WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 011413

The International Association of Wildland Fire sent along an announcement about their upcoming scholarship program, which will be awarding two graduate-level scholarships to qualified candidates (1); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Walt Darran, Safety Committee Chairman for the Associated Aerial Firefighters, discusses the group's annual meeting taking place in Reno, Nevada, in the next article (2). Colorado Springs City Council will be discussing preparations for the upcoming wildfire season at a meeting tomorrow (3); and Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest will be giving would-be firefighters a chance to find out about wildland firefighting at a training session 1/26 (4). Pennsylvania's first Community Wildfire Protection Plan is being drafted for the counties of Warren and Forest (5); while US Forest Service will be conducting controlled burns in South Carolina's Central Savannah River Area (6). A researcher from Germany's Max Plank Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg expounds on the role of climate change in the uptick in wildfires worldwide (7); but a delayed response to a wildfire burning on Gunadala Hill above the Indian city of Vijayawada allowed it to quickly spread (8). Australia Capital Territory's new Emergency Services Agency head warned residents of Canberra to be prepared for a "significant bushfire season" (9); but the arrival of cooler weather may reduce the bushfire threat in at least the eastern states (10); some in the Greens Party pointing to current weather conditions as a portent of the future across Australia (11); the current blazes reigniting debate over insurance reform (12); Japan extending its sympathies over the losses Australia has suffered from the recent spate of bushfires (13). A fast-moving bushfire was reported near Jimboomba, Queensland (14). Thirty-three homes and 40,000 hectares went up in smoke in Warrumbungle National Park near Coonabarabran, New South Wales (15); and the torching of two illegal drug labs sparked a 55-hectare blaze in Blue Mountains National Park (16); the following article providing some behind-the-scenes info on how the Rural Fire Service fights bushfires (17). The life of a Victorian firefighter who died setting controlled burns near Taranna, Tasmania, is profiled by the next article (18); but following the destruction of 110,000 ha and 130 homes, the Tasmanian Bushfire Recovery Taskforce feels it will be years before many towns recover (19); a magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Wynyard adding insult to injury (20). And finally, a badly-burned dog is serving as a rallying point for Tasmanian survivors inspired to rebuild!

(1) Call for IAWF Scholarship Applications

(2) Tanker firefighters tell 'war stories' in Reno

(3) Region prepares for another wildfire season

(4) Sawtooth National Forest Hosts Fire Crew Training

(5) Wildfire plan moves forward

(6) Prescribed Burning Season Underway At The Savannah River Site

(7) Climate Change Fuels Wildfires Around the World

(8) Forest fire extensively destroys greenery on Gunadala Hill

(9) New ESA head warns of significant bushfire season

(10) Australian Firefighters Get Relief as Cooler Weather Arrives

(11) Bushfires and heat a sign of climate change: Milne

(12) Bushfire losses reignite debate about insurance reform

(13) Japan extends sympathies over bushfires

(14) Millstream residents on bushfire alert

(15) 'Shocking' bushfire destroys 33 homes

(16) Bushfire starts after drug labs torched

(17) Behind the fire line: how RFS fights the flames

(18) Ever present risk in firefighting

(19) Tasmania begins road to bushfire recovery

(20) Earthquake follows Tasmania bushfires

(21) Pug survives Tasmania bushfires with 50 percent burns