WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101013

The seemingly endless cycle of the government paying for major wildfires (some of which goes to private contractors) is examined by our first article today (1); while the 2013 CoreLogic Wildfire Hazard Risk Report has identified over 1.2 million properties in 13 Western states which are at risk from wildfires (2). Yesterday's rain in Southern California did little to ease the wildfire danger in San Diego County (3); but it undoubtedly helped firefighters corral a 2,236-acre wildfire on the grounds of Camp Pendleton (4); a new book recounting the terror of 2003's Cedar Fire on the 10th anniversary of that blaze (5); while Air Spray continues to convert two BAe 146 aircraft into air-tankers at Chico Municipal Airport (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ty Bonnar, Vice President of Global Operations at Flexible Alternatives, sent along an update on the C-27 Spartan, which has been touted as an air-tanker candidate, being sent to the boneyard at Arizona's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base as they come off the assembly lines (7); while a researcher at Northern Arizona University's School of Forestry offers some tips on wildfire management in an era of climate change (8). The implications of CoreLogic's Wildfire Hazard Risk Report to New Mexicans is examined by the next article (9); the contribution of Summit County, Colorado, lawmakers on the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control on Wildland Fire and Prescribed Fire Matters being examined by the one which follows (10). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Timothy Ingalsbee, the Administrative Co-Director of the Association for Fire Ecology, discussed the impact of the federal shutdown on the Appalachian Wildfire Management Conference in Roanoke, Virginia (11); while wildfire activity in Europe continued to decline, with only one new wildfire reported in O Ézaro, Spain (12). Heading to Australia, Queensland Fire and Rescue firefighters were keeping an eye on a forest fire in the Barakula State Forest (13); even as investigators probed the cause of an early morning blaze in Whitsunday (14). New South Wales Rural Fire Service is dealing with five dozen bushfires, 35 of which are uncontained (15); the next article providing more details on some of those fires (16); 13 bushfires being reported in the Clarence Valley (17); and with a forecast of dry, warming conditions, residents of Blayney Shire were urged to make preparations for bushfire season (18). In Western Australia, Augusta-Margaret River Shire officials voted down a proposal to build homes in a bushfire-prone area (19). And finally, a quick-thinking firefighter in Stoughton, Massachusetts, helped police capture two would-be armed robbers, showing once again that criminals should beware the long arm of the... fire service!

(1) When wildfire smoke clears, big money changes hands

(2) 2013 CoreLogic® Wildfire Hazard Risk Report Reveals Wildfires Pose Risk to More Than 1.2 Million Western U.S. Homes

For the remainder of the stories in today's Wildfire News Of The Day, please subscribe to the Wildfire News Of The Day newsletter