WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 101813

The National Fire Protection Association announced that it will observe its first Wildfire Community Preparedness Day next May (1). The former fire chief of Yarnell, Arizona, discusses mistakes overlooked by the recent investigation into the deaths of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots in the next article (2); but the recently passed bill which reopened the government provides $15 million to the state to help with burn area rehabilitation (3). Due to the government shutdown, a three week period of ideal weather conditions for wildfire rehabilitation projects in Idaho has passed (4); but on the positive side, US Forest Service received $636 million in wildfire funding as the government reopened (5); and school kids from Boise's Riverstone International School are doing their part to help prevent future wildfires (6). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ray Rasker, Executive Director of Montana-based Headquarters Economics, comments on a colleague's report about how building homes in wildfire-prone parts of the West is driving up the cost of wildfires (7). A 15-hectare wildfire was reported outside of Gazipaşa, Turkey, yesterday (8). As 100 bushfires continued to burn across New South Wales, Australia, 34 of them out of control, cooler temperatures and lighter winds were helping with the battles (9); bushfires claiming one life and forcing the evacuation of thousands (10); racking up $30 million in claims with Australian insurance companies (11); and shrouding the state capitol of Sydney in an eerie orange haze (12); a photo spread offering dozens of pictures of the devastation (13); firefighters continuing to battle on even as their own homes went up in flames (14); survivors in the Blue Mountains recounting the tales of their escape (15); the Prime Minister announcing plans to visit bushfire-ravaged parts of the state (16); Rural Fire Services' Commissioner warning that the bushfire emergency could go on for several weeks (17); while the next article provided some history on New South Wales' volunteers (18); a resident of Winmalee describing what it's like to live in the bushfire-prone Blue Mountains (19); a CNN article taking a closer look at the dynamics of Australia's bushfires (20); followed by a Christian Science Monitor article which examines how climate change is worsening the bushfire situation across the nation (21); but residents continue to ignore warnings about preparing for bushfires, according to a Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre survey (22); a reporter having to dissuade a man from returning to his burning home in Springwood (23); nevertheless, community spirit still delivered tea and scones to neighbors as embers rained down in that community (24). And finally, firefighters from New York state's Chili Fire Department performed a life-saving rescue: four newborn kittens discovered on their training ground!

(1) NFPA announces first national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day

(2) Yarnell Hill Fire investigation ignored major mistakes by state

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