WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102813

Ten years after much of San Diego County, California's, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park burned in the Cedar Fire, recovery is exceedingly slow (1); in the meantime, up to 100 inmate firefighters have been signed up to fight wildfires across the region (2). Legislation which would allow FEMA to work with local governments on wildfire mitigation projects has been introduced to the House of Representatives by Colorado Congressman Scott Tipton (3); while researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder may have discovered a way to forecast wildfire-spawning heat waves weeks in advance (4). Smoke from a nearby wildfire created driving and health problems in Houston, Texas (5); and fire crews responded to a wildfire in McDowell County, West Virginia, yesterday as well (6). A 10-acre wildfire challenged Massachusetts firefighters in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary over the weekend (7); an 80-acre wildfire on the slopes of New York State's Mount Eve taking about a week to douse (8). A 2-acre wildfire was reported in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday (9); but Georgia Forestry Department reported a significant downturn in forest fires across Dougherty County in 2013 (10). Wind-driven bushfires are burning in inaccessible portions of Indonesia's West Bali National Park (11). Insurance losses from bushfires in New South Wales, Australia, have topped $145 million so far (12); and health problems related to the bushfires continue to climb as well (13); while NASA provided a striking image from space that shows bushfires blazing in New South Wales last week (14); and three Rural Fire Service teenage firefighters had to juggle their schedule between fighting bushfires and studying for exams (15); Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark showing their support for bushfire survivors as they toured Winmalee (16); a triathlete donating a $2,000 prize to the NSW Bushfire Appeal (17); but not everyone wishes those bushfire survivors well as reports circulated of fake donation collectors preying on them (18); and two teenagers were arrested in regards to a homemade bomb that sparked a bushfire in Port Macquarie (19); the next article looking at how science is being used to better prepare for and fight bushfires (20); but in the meantime, Australians are cleaning up after the latest batch of blazes (21). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Nathan Maddock, Communications Officer at Bushfire CRC, sent along a Fire Note which discusses research into multi-agency emergency management at regional and state levels to improve incident management (22); while officials in South Australia are debating the virtues of cutting off power to the backcountry during periods of extreme bushfire danger (23). Summer temperatures are being forecast for Western Australia again, raising bushfire fears (24). And finally, firefighters in Murrieta, California, had an unusual extrication to perform: getting a kitten out of the dashboard of a car!

(1) Cedar Fire's Scars Evident

(2) Contract Signed For Firefighting Inmates

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