WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 012213

Washington state Senate's Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee heard from residents of Eastern Washington about their troubles from wildfires that ravaged the area last summer (1); some people worrying that 1,000 head of deer that live in the 37 mi.² burn area near Cle Elum could be impacted by a lack of forage this winter (2). Officials in Washoe County, Nevada, have decided not to press charges against a man who accidentally sparked a wildfire that destroyed 29 homes last January (3). A Colorado-based US Congressman received a commitment from the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee to fund the much-needed Emergency Watershed Protection to help that state pay the bill for losses suffered in last summer's wildfires (4); but in the meantime, several new wildfires were reported outside of Boulder and in Douglas County (5); the 32-acre Fern Lake Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park continuing to smolder under the snow (6). Property owners in Creek County, Oklahoma, have asked officials to remove hastily constructed dirt berms and earthworks on their lands that the county used to halt the spread of an out-of-control August wildfires (7). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Chris Mehl, Communications Director at Montana-based Headwaters Economics, sent along two items which discuss how Pres. Obama plans to address the dangerous trend of new home construction in wildfire-prone areas in his second term (8)(9). An eight-acre wildfire that began as a debris burn nearly reached Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest (10). South Carolina's Lowcountry is at an elevated risk from wildfires due to a cold front bringing dry, windy conditions through the region (11); that same front prompting officials in northeast Florida to warn residents about the danger of outdoor burning (12). Fire crews battled a rekindled bushfire on the outskirts of Raglan, New Zealand, yesterday (13); one of several bushfires firefighters had to deal with across those islands (14); a trio of helicopters lending a hand with a 20-hectare blaze in Northland (15). A video segment discusses some of the hidden costs Australians face following bushfires in several states (16). Lightning sparked nearly a dozen new bushfires in Victoria (17); but residents of Creswick who fled to the nearby Doug Lindsay Reserve during a bushfire Monday mistakenly believed it was a Neighbourhood Safer Place (18); while resources which can be utilized by residents of Gippsland impacted by recent bushfires are provided in the next article (19). The community of Coonabarabran, New South Wales, is reaching out to help those impacted by recent bushfires in Warrumbungle National Park (20). Fire crews in Western Australia managed to corral bushfires burning outside of Harvey and Bunbury (21); a photo spread showing bushfire activity outside of Harvey (22); while officials in the Shire of Nannup lobbied for establishment of an Emergency Management Institute to better train those involved in bushfire management (23). The Tasmanian community is pulling together to cope with damage wrought by bushfires (24). And finally, one four-year-old boy from Maitland, New South Wales, is doing his part to help in a relief effort for bushfire-hit Coonabarabran!

(1) Washingtonians seek help against floods, wildfires

(2) Deer surviving in central Washington wildfire burn zone

(3) No charges against man blamed for Reno wildfire

(4) Gardner gets commitment from Appropriations Chair to work on wildfire recovery funding

(5) Firefighters Extinguish Small Wildfires In Boulder, Douglas County

(6) Drought, heat trigger pre-wildfire season jitters

(7) County to move firefighting dirt

(8) Stop, rather than subsidize, construction in high-risk zones

(9) Obama’s Second-Term Options on the Environment

(10) Fire almost reaches national forest

(11) Wildfire threat on the rise in the Lowcountry

(12) Dry cold and winds bring more wildfire risk

(13) Burnoff near Raglan spreads to pine plantation

(14) Firefighters keep watch on several scrub fires

(15) Choppers help fight Northland forest fire

(16) Hidden costs bring new challenge to bushfire survivors

(17) Lightning sparks nine new fires ahead of temperature spike

(18) Bushfire sparks confusion in Creswick over refuge

(19) Bushfires recovery resources and information

(20) Community rallies around those affected by Coonabarabran bushfires

(21) Crews contain bushfires in Harvey and Bunbury

(22) Harvey bushfire photos

(23) Shire calls for bushfire institute to be set up

(24) Tasmanian community galvanized by bushfire

(25) Charlie shows compassion for bushfire victims