Blaze in Chilean Port City Kills 12, Destroys 2,000 Homes

From the Source: 

"At least 12 people have been killed by a massive blaze in Chile's port city of Valparaiso famous for its UNESCO-listed historic center, authorities confirmed Monday. 

Chilean police said 12 people have been confirmed dead, 500 injured and more than 10,000 people evacuated.

Pushed by strong Pacific coast winds, the fire rampaged over 741 acres of hilly residential neighborhoods — destroying at least 500 homes. The cause of the fire, which began in woodland near the city late on Saturday, was being investigated.

Over 2,000 homes were destroyed in the city of 250,000 over the weekend. Valparaiso’s rolling hills and closely spaced houses, many of them made of wood, make it difficult to fight the flames. The city, part gritty port town and part bohemian retreat, has a large number of people living in poverty."

Above: "People look at smoke from a forest fire in Valparaiso city, northwest of Santiago April 12, 2014." Courtesy of Cesar Pincheira (Reuters). 

VIDEO: Navy and Guam Fire Department Partner to Extinguish Weekend Grass Fire

Wildfires continue to ravage Guam, further exposing the need to ramp up prevention and mitigation efforts there.  

From the Source: 

"Navy Sailors and civilian firefighters partnered with the Guam Fire Department to extinguish a grassfire that affected approximately 20 acres of land on Nimitz Hill April 5-6. 

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 deployed a MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter that conducted five daytime and five nighttime water drops while three U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) Fire and Emergency Services (FES) crews fought the fire on the ground alongside Guam Fire Department counterparts.

'The dedication and professionalism of the pilots and crew of HSC-25 attest to the Navy’s commitment to preserve life and property,' said Joint Region Marianas Chief of Staff Capt. Mark Scovill. 'The day and night trainings they consistently conduct around the island prepare the crew to respond to emergencies such as the recent grassfires.'

Continuous training proved beneficial to the community as the blaze was extinguished preventing evacuation of nearby residents and damage to structures."

Uploaded by pncnews on 2014-04-07.

Why Homes are Lost to Wildfire: This Forest Service Expert Says it's as Much a Sociopolitical Problem as it is Physical

Very interesting interview with the founder of the Firewise Communities Certification Program. Although some of the content doesn't quite apply to Hawaii, there are many lessons learned to gain from it.

From the Source: 

"Wildland fires are inevitable. And without homeowner engagement, without their participation in mitigating the problem, firefighters can't be effective. It's continuing a problem to have my own agency, federal agencies in general, and most fire departments in this country that deal with wildland fire issues, not be telling people that by and large, under the conditions that destroy lots of houses, we can't deal with this without your participation. It's about taking responsibility for the condition of your house, before the fire, because nobody else can. And it's not just the material that the house is made of, it's the condition that lends itself to potential ignition. It's a big maintenance issue too…

You don't have to eliminate fire from your property completely, but you have to keep flames from contacting your structure and you have to keep firebrands from having high ignition potential when they land on your house - because they will. Which means all of the fine fuels need to be gone from on and immediately around your house before fire season even starts. All flammable things need to be swept away from your house at least about five feet. The grass needs to be mowed immediately around the structure, but you don' t have to mow an acre.

You don't have to cut all the trees down, you just have to make sure they're not contacting each other, and they're not continuous with the wildland. Make sure fire on the surface can't easily burn up the tree and torch out, because that creates firebrands close to the house. I highly encourage hardwoods around the structure as a shield, they just don't support high-intensity fire, and can become a very, very good radiation barrier."

Above: "The wreckage of a burned structure sits near a surviving home after the 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire near Boulder, Colorado. The 7,000 acre fire claimed nearly 170 houses in the first days of the blaze. Several of the houses that were saved had properly prepared their land for the potential of wildfire, including building with fire resistant materials as well as preparing defensible, fuel-minimized spaces in the areas surrounding the structure." Credit: Matt Slaby/Luceo 

Hunters Suspected in Talofofo Fire: Smoke from Inarajan Blaze Shuts School

Brush and grass fires are becoming more and more frequent not just in Hawaii but also throughout the Pacific. Case and point, firefighters in Guam have responded to 70 grass fires in March alone! We are excited to be a part of Pacific Fire Exchangeʻs upcoming projects in Guam (and Palau and Yap) to address their wildfire issues and what can be done to mitigate them. 

From the Source: 

"Officials with the Guam Fire Department believe a fire that burned private land near Talofofo Falls Resort Park may have been started intentionally.

Firefighters battled that blaze and a separate fire in Inarajan yesterday afternoon.

The Inarajan fire burned a small area of land down the hill from Inarajan Middle School, prompting an evacuation of the campus…

Local and federal fire officials have called on residents for help in minimizing grass fires.

Artero has said residents shouldn't burn trash at their homes.

Guam's fire hazard rating currently is in critical and is expected to remain at that level for at least a few more months.

In March, firefighters responded to more than 70 grass fires.

Fire officials noted their belief that at least a few of those fires also were started by people."

