WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 050913

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association, sent along a press release about the shortcomings of the C-27 Spartan, which has been offered to US Forest Service as an air-tanker (1); and as wildfire season approaches in the US, the next article provides some useful tips on how homeowners can prevent their home from becoming another wildfire statistic (2); followed by a new video from the National Park Service which shows wildland firefighters in action with an aim towards recruiting military veterans to fight wildfires (3); but although several high-profile wildfires have already burned this spring, National Interagency Fire Center data shows that wildfire activity is actually at a 10-year low (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jim Messer, Chief of Operations for the Coulson Group, speaks about restoration efforts on a C-130 in San Bernardino, California, that they plan to use this summer fighting wildfires for US Forest Service (5); and in an update to an article from yesterday's Wildfire NOTD about farmworkers in Oxnard who lost their jobs after they abandoned their fields due to smoke from Ventura County's Springs Fire, employers told them they could go back to work (6); but dwarfed by the 38 mi.² Springs Fire, the 51-acre Rock Fire outside of Santa Maria, which heralded the beginning of Santa Barbara County's High Fire Season, went practically unnoticed (7); while fire crews are getting a refresher course on wildland firefighting at the Modesto Reservoir (8); and CAL FIRE held a press conference at Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds as part of their Wildfire Awareness Week activities (9). Following 64 wildfires that have burned 281 acres, southwestern Oregon is facing a challenging fire season (10). Colorado's Governor is receiving his annual wildfire briefing at Centennial Airport, south of Denver, today (11); and to help areas hard-hit by wildfires deal with impacts on their watershed, WaterRF has posted information from its recent Wildfire Readiness and Response Workshop online (12). The Bureau of Land Management is gearing up for wildfire season in Idaho (13). A 12-acre wildfire was reported in Chippewa County, Michigan, yesterday (14); adding emphasis to the next article in which the Department of Natural Resources talks about the importance of preventing fires before they start (15). Maine Forest Service rangers assisted local fire departments battling six wildfires across Washington and Penobscot Counties (16); even as US Forest Service Law Enforcement sought public input about a suspicious wildfire that burned in Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest earlier this week (17); while a logging machine caught fire in New Hampshire's Hudson Forest, requiring quick work by firefighters before it sparked a wildfire (18). Dry conditions complicated efforts by firefighters in Waltham, Massachusetts, battling two wildfires (19); and after two wildfires on Mount Tom, firefighters are wetting it down to prevent any more (20). In Canada, a 245-hectare wildfire was reported near Ashcroft, British Columbia (21); but as temperatures warm in Manitoba, Conservation and Water Stewardship fire crews have battled nine wildfires in the eastern and northwest regions (22). Wildfire activity in Québec is summarized by the next article (23); and fire activity across New Brunswick, where 200 homes were evacuated, is provided by the one which follows (24); three schools also being closed due to the wildfire danger in New Brunswick (25). Nearly a dozen wildfires were reported in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia (26); while fire crews succeeded in roping in a 100-acre wildfire on Prince Edward Island (27). As fires continued to burn in Sweden, Greece, and Spain, a wildfire in Munţii Bârgăului, Romania, reached 40 ha in size (28). Heading to Australia, Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Bushfire CRC, sent along their May 2013 Fire Update (29); but fire officials in South Australia may have to evacuate homes in Cherryville as a bushfire approaches (30). And finally, although one Southern California family was happy that their home survived the Camarillo Springs wildfire, it didn't fare so well against looters!

(1) Industry Group Cites Problems With Military Aircraft Acquisition By Forest Service

(2) Make your home a fortress against wildfires

(3) "We Are Wildland Fire" Video Highlights Parallels Between Firefighters And Military Veterans

(4) Despite global warming hype, wildfires at 10-year low

(5) Forest Service resurrects firefighting air-tanker from museum

(6) Farm settles with workers who fled wildfire smoke

(7) High Fire Season Hits Hard

(8) Firefighters train for wildland conditions at Modesto Reservoir

(9) Wildfires on the horizon

(10) Wildfire season could be busy

(11) Gov. Hickenlooper gets annual wildfire briefing

(12) WaterRF holds workshop to prepare water utilities for wildfires

(13) The BLM in Idaho Asks the Public to Stop Wildfires Before They Start

(14) Forest Fire Destroys 12 Acres of State Land in Chippewa County

(15) Watch out for wildfires

(16) Wildfire danger remains high throughout Maine

(17) Forest Service Seeking Information on Forest Fire in Winhall, VT Tuesday

(18) Logging Machine Catches Fire Deep in Hudson Forest

(19) Waltham firefighters put out brush fires

(20) "Wet down" operation designed to prevent Mt. Tom wildfires

(21) Wildfire near Ashcroft Wednesday

(22) Forest Fire Season

(23) Firefighters work to control Pontiac forest fires

(24) Homes evacuated as crews battle forest fires in New Brunswick

(25) 200 people evacuated in western N.B.

(26) Crews battling forest fires across Cape Breton Country

(27) Forest fire out; crews still putting out hot spots

(28) EFFIS - Current Situation

(29) Bushfire CRC May 2013 Update

(30) SA bushfire at Cherryville threatens homes

(31) Looters Target Evacuated Home In Newbury Park During Camarillo Springs Wildfire (VIDEO)