WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 112513

Fire crews are beginning controlled burns in Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest to reduce wildfire fuel (1); while an army of 1,700 firefighters brought a 3,300-acre wildfire in Sonoma County to 65% containment over the weekend (2); that fire also extending into Lake County, which reported a couple of blazes of its own (3); officials in the Mendocino National Forest warning visitors of the elevated wildfire threat that persists despite recent rainfall (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Bill Derr, a former Special Agent with the US Forest Service Law Enforcement, asked for support for a bill that Congress is considering which advocates salvage logging in California's Rim Fire burned area (5); but Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dominick DellaSala, President of Oregon-based Geos Institute, sent along an article in which he discusses reasons not to use salvage logging on areas in the West ravaged by wildfires (6). Although wildfires only burned 140,000 acres in Washington state this year, the suppression price tag was still $48 million (7). In an Op-Ed piece, Colorado State Sen. Steve King points out that the federal government, which owns 36.6% of the land in that state, is a derelict absentee landowner for not conducting wildfire fuel reduction on its property (8); while cold temperatures in Colorado Springs continue to challenge Black Forest Fire survivors to keep warm (9). In Idaho, the Hailey City Council has banned cedar-shake shingles due to the wildfire danger they pose (10); the impact of wildfires on the fish population in the Boise River being addressed by the next article (11); while a state senator from Utah discusses legislation that could help with future wildfires in the next article (12). As Red Flag conditions were forecast for much of Pennsylvania, two wildfires blazed across Lehigh and Northampton counties (13). Several wind-driven wildfires have been reported across New Jersey (14); a 230-acre blaze outside of Old Bridge forcing evacuations (15). Windy conditions could worsen a 609-acre wildfire burning in Virginia's Page and Shenandoah counties (16); and crews were also working a five-acre wildfire in Bedford County (17). A 2,600-acre wildfire burning in Burke County, North Carolina, is now 90% contained (18). In Australia, a Sydney, New South Wales, radio station will be supporting the Blue Mountains City Council Mayoral Relief Fund, that aims to help bushfire survivors, with a number of events over the next few weeks (19); but bureaucratic delays have prompted Blue Mountain residents to begin clearing their property on their own (20). Thirty years after the Ash Wednesday bushfires ravaged Victoria, correspondence between the British and Australian prime ministers has been published (21); the next article advocating a coordinated approach to dealing with bushfires in that state (22); but a delay in opening up bushfire refuges is blowing back on the Premier (23). The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association are supportive of a $28 million plan to conduct 60,000 ha of controlled burns across the state each year (24). And finally, biking enthusiasts seeking to raise $200,000 for charitable causes had to overcome several obstacles during the 2013 Taronga to Dubbo Zoo2Zoo bicycle event, including bushfires in New South Wales!

(1) Firefighters start controlled burns in San Bernardino National Forest

(2) Crews make progress on Sonoma County wildfire

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