WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 052213

A new study published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management focuses on fire-climate interactions as opposed to weather-climate interactions of traditional studies, with an eye towards climate change worsening wildfires (1); but an Op-Ed piece claims that unnatural afforestation is increasing air pollution (2). Fire crews in the Southern California community of Burbank quickly knocked down a one-acre wildfire yesterday (3); while CAL FIRE firefighters have contained a 90-acre wildfire near Whitewater in Riverside County (4); and parts of Ventura County's Point Mugu State Park, overrun by the Springs Fire, will reopen for Memorial Day weekend (5); new graduates from Central California's Recruit Fire Academy receiving training on fighting fires in the wildland-urban interface (6); but wildfire smoke is being blamed for tainting some 2008 vintages produced by a Sonoma Coast winery (7). Members of the media have been invited to a Washington Department of Natural Resources wildfire orientation meeting in Seattle May 29th to educate them on safety rules while reporting from the firelines this summer (8); and in Nevada, the Bureau of Land Management's Carson City District issued a press release with some pointers for property owners on how to reduce the incidence of wildfires (9). A 7-acre wildfire was reported in the Coconino National Forest east of Flagstaff, Arizona (10); while a wind-driven wildfire has burned 3,200 acres in the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge and Picacho State Recreation Area (11); a 6,000-acre wildfire continuing to churn through the Coronado National Forest near Nogales (12); while a rash of wildfires forced US Forest Service to close the Tonto National Forest (13). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Prevention and Outreach Program Manager for New Mexico State Forestry, provides details on a 200-acre wildfire near Silver City that has forced evacuations (14). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Snyder, Chief of Operations for Neptune Aviation, discusses the company's protest against US Forest Service passing over some of their air-tankers during the recent "Next-Generation" air-tanker awards in a Denver, Colorado, CBS News segment (15); followed by an editorial from the Denver Post that examines Colorado US Sen. Mark Udall's bid to override Neptune Aviation's protest (16); in the meantime, parts of the Pike National Forest ravaged by the Waldo Canyon Fire will be reopened for Memorial Day weekend (17). The contributions of Wisconsin National Guard helicopters fighting a historic wildfire that scorched nearly 8,000 acres are chronicled in the next article (18); while a New York Times article takes a closer look at how Federal Aviation Administration restrictions continue to impact the use of drones over wildfires (19). Smoke from wildfires prompted Florida Highway Patrol to caution motorists in Bay County about visibility problems (20). Heading to Canada, a 260-hectare wind-driven wildfire raged through Strathcona County, Alberta, yesterday, along with another one in Spruce Grove (21); while Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources reported one new wildfire in the Northeast Region (22). A forest fire along the border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir exploded a number of land mines (23); even as Thailand's Royal Forest Department tightened restrictions on fires, particularly within the national park areas, to reduce the incidence of wildfires during the current drought (24). A radio segment from Queensland, Australia, discusses a bushfire bunker constructed by monks at the Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage (25); and in New South Wales, police from Strike Force Cadell have arrested a man for starting a 100-hectare bushfire in January (26); but Western Australia's South West Development Commission has an additional $50,000 available to help people impacted by 2011's Margaret River bushfires (27). And finally, among all a homeowner's plans to prepare for wildfires one important item is often overlooked: microchipping their pets!

(1) Climate Wildfires

(2) Surprising Pollution Problem: Too Many Trees (Op-Ed)

(3) Burbank brush fire knocked down, size estimate revised down to 1-acre

(4) Firefighters contain 90-acre Whitewater wildfire

(5) Many areas of So. Cal park reopening after massive wildfire

(6) Specialized training prepares new firefighters for region's emergencies

(7) Marcassin will not release 2008 Pinot Noirs; winery blames wildfires

(8) Media Wildfire Orientation offered in Seattle May 29

(9) BLM Urges Public Awareness of Increased Wildfire Danger

(10) Fire burns 7 acres east of Flagstaff

(11) Winds hamper fight against wildfire

(12) Wildfire near Nogales consumes 6,000 acres so far

(13) Five Fires Every Day

(14) Fire near Silver City grows to 200 acres

(15) Forest Service Fallout With Company Could Ground Air Tankers

(16) West's need for air tankers trumps contract concerns

(17) Areas of national forest burned in Waldo fire to reopen for Memorial Day

(18) News: Wisconsin Guard helicopters part of northern wildfire suppression efforts

(19) F.A.A.’s Concerns Hold Up Use of Wildfire Drones

(20) FHP urges caution near wildfires and prescribed burns

(21) Winds fan wildfires in Strathcona County and near Spruce Grove

(22) Tuesday forest fire update

(23) Forest Fire, Landmine Explosions Near Kashmir Frontier

(24) Royal Forest Dept steps up encroachment in wild fire-damaged forest area

(25) Queensland's first underground bunker built by monks - for bushfires

(26) Man charged over NSW bushfire

(27) Funds help bushfire recovery

(28) Microchipping clinic prepares animals for wildfire season