Above: "Firefighter Roland Alcantra prevents a fire in Talofofo from spreading by snuffing out the flames. Yesterday, firefighters dealt with several small grass fires in Talofofo and Inarajan. Smoke from an Inarajan fire filled Inarajan Middle School, leading Department of Education officials to close the school early. Sean-Michael Davis/For Pacific Daily News"

Highlights of Hawaii's WUI-Funded Successes - July 2011 to June 2013

Mahalo to Western Forestry Leadership Coalition & Council of Western State Foresters for highlighting HWMO's WUI-funded successes! This is exciting to see given our effort with all of our partners to increase the visibility of Hawaii's wildfire issues and wildfire mitigation project accomplishments. 

From the Source: 

"Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) utilized funding from the Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program, matched with state dollars, to create fuelbreaks to protect communities."

View fullsize

Click the photo above to get a better view.

Wildfire Preparedness Day Project Funding Recipients Announced

We are very excited about being one of the twenty recipients of the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day project funding awards and want to thank State Farm for the generous contribution! Hope you can make it out to our event on May 3rd at the Waikoloa Dryland Wildfire Safety Park at the end of Melia St. in Waikoloa Village.

From the Source:

"Over the past five weeks, I watched as entries for the nationwide Wildfire Community Preparedness Day project funding awards grew to represent twenty five states ranging from Florida to Alaska. Each project entry had the potential to become a recipient of $500 to be used for a preparedness related activity implemented on May 3, 2014 - with funding generously provided by State Farm. Every single project submission had its own distinct merits and each would make a significant contribution in reducing the wildfire risk in their respective communities.  The diverse range and scope of entries made the selection process extremely difficult and trying to narrow it down to only twenty was daunting.

Winning project recipients come from 15 states and cover an extremely wide range of demographics, community sizes and wildland/urban interface descriptions. 

If I can please get a drum roll, let me say that on behalf of NFPA and State Farm, I am honored to share with you the 2014 Wildfire Preparedness Day funding award recipients:  Fallbrook, CA; Quincy, CA; Valley Center, CA; Durango, CO; Chickamauga, GA; Kamuela, HI; Manhattan, KS; Nye, MT; Newcomerstown, OH; Brent, OK; Grants Pass, OR; La Pine, OR; North Myrtle Beach, SC; Tallassee, TN; Austin TX; Georgetown, TX; Etlan, VA; Castle Valley, UT; Ronald, WA and Spokane, WA.

Huge congratulations to them all!

The nationwide grassroots efforts being coordinated for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day demonstrates the efforts thousands of communities are committed to making in reducing their wildfire risk, the impacts of a recent wildfire, or advancing preparedness efforts."

Firefighters Sign 'Let it Go' to Calm Scared Child During Rescue (VIDEO)

Another example of how wonderfully adaptable, clever, and humorous firefighters can be! A nice break from the grim fire outlooks.

From the Source:

"These Massachusetts firemen found a unique (and adorable) way to soothe a little girl while rescuing her and her family from a stuck elevator shaft.

Last week, Kaelyn Kerr, 4, was headed to a hair appointment with her mother and baby brother when they become trapped in an elevator, Today reported. The only way out was up a ladder and over a high wall, and little Kaelyn became frightened.

That's when one of the firefighters began talking to the child about the hit Disney movie "Frozen" to distract her, and the other played the famous song from the film, "Let It Go," on his cell phone. Soon, they were both serenading Kaelyn.

"It worked, we got her to a point where she was comfortable with us and up the ladder we went, right up and over, no problem," firefighter John Keough said to Fox 59."

Above: Courtesy of Huffington Post

Cal Fire Begins Defensible Space Inspections Early Because of Drought (VIDEO)

It's never too early to take preventative measures, especially considering the predicted giant wildfire season this year. Contact us at Hawaii Wildfire if you would like us to conduct a defensible space home assessment.  

From the Source:

"Cal Fire has battled more than 650 fires so far this year, more than triple the average, as a result of the dry conditions from the drought.

Normally, the total number of fires in January and February is 200, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire started inspecting homes in high-risk areas this week, ensuring people are maintaining at least 100 feet of defensible space around their homes.

'This year, we’re doing that several months earlier because of that increased fire threat that we’ve been seeing across the state,' spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

Fire inspectors are asking people to remove flammable vegetation, space out trees and plants and trim branches, among other things, to create a buffer zone around their homes and to help out firefighters."

Above: Courtesy of KCRA

Rains Ease California Drought, Make Wildfire Outlook Grimmer

Hawai'i is facing a similar issue, especially on the leeward sides. The lush greens emerging from mauka to makai may look beautiful, but once they dry out, they will become large loads of fuel for potential wildfires.

From the Source:

"The cruel irony is that the much-needed moisture may end up making a wildfire season expected to be catastrophic even worse than it would have been if the region had stayed completely dry. 

'The initial impact will be to dampen the immediate impact of fires,' said Drought Monitor author Brad Rippey, a meteorologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.. 'But this rain will be enough to promote spring growth of vegetation that may otherwise have been dormant because of the drought. There may actually be more to burn, at least the lighter fuels, than if it had stayed dry all the way through.'

Grasses will sprout and grow because of the rains, then they’ll quickly dry out and provide easy fuel for a major wildfