain Daunting

(17) Update: Body found in forest fire near Taupo

(18) Safeguarding your home during bushfire season

(19) Gender and Bushfire

(20) Queensland firefighters battling 54 bush and grass fires across state

(21) Crews struggle to contain Darling Downs bushfire

(22) An early start for NSW firebugs

(23) Bushfire threatens homes in North Ryde

(24) WA fire threats ease at two communities

(25) Lightning starts bushfire

(26) Trucks in time for bushfire season

(27) Firefighters Dress in Drag for Charity Calendar