Firebomber Publications Blog

Wildfire News Of The Day (the Firebomber Publications blog) provides comprehensive international wildfire news. Subscribers include over 10,000 personnel from fire agencies, contractors, and government entities on five continents. "BEST NEWSLETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 32 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE" - San Diego Fire Department Chief Brian Fennessy.

Monday, February 18, 2013

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 021813

The Firehouse World conference is now underway at Southern California's San Diego Convention Center (1); but California's Civil Cost Recovery Program, which aims to aggressively prosecute those who start wildfires, is stirring controversy (2). Firefighters in Portland, Oregon, quickly knocked down a grass fire that was threatening structures (3); while wildfires outside of Entiat and Cashmere, Washington, last year have sparked a debate over the dangers of exploding targets (4). Fire officials from four districts in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley are preparing their wildfire protection plan, which is due by May 1st (5). As drought conditions continue in Texas, the next article takes a look at preparations by volunteer fire departments, which constitute 80% of that state's firefighting force, for wildfire season (6); wildfires in East Texas underscoring the current danger (7). US Forest Service published its 2012 Year in Review, which discussed the wildfire situation in Montana and several other northern states (8); while the Director of the Nebraska Forest Service is predicting more mega-fires similar to those which ravaged the state in 2012 (9). Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest will be conducting controlled burns from now through April to reduce the wildfire danger (10); North Carolina's educational forests being showcased in the next article (11). Florida Forest Service is keeping an eye on a trio of wildfires that broke out in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties over the weekend (12). The growing wildfire danger in the Netherlands and other parts of northwest Europe will be the topic of conversation at a Texas lecture (13); while Israeli firefighters headed off to France to receive advanced forest fire training (14). Bushfires have displaced 800 people from the African nation of Ghana's Ashanti Region (15). China's State Forestry Administration has put eight southern provinces on alert as continued dry, warm conditions increased the risk from wildfires (16); but controversy over controlled burns in Thailand's Chiang Mai region is examined by the next article (17). Heading to Australia, two bushfires burning in Victoria's Grampians region have merged to total 3,260 ha in size after breaching containment lines (18); forcing the closure of major roads into the area (19); while Creswick Urban Fire Brigade battled six blazes over the weekend (20). South Australia's Country Fire Service has responded to several bushfires, including a 300-hectare blaze in the Tilley Swamp Conservation Park (21); but a bushfire in Western Australia's Leschenaultia Conservation Park has been downgraded and is no longer threatening homes (22). Fire officials in Tasmania have bolstered resources for the southern region covering the Lower Midlands, the Derwent Valley and the Coal River Valley due to an elevated bushfire danger (23); even as local councils scramble to improve bushfire warning systems (24). And finally, it was déjà vu all over again for firefighters in Augusta, Georgia, who had to battle a house fire twice at the same address in 24 hours!

(1) Firehouse World conference held at San Diego Convention Center

(2) California pushes to recover cost of fires

(3) Firefighters prevent early morning grass fire from spreading

(4) Exploding targets under scrutiny after fire

(5) Local wildfire planning starts to heat up

(6) Volunteer fire departments prepare for 2013 wildfire season

(7) Wildfires in Titus County after more than 100-acre fire near Como

(8) Fire, beetle kills may change future projects for Forest Service, review shows

(9) Lawmakers preparing for 'new normal' of mega-fires

(10) Mark Twain Forest plans spring 2013 prescribed fires

(11) Learn about forests at Turnbull Creek

(12) Weekend wildfires under control

(13) Oswald to focus on growing wildfire problem in The Netherlands at SFA Regents Lecture

(14) Israel: Firemen Head to France for Advanced Forest Fire Training

(15) Bushfire Displaces 800 Persons In Two Months

(16) S China warned of forest fires

(17) Zero tolerance is playing with fire

(18) Two bushfires merge in the Grampians in Victoria's southwest

(19) Main roads closed as CFA battles Grampians bushfires

(20) District brigades have busy weekend as spate of fires sparks probe

(21) South-east bushfire out of control

(22) Bushfire no longer threatening Perth homes

(23) Firefighters brace for hot conditions

(24) Bushfire funds to improve warning systems

(25) Firefighters put out flames twice at same address

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