WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111513

A Christian Science Monitor article takes a look at the role played by forest fires in global deforestation that has removed 888,000 mi.² of forest canopy from the earth since 2000 (1); while Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tom Eversole, Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services & Aerial Firefighting Association, discussed air-tanker operations in the US in 2013 in a press release, with comments by Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Snyder, Chief Operating Officer at Neptune Aviation (2). A 100-acre wildfire in Ventura County, California, is now 50% contained (3). A Denver, Colorado, resident arrested for impersonating a wildland firefighter at last year's High Park Fire has been sentenced (4); while eight proposed wildfire-related laws were approved by the Legislative Council Committee yesterday (5); and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Advisory Group is helping Crystal Park prepare for future wildfires (6). Fire crews expect a 300-acre wildfire burning in Alabama's Talladega National Forest to burn for several days more (7); but a resident of Vermont had to pay fines for wildfires he started in Green Mountain National Forest (8). Firefighters from 18 departments battled a wind-driven 40-acre wildfire in New York State's Rockland County (9); while the wildfire danger continues to climb in Central New Jersey (10). A 500-acre wildfire burning in Wythe County, Virginia, is now 15% contained (11); wildfire smoke being reported in the Roanoke Valley (12); Virginia Department of Forestry reporting that 54 wildfires have burned 171 acres since October 15 (13). Fire crews brought the 1,800-acre wildfire burning in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest to 40% containment (14); smoke from that fire prompting health officials to issue air quality alerts in four counties (15); an Instagram photo showing the blaze climbing a hillside (16). Four wildfires sparked during training at Georgia's Fort Benning pose no threat to the post facilities, according to officials (17); but Nepal's Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation indicated that they only have about half as many wildland firefighters as they need to battle blazes in the Himalayan nation (18). The work of Queensland, Australia's, University of Newcastle in creating Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles that could patrol bushfires is examined by the next article (19). A trio of early-morning bushfires have been reported by New South Wales Rural Fire Service in and around North Epping (20); while the Australian Defence Force Chief has ordered an independent investigation into an artillery-sparked bushfire which devastated Lithgow (21). Air-tankers are assisting firefighters battling a wind-driven bushfire near Boddington, Western Australia (22); while a 560-hectare bushfire was still burning through Stokes National Park (23). And finally, out of the ashes of fallen air-tanker purveyor Aero Union, the Chico Air Museum has found a new home!

(1) Missing trees: Interactive map shows global deforestation

(2) Despite A Turbulent 2013, Commercial Aerial Firefighters Cite Progress

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