WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 010813

In Arizona, the City of Flagstaff's Wildland Fire Management Officer expounds on the importance of controlled burns during the off season (1); while Sikorsky will be building 20 firefighting helicopters for Turkey, which saw 10,000 ha go up in smoke last year (2). An article from New Zealand takes a closer look at lessons to be learned from Australia's bushfires (3). Australia is ablaze, with 320 bushfires burning across four states (4); citizen journalists doing their part to keep the public informed (5); one bushfire scorching 1,100 ha and destroying 20 homes near Ballarat, Victoria (6); while a small grass fire started a toxic blaze when it ignited some old tires outside of South Mildura (7). The virtues of drones in mapping bushfires is being touted by researchers at University of Melbourne's Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre in Victoria (8); but federal funding for the organization could run out in June (9). With 135 bushfires burning in New South Wales, the first home has been destroyed (10); even as the severe fire weather forced the closure of numerous forests around the state (11); nevertheless, fire officials feel that they dodged a bullet as the most dire predictions failed to materialize (12); evacuees having to worry about necessities as they are displaced (13); while a couple of folks weigh in on the effectiveness of amphibious water-scooping aircraft on bushfires (14). A summary of bushfire activity in South Australia is provided by the next article (15). Motorists on Western Australia's Great Northern Highway were being warned about a bushfire near Newman (16); while a bushfire preparedness lecture will be given in Augusta-Margaret River this coming Friday (17); and land owners were told to prepare for future bushfires (18); but a shortage of volunteers is hampering the effectiveness of at least one fire brigade in Coolgardie (19). Following nearly a week of catastrophic bushfires, Tasmania, which still has 40 active fires, may finally get some relief with a drop in temperatures (20). And finally, just how many British firefighters does it take to rescue a squirrel from a pond?

(1) Under control?

(2) Turkey to buy 20 Sikorsky for forest fires

(3) Learning from bushfires

(4) 2500 fight 320 fires in four states

(5) Citizen journalists help media cover rapid bushfires

(6) Up to 20 houses destroyed near Ballarat as firefighters continue to battle blazes across Victoria

(7) Toxic blaze nightmare: Small grass fire quickly engulfs pile of old tyres

(8) Drones could provide superior bushfire predictions in Australia

(9) Money for bushfire research running out

(10) NSW bushfires claim first home

(11) Forests closed due to severe fire weather

(12) Region spared the worst on a nervous day

(13) Bushfire evacuee faces worry, exhaustion

(14) Water bombing not sufficient to fight bushfires

(15) Bushfires in SA of no concern

(16) Unpredictable bushfire burns in Newman

(17) Protect your family from bushfires

(18) Landholders told to do more to prepare for the rest of the WA bushfire season

(19) Firefighting brigade under threat due to volunteer shortage

(20) Respite on the way for bushfire-weary Tas

(21) Seven British firefighters rescue squirrel from pond