WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 111613

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Jon Keeley, a Research Ecologist with US Geological Survey, sent along a study which he co-authored that examines San Diego County, California's, fire sieges of 2003 and 2007 and compares them to historical wildfire activity (1); but voters narrowly rejected funding for Oakland's Wildfire Prevention District fee (2); while firefighters pounced on a two-acre wildfire near Clearlake Oaks (3); and the US Forest Service is seeking the public's help in determining the cause of a 20-acre wildfire in the Plumas National Forest earlier this month (4). The mother of a fallen Granite Mountain Hotshot has filed a $36 million lawsuit against Arizona, Yavapai County, and Prescott for negligence in the death of her son on the Yarnell Hill Fire (5); but restored trails in Colorado's Poudre Canyon damaged by 2012's High Park Fire were washed away by September flooding (6). Following wildfires in Idaho that scorched 208,000 acres, the plight of the elk herd is examined by the next article (7). Kentucky Division of Forestry crews managed to contain a wildfire which burned 2-3 acres in Lincoln County (8); while fire officials believe that a 529-acre wildfire burning in Alabama's Talladega National Forest will probably expand to 566 acres before being contained (9). Fire crews in Rockland County, New York, continued to battle a 50-acre wildfire with the assistance of air-tankers (10); Health Department officials issuing air-quality alerts due to smoke from the blaze (11). Fire crews have completely contained a 10-acre wildfire burning in Bedford County, Virginia (12); but smoke from a 500-acre wildfire in Wythe County could persist in the Roanoke Valley through the weekend (13). A 2,700-acre wildfire is only 40% contained in Burke County, North Carolina (14); and is triggering air-quality advisories for the Western Piedmont region (15). In New South Wales, Australia, a Legislative Council inquiry into a bushfire in Coonabarabran that destroyed more than 50 homes will begin next year (16). And finally, a firefighter in Rijeka, Croatia, got an unexpected magic carpet ride!

(1) San Diego Wildfires of 2003 and 2007 Offer Lessons

(2) Oakland Hills voters reject wildfire prevention tax

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