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.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 051613

A 3,500-acre wildfire burning in Southern California's Los Padres National Forest is now 15% contained (1); in the meantime, the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing was busy training at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Port Hueneme with its MAFFS-equipped C-130s (2). A resident of Peoria, Arizona, faces jail time and a hefty fine for starting a 5,220-acre wildfire in the Tonto National Forest last August (3); even as Tucson Fire Department makes preparations for upwards of 1,200-1,400 urban wildfires this summer (4). Fire restrictions have been put in place in New Mexico's Gila National Forest and the area around Silver City (5); but the impact of the beetle epidemic on Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest is examined by the next article (6). A teenager has been arrested for starting multiple wildfires in Montana's Lewis and Clark County (7). Details on the battle against a 7,100-acre wildfire near Menahga, Minnesota, are provided by the next article (8); a USA Today video segment showing how property owners responded to the devastation wrought by the fire (9); the next item providing some photos from the firelines (10). The largest wildfire Wisconsin has seen in the last 33 years has scorched 9,000 acres and destroyed nearly 50 structures (11); prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency in Bayfield and Douglas Counties (12); even as the National Guard provided aerial support to firefighters on the ground (13); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources finally declaring the blaze contained as the governor began touring the devastated areas (14); firefighters shifting to mop-up operations on stumps, snags, and brush piles (15); while some evacuees are being allowed to return home (16). North Carolina Forest Service reported that a wildfire scorched between 10 and 20 acres in Wilson County (17); and an 80-acre wildfire in Santa Rosa County, Florida, is now 75% contained (18). With all of their wildfires under control, the Canadian province of Manitoba is hoping that weekend rainstorms will further reduce the wildfire danger (19); while more details on the US-sponsored Forest Fire Detection and Monitoring System in the Himalayan nation of Nepal, which has seen more than 1,000 wildfires since March and saw 239,000 ha go up in smoke from 2009-2010, is provided by the next article (20). In Australia, the Victorian Association of Forest Industries was disappointed that bushfire damage forced VicForests to reduce tree harvesting estimates by 25% (21); but 80 plaintiffs have opted out of a class action suit triggered by a 2005 bushfire on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula (22). A radio segment touches on lessons learned from Tasmania's January bushfires (23); but people impacted by those bushfires will not have to pay taxes on their disaster-relief payments (24). And finally, Alpharetta, Georgia, firefighters received PETA's Compassionate Fire Department Award for saving several ducklings trapped in a storm drain!

(1) Fire burns 3,500 acres in Calif. national forest

(2) As Kern County Blaze Roars Annual Aerial Firefighter Training Is Underway

(3) Bryan Teague Pleads Guilty to Starting 5,220-Acre Fire in Tonto Forest With Propane Tank; Faces Potential Jail Sentence

(4) Tucson Fire braces for urban wildfires this summer

(5) Silver City, Gila National Forest and BLM all implement Fire Restrictions

(6) Forest Service considers beetle epidemic options

(7) Helena man faces arson charges for wildfires

(8) Minnesota Wildfires: inside the Damage

(9) Community gathers as Minnesota wildfires rage

(10) Photo Gallery: Minnesota Wildfires

(11) Wisconsin wildfire’s wrath was swift, severe

(12) UPDATE: Gov. Walker Declares State of Emergency for Bayfield and Douglas Counties

(13) Wis. National Guard assists in containing wildfire

(14) UPDATE-5: Douglas Co. Wildfire Contained; Governor to Tour Damage

(15) Forest fire crews shift to mop up mode

(16) THE LATEST: Some people allowed back into homes after massive wildfire

(17) Wilson County wildfire scorches acres

(18) UPDATE: Santa Rosa County Wildfire 75 Percent Contained

(19) Weekend Rain to Ease Forest Fires

(20) US supports Nepalese system to detect forest fires

(21) VicForests reducing Ash forest harvest

(22) Dozens opt out of bushfire class action

(23) Lessons learnt from the Tasmanian bushfires

(24) Fire victims' tax win

(25) Alpharetta firefighters receive award from PETA after saving ducklings

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