WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 060613

A Christian Science Monitor article brings together a number of experts to discuss wildfire policy changes the US may consider as the costs of fighting wildfires skyrockets (1). As firefighters brought Southern California's massive Powerhouse Fire to 78% containment, the damage estimate rose to 53 structures destroyed at a fire suppression cost of $11.4 million (2); the following article providing more details on US Forest Service aviation's policy reversal over fighting wildfires from the air at night (3). A behind-the-scenes look at preparations made by the Oregon Department of Forestry for wildfire season is up next (4); while visitors to Washington state's Olympic National Forest are being advised that prescribed burns will make for smoky skies (5). Air-tanker coordination is on the agenda for wildfire training in Nevada's Washoe County (6). Firefighters have contained three suspicious wildfires on Arizona's Salt River Reservation (7); while the Coconino County Sheriff's Department launched wildfire air patrols over Flagstaff (8). As the DC-10 built retardant line to protect New Mexico's Valles Caldera National Preserve and strike teams from several Western states arrived to help bring the 15 mi.² Tres Lagunas Fire to 25% containment, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Prevention and Outreach Manager for New Mexico State Forestry, discussed the relatively quiet fire season in that state so far this year (9); a KPBS radio segment providing more details on the wildfire threat to important archaeological sites (10); but Although the endangered Rio Grande Cut-Throat Trout are safe from the Tres Lagunas Fire burning in the Santa Fe National Forest, Game and Fish officials are worried that ash from the fire could pollute the fish's habitat when the monsoon rains arrive (11); while containment on the 16 square-mile Thompson Ridge fire has been brought to 5% (12); but in the meantime, the Smokey Bear Ranger District is carrying out a mock wildfire drill in Ruidoso today (13). A 75-acre wildfire near Creede, Colorado, is now 75% contained (14); even as Hotshot teams and aircraft converged on the Durango Air-Tanker Base for an annual fly-in (15). The Lakeway Firewise Program is profiled by an article from Texas (16); but a 3-hectare wildfire briefly closed Highway 6 between Thompson and Wabowden in Manitoba, Canada (17). Heading to Europe, fire crews from nearly 2 dozen stations responded to a 20-hectare wildfire in East Sussex, England's, Ashdown Forest (18); the next item providing some photos from the fire lines (19); new wildfires being reported in Frigiliana, Spain, and Piliou, Greece, as well (20); but Europe's spring has lingered, reducing the number of wildfires in the Mediterranean region so far (21). Forest Guards and villagers banded together to fight a 100-acre wildfire outside of Chennai, India, that threatened the local peacock population (22). Country Fire Service officials have asked the South Australian Supreme Court to throw out a multi-million dollar court case filed against them by farmers following 2005's Black Tuesday bushfires (23). And finally, structural firefighting may get a whole lot safer if engineers working in the Coordinated Robotics Lab at the University of California, San Diego, have their way!

(1) Wildfire policy: Time for US to rely less on shovels, hoses, retardant? (+video)

(2) Southern Calif. wildfire destroyed 24 residences

(3) Policy Change Allows Nighttime Air Wildfire Operations

(4) 'We have all the toys for large forest fires'

(5) Fiery approach to hinder forest fires

(6) Fire training continues today in Spanish Springs; air tanker may make practice drops

(7) Firefighters contain 3 brush fires on Salt River Reservation

(8) Aerial patrol checks to prevent Ariz. wildfires

(9) Western strike teams to help with NM wildfires

(10) Wildfire Threatens Cultural, Sacred Sites In New Mexico

(11) Wildfire threatens rare species of trout

(12) Thompson Ridge fire continues to grow in NM

(13) Mock forest fire event starts Thursday

(14) Wildfire Near Creede Nearing Full Containment

(15) Firefighter fly-in

(16) Wildfire prevention efforts fuel Firewise honors, town hall meetings

(17) Forest Fire Forces Brief Hwy Closure

(18) Firefighters from 23 stations called to battle 20-hectare Ashdown Forest fire

(19) In pictures: Ashdown Forest Fire

(20) EFFIS - Current Situation

(21) Wildfires are lasting longer

(22) OMR forest fire threatens peacocks

(23) Multimillion-dollar court case against CFS over deadly 2005 Black Tuesday 2005 bushfires near Port Lincoln

(24) Video: This firefighting robot paints a 3D thermal imaging picture