WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 032013

A blogger summarizes the challenges faced by firefighters in the US with an early wildfire season in a climate of sequestration cuts and changing tactics (1); followed by an editorial which revisits California's controversial wildland fire protection fee, urging the Legislature to refund $70 million to rural dwellers already collected (2). The 1,300-acre Galena Fire in Larimer County, Colorado, is now 95% contained (3); even as meteorologists warned Coloradans to be alert for wildfires and flash floods as part of their Colorado Wildfire and Flood Safety Awareness Week (4); and the National Fire Protection Association announced its first Wildfire Preparedness Day of Service, to be held May 4th (5). A 20-year veteran US Forest Service firefighter will be discussing life on the firelines in Moscow, Idaho, on Saturday (6). Helicopter Association International sent along a notice about an amendment to a bill in Congress that would keep 189 control towers open at airports, some of which are at air-tanker bases, recommending people urge their Congressmen and Senators in Washington DC to support the amendment (7); this at a time when the Senate Judiciary committee heard from experts about the privacy hurdles drones flying over the US (including wildfires) may face as state privacy laws are outpaced by advances in drone technology (8). Residents of Iredell County, North Carolina, are being warned about the dangers of outdoor fires despite recent rainfall (9). South Carolina-based WMBF News offered its assistance to survivors of the Carolina Forest Fire, which destroyed over 100 condominiums (10); even as donations flooded in for families impacted by that blaze (11); but a burn ban remains in place in Horry County as dry conditions raise the wildfire danger throughout the region (12). Tangent Link sent along a last call for delegates for their upcoming aerial firefighting conference to be held in Aix-en-Provence, France, in three weeks (13). Even though bushfire season is beginning to wind down with the arrival of fall in southern Australia, the region still faces an ominous future (14); while a report from a former researcher at Victoria's Monash University warned that thousands could die in a bushfire on the outskirts of Melbourne (15). And finally, we have a striking new image of Smokey Bear from Pennsylvania's Bureau of Forestry!

(1) Many fires, less firefighting money expected in 2013 wildfire season

(2) Legislature should douse fire-fighting fee: Editorial

(3) Colorado wildfire considered 95 percent contained

(4) Watch for wildfires, flash floods this spring

(5) NFPA Announces First Colorado Wildfire Preparedness Day of Service Local Communities Join Effort To Reduce Wildfire Risk across The State

(6) Forest fire is topic of talk

(7) Senator Moran Vowing Push for Control Tower Amendment

(8) Drones will require new privacy laws, Senate told

(9) Official: Spring burning stokes wildfire risk

(10) Consider This: Carolina Forest Fire

(11) Fire victims encouraged to take donations from X Sports Mall

(12) Myrtle Beach area fire danger increases, investigation into Carolina Forest fire continues

(13) Aerial Firefighting Europe 2013

(14) Southern Australia facing a scorch-earth future

(15) Eltham bushfire could kill thousands: report

(16) Prevent Wildfires