WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 020113
The former Counsel to the US Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry weighs in on the need to urge federal
political leadership to support the harvesting and thinning of forests across
the US to reduce the damage done by wildfires (1). A new study by Oregon’s
Institute For a Sustainable Environment demonstrates the boost to the
local economy provided by wildfires (2); folks at Madras hoping that plans by
Erickson Aero Tanker to base three MD-87s at Madras Airport could provide
a boost for their local economy (3). Drought and wildfires were the central
focus of yesterday's Colorado Water Congress, held in Denver (4). Wildfire NOTD
subscriber Craig Clements, Assistant Professor in San Jose State University'sDepartment of Meteorology & Climate Science, sent along an article and video which
discuss a 155-acre controlled burn they conducted in conjunction with
several organizations outside of Houston, Texas, to study wildfire
activity on prairie grass during windy conditions (5)(6). Fire officials in
North Port, Florida, warned of an elevated wildfire danger due to dry, windy
conditions (7); but in Gulf County, four out of five wildfires that have
cropped up recently are believed to be arson (8). Fire officials in India have
established a 2,100 km fire line around Bandipur National Park to protect
the flora and fauna from wildfires (9); while eight helicopters assisted dozens
of firefighters battling a 10-hectare blaze outside of Castle Downs, New
Zealand (10). Heading to Australia, a favorable change in the weather
has given Country Fire Authority the upper hand in a bushfire burning on
Victoria's Hotham Heights (11); while a bushfire recovery center has been
opened in Heyfield for people impacted by the Aberfeldy bushfire (12); even as
the septuagenarian charged with accidentally starting that bushfire has been
released on bail (13); and a law firm warned people impacted by the Black
Saturday blaze in Kilmore East that time to join the Victoria Supreme Court class-action
suit is running out (14); but warnings by an environmental group that climate
change was increasing forest plantation fires was disputed by County Fire
Authority leadership (15). Property owners impacted by a 12,000-hectare
bushfire in the Yarrabin region of New South Wales expressed a desire
to move on with their lives at an Emergency Operations Centre
meeting (16); while firefighters battled a bushfire within the Geraldton,
Western Australia, city limits yesterday (17). Record heat and little rain
is being blamed for Tasmania's January bushfire siege (18); a meeting of
farmers in Derwent Valley discussing pasture renovation, animal welfare, weed
management and restocking after those fires (19); the Insurance Council of
Australia addressing the efforts of insurers to help with post-bushfire
recovery in the region in the next item (20); while the Federal Opposition
leader urged the government to offer $100,000 loans to small businesses
impacted by the bushfires, as well as offering short-term tax holidays (21).
Labels: air-tankers, bushfires, firefighting, forest fires, wildfire news, wildfire news of the day, wildfires
posted by Michael Archer @ 10:55 AM
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