WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 030413

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Ed Story, CEO of Aerial Fire Response & Research Network, sent along an item about an upcoming UAV conference scheduled to take place later this month in Westlake Village, California, that should touch on wildfire applications for drones (1); the following article taking a closer look at the use of UAVs across the country (2); something they could no doubt have used over a 311-acre wildfire that was burning in Riverside County last week which fire crews have now completely contained (3). An insurance company fire risk professional solutions engineer weighs in on how insurers can improve wildfire risk evaluations in the fire-prone West (4); while a lookout tower in Washington state's Glacier Peak Wilderness which is slated to be torn down may earn a reprieve (5). The next article takes a look at Colorado's legislative flood brought on by the wildfires of 2012 (6); while US Sen. Mark Udall weighs in on the effects of climate change on that state's forests in an editorial (7). A 1,500-acre wildfire was reported in Love County, Oklahoma (8); and the Texas Forest Service has a 175-acre wildfire burning that was sparked by a campfire in Mother Neff State Park 20% contained (9). A presentation entitled "Wildfires in Montana's Past and Its Future" will be made in Bozeman on April 11th by the director of the Montana Institute on Ecosystems (10); while the next article takes a look at Nebraska's Firefighter Ministry, which has stepped in to help people impacted by wildfires after the local chapter of the American Red Cross closed (11). As the New Jersey Forest Fire Service begins a plan of controlled burns across the state, Atlantic County Division of Parks and Recreation has targeted 70 acres for ignition (12). Folks in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, may see a smoke column from a Forestry Commission controlled burn nearby (13); but two dozen structures went up in flames as a 1,900-acre wildfire burned through Florida's Ocala National Forest (14). In the African nation of Gambia, two agencies have just concluded a course in bushfire protection conducted in the North Bank Region (15). Wildfires continue to crop up in India's Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, which saw 2,000 ha burn last month (16); but efforts to ban jhum cultivation, which frequently sparks wildfires, have left farmers in Khulsaibung puzzled over how to cultivate their crops (17). A lack of apparatus and aircraft has left the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection Cordillera ill-prepared to deal with wildfires (18); while in the Central Visayas, villages have been advised to get their own fire trucks (19). The link between bushfires and North Island, New Zealand's, ongoing drought is examined by the next article (20). A new report by Australia's Climate Commission labeled 2012-2013's active bushfire season as the "angry summer" which could be worsened by climate change (21); not good news for Australian Capital Territory planners laying out the new Molonglo River Park (22). The next article takes a look at the Victoria-based Department of Sustainability and Environment's efforts to protect cultural sites from bushfires (23); but SPI Electricity has been blamed for negligence in regards to Black Saturday's Kilmore East fire that killed 119 people and destroyed 1,242 homes (24). The Red Cross has released additional bushfire relief funds in Tasmania (25). And finally, firefighters in Germany, who perform roughly 40,000 animal rescues every year, are asking a simple question: who pays the bill?

(1) Civilian Applications of UAVs – A California Perspective, a Policy Symposium

(2) From Hollywood to Kansas, drones are flying under the radar

(3) Crews contain 311-acre Southern California wildfire

(4) How Insurers Can Improve Wildfire Risk Evaluations

(5) Legislation to save fire lookout near Darrington

(6) Legislative flood follows 2012 wildfires

(7) Udall: Time to combat effects of climate change, drought

(8) Wildfire destroys at least 1500 acres near Marietta, OK

(9) Wildfire burns in Central Texas

(10) Montana wildfires to be discussed during April 11 Cafe Scientifique

(11) Firefighter Ministry seeks support to help victims

(12) Atlantic County park performs controlled burn of forest

(13) Smoke column expected from controlled burn between Loris, North Myrtle Beach

(14) 10 homes burned in Ocala National Forest fire

(15) Gambia: ADWAC Scales up Anti-Bush Fire Campaign in NBR

(16) Large tract of Nagarhole forest land burnt

(17) Setting forests on fire banned, many left in the lurch

(18) Fire station helpless vs forest fires

(19) Villages advised to get own fire trucks

(20) Chris de Freitas: Wildfires an underestimated effect of drought

(21) Australia's climate 'on steroids' after record-breaking summer

(22) Bushfire, wildlife among concerns for Molonglo reserve

(23) Protecting cultural sites from bushfire

(24) Fatal bushfire SPI's fault, Vic court told

(25) More bushfire funds released

(26) German Firefighters Burdened by Animal Rescues