WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 041513

The impact of climate change on wildfires in the US, as well as the economic consequences, is examined by our first article today (1); while the National Fire Protection Association has released a new DVD which aims to help small and rural fire departments prepare for wildfires (2). Washington state's Department of Natural Resources officially kicked off the wildfire season today (3). A 40-acre wildfire south of Flagstaff, Arizona, was 50% contained Sunday afternoon (4); while an Arizona Congressman argued for adoption of his Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act to prevent wildfires such as those that devastated the state last year (5). An editorial from the Denver Post discusses what can be done to better prepare for wildfires in Colorado (6); and disaster planners in Aspen unveiled their “Ready, Set, Go” program, which aims to reduce the wildfire danger in that resort town (7). A Texas state legislator's bill that would allow homeowners to remove stumps from their property if they were deemed a fire hazard is stirring controversy among city managers (8); while an Ohio University researcher is using tree rings to determine the impact of forest management strategies on tree growth (9). An Op-Ed piece from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, talks about the importance of setting controlled burns in the Pine Barrens to reduce the incidence of wildfire (10); but a resident of Wellsboro is under arrest after intentionally setting fire to 4 acres (11). Although rainfall is in the forecast, several wildfires have been reported across West Virginia and Kentucky (12). In Georgia, the Chestatee/Chattahoochee Resource Conservation & Development Council has been selected to act as the Southeastern hub for the Fire Adaptive Communities Learning Network (13); and a 225-acre wildfire outside of Daytona Beach, Florida, forced closure of US 92 (14). New Brunswick, Canada, which saw 344 fires burn 362 hectares of forest land, has started its wildfire season, that will run through Halloween (15). A controlled burn has turned into a wildfire which is being fought by 700 personnel in eastern China's Jiangxi Province (16); but fire crews in the Himalayan nation of Nepal have finally brought a 3,000-hectare forest fire outside of Gulmi under control (17). Heading to Australia, difficult terrain hampered Country Fire Authority firefighters battling a blaze in Meredith, Victoria (18); while the Australian Broadcasting Corporation asked for assistance for Blazeaid, a volunteer organization which rebuilds fencing destroyed by bushfires in several states (19). Even though the fire permit period has ended for most of Tasmania, debate about how best to prepare for bushfires of the future has just begun (20). And finally, a Berkeley, California, firefighter's pager went from annoyance to lifesaver when an 88-year-old man opened fire during a medical call!

(1) Flooding, fires and food: Climate change is costing taxpayers plenty

(2) NFPA Releases New Wildfire DVD

(3) State wildfire seasons begins, 'summer fire rules' in effect

(4) Crews battle 40-acre wildfire south of Flagstaff

(5) Wildfire policy must shift from reactive to proactive

(6) Reality of living with forest fires

(7) Aspen officials warn of wildfire threat

(8) Wildfires spur Workman to stump for tree removal bill

(9) Fire survivors: How do forest management strategies used to combat wildfires impact tree growth?

(10) Everyone, rural or urban, has stake in forests

(11) Wellsboro Woman Intentionally Sets Wildfire

(12) Forest Fires Break Out Around the Region

(13) Local RC&D Council chosen for national wildfire initiative

(14) U.S. 92 closes after wildfire grows

(15) Forest-fire season begins today

(16) Forest fire breaks out in E China

(17) Forest fire in Gulmi brought under control

(18) Bushfire battle a struggle

(19) Mending fences, recovering from bushfire: the Blazeaid volunteer army needs your help

(20) Debate rages over fuel reduction

(21) Police: Elderly Berkeley Man Shoots Firefighter During Medical Call