WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051113

Following last year's wildfire season in which 4,400 structures were destroyed and 9.3 million acres burned, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will hold a teleconference Monday to discuss this year's outlook (1); but funds for the FAA intended to help keep air-traffic controllers on duty will also prevent the closure of 149 small airport control towers on June 15th, some of which would have impacted air-tanker operations in Southern California (2); meanwhile, dozens of CAL FIRE firefighters battled a wildfire near Lake Elsinore that has scorched between 3 and 5 acres (3); US Congresswoman Julia Brownley thanking state and federal firefighters in Camarillo for their efforts battling Ventura County's Springs Fire (4); but a Stars and Stripes article examines the arcane restrictions which kept military C-130s grounded during the early period of the Springs Fire when they could have made a significant impact (5); even as fire crews squelched a three-acre blaze near Solimar Beach (6); followed by an editorial which questions whether forest fires in the overly-dry Sierra Nevada Mountains this summer will change ecosystems there forever (7). U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said that the increased fire danger in Oregon this summer would produce an "all-hands-on-deck fire season" (8); and homeowners in Cle Elum, Washington, are taking steps to better prepare for wildfires as temperatures continue to increase (9). Fire officials are putting New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest on Stage II fire restrictions starting today (10); while a video segment from CBS News chronicles preparations by Colorado's Pike Hotshots for wildfire season (11). A 15-acre wildfire has been reported on White Owl Butte in Madison County, Idaho (12); and lightning storms sparked nine others in the Boise National Forest (13). A forest fire in rugged terrain continues to challenge firefighters from six departments in St. Lawrence County, New York (14); while in South Carolina, Horry County Fire and Rescue is hosting a fundraiser for one of their own displaced by the Carolina Forest wildfire that destroyed his home in the Windsor Green condo complex (15). A 110-ha Canadian wildfire burning outside of Nordegg, Alberta, is still out of control (16); but cool, wet weather has put a damper on wildfires in Ontario (17); while Department of Natural Resources officials reported that most of the 20 wildfires which broke out in Nova Scotia this week were deliberately set (18). Fire crews in Russia's Far East managed to extinguish 15 of 25 wildfires that have scorched 13,000 ha (19); NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer providing some striking photos of Siberian wildfires from space (20). Firefighters in Adelaide Hills, South Australia, have finally contained a bushfire which threatened homes and forced evacuations (21); but the event has Country Fire Service considering whether to extend a ban on burn-offs to prevent any more bushfires (22). And finally, Miami-Dade, Florida, firefighters had to perform a tricky extrication: freeing a fishline-bound pelican from a tree!

(1) Western regional wildfire outlook planned Monday

(2) Control towers at 149 small airports to stay open

(3) LAKE ELSINORE: 63 firefighters attacking wildfire

(4) Rep. Julia Brownley Travels To Camarillo To Thank Firefighters

(5) Delay of military planes in California fire at issue

(6) Firefighters put out brush fire near Solimar Beach

(7) William Tweed: Is summer of fire ahead for forests?

(8) Wyden vows to push for firefighting help

(9) State urging residents to better protect themselves from wildfires

(10) NM forest imposes fire restrictions

(11) Ground Attack Crews Prepare For Wildfire Season In Colorado

(12) Fire Crews Fighting Wildfire in Madison County

(13) An early start to the wildfire season: 9 fires break out in the Boise National Forest

(14) Wildfire burns forestland in Colton

(15) Fundraiser held Saturday for fireman displaced by Carolina Forest fire

(16) Alberta wildfire still out of control

(17) Rain Cooler Temps Ease Forest Fires In The Region

(18) Fire crews assessing week’s worth of forest fires

(19) Tide turns against Russian forest fires

(20) Aqua satellite shows wildfires in Siberia

(21) Bushfire contained, residents return home

(22) Adelaide Hills bushfire prompts policy review to extend fire danger season

(23) Firefighters rescue pelican stuck in tree