WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 091413

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Bruce Courtright, Chairman of the National Institute for the Elimination of Catastrophic Wildfire, sent along a video in which several members of Congress discuss how to reduce catastrophic wildfires (1). Super Scoopers and more than 100 firefighters responded to a 27-acre wildfire in the Southern California community of La Verne yesterday (2); while the mother of a Southern California firefighter erected a giant banner over her garage with a blessing for firefighters battling Yosemite's Rim Fire (3); and Wildfire NOTD subscriber Brian Fennessy, Assistant Chief of Emergency Operations for San Diego Fire-Rescue, sent along an article about San Diego Gas & Electric offering the services of their S-64 helicopter to battle wildfires this fall (4); firefighters in Northern California bringing the 12.5 mi.² Clover Fire to 80% containment (5). The Washington state Department of Natural Resources warned hunters about the wildfire danger in the wake of California's Rim Fire, which was apparently started by a hunter's illegal campfire (6); but in a turnabout, WildFire Tees, which raises money for emergency relief in Colorado, has switched from selling T-shirts for wildfires to selling T-shirts for floods! (7) Boise National Forest reported that wildfire-damaged hillsides were sending mountains of mud and debris downhill during rain storms (8). Montana's Bitterroot National Forest reopened roads in the areas ravaged by the 43,927-acre Gold Pan Complex Fire (9); while an Op-Ed piece rails at government officials for curtailing spraying for the Mountain Pine Beetle (10). As Ontario, Canada's, wildfire season comes to an end, no records were set this year, thankfully (11). Wildfire activity diminished a bit in Europe, where only nine blazes were reported in Spain, Turkey, and on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus (12); and the Lebanese Army continued to grapple with wildfires outside the villages of Sindiyaneh and Ayyat (13). With 123,000 hectares of forest being lost in the Philippines each year, in part due to wildfires, the next article looks at what needs to be done about it (14); while in Queensland, Australia, Rural Fire Brigades are on the lookout for volunteers as bushfire season heats up (15). And finally, firefighters in Texas had a day at the playground!

(1) Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act (H.R. 1526)

(2) UPDATED: Canyon Fire: Firefighters close to containing brush fire near foothill homes (Map)

(3) Banner Rallies Support for Rim Fire Firefighters

(4) Huge SDG&E helicopter will help fight fires

(5) Containment of Northern California wildfire that destroyed 68 homes increases to 80 percent

(6) Hunters urged to help prevent wildfires | Washington State Department of Natural Resources

(7) News from the arts inbox: WildFire Tees has a flood shirt and more

(8) Flash floods reported where Idaho wildfires burned

(9) Forest Service roads reopened near Gold Pan fire

(10) Wildfires and Pine Beetles

(11) No Records Set in 2013 Wild Fire Season

(12) EFFIS - Current Situation

(13) Forest fires rage in north, Army responds

(14) Cover Story: Where have all our forests gone?

(15) It’s bushfire season and our brigades need more volunteers

(16) Firefighters take to playground to train