Firebomber Publications Blog

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 020113

The former Counsel to the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry weighs in on the need to urge federal political leadership to support the harvesting and thinning of forests across the US to reduce the damage done by wildfires (1). A new study by Oregon’s Institute For a Sustainable Environment demonstrates the boost to the local economy provided by wildfires (2); folks at Madras hoping that plans by Erickson Aero Tanker to base three MD-87s at Madras Airport could provide a boost for their local economy (3). Drought and wildfires were the central focus of yesterday's Colorado Water Congress, held in Denver (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Craig Clements, Assistant Professor in San Jose State University'sDepartment of Meteorology & Climate Science, sent along an article and video which discuss a 155-acre controlled burn they conducted in conjunction with several organizations outside of Houston, Texas, to study wildfire activity on prairie grass during windy conditions (5)(6). Fire officials in North Port, Florida, warned of an elevated wildfire danger due to dry, windy conditions (7); but in Gulf County, four out of five wildfires that have cropped up recently are believed to be arson (8). Fire officials in India have established a 2,100 km fire line around Bandipur National Park to protect the flora and fauna from wildfires (9); while eight helicopters assisted dozens of firefighters battling a 10-hectare blaze outside of Castle Downs, New Zealand (10). Heading to Australia, a favorable change in the weather has given Country Fire Authority the upper hand in a bushfire burning on Victoria's Hotham Heights (11); while a bushfire recovery center has been opened in Heyfield for people impacted by the Aberfeldy bushfire (12); even as the septuagenarian charged with accidentally starting that bushfire has been released on bail (13); and a law firm warned people impacted by the Black Saturday blaze in Kilmore East that time to join the Victoria Supreme Court class-action suit is running out (14); but warnings by an environmental group that climate change was increasing forest plantation fires was disputed by County Fire Authority leadership (15). Property owners impacted by a 12,000-hectare bushfire in the Yarrabin region of New South Wales expressed a desire to move on with their lives at an Emergency Operations Centre meeting (16); while firefighters battled a bushfire within the Geraldton, Western Australia, city limits yesterday (17). Record heat and little rain is being blamed for Tasmania's January bushfire siege (18); a meeting of farmers in Derwent Valley discussing pasture renovation, animal welfare, weed management and restocking after those fires (19); the Insurance Council of Australia addressing the efforts of insurers to help with post-bushfire recovery in the region in the next item (20); while the Federal Opposition leader urged the government to offer $100,000 loans to small businesses impacted by the bushfires, as well as offering short-term tax holidays (21).

(1) Talking Forestry to Democrats

(2) Study shows fires boost local economies

(3) Air tankers could mean more jobs in Madras

(4) Drought, wildfires top concerns

(5) About 155 acres to burn in coastal Texas research

(6) Controlled burn helps fire officials learn

(7) North Port warns residents of wildfire risk

(8) Florida Forest Service Suspects Several RecentWildfires To Be Arson

(9) Fire line to prevent forest fires in BandipurNational Park

(10) Southland scrub fire under control

(11) Alpine bushfire warning eased

(12) Bushfire recovery centre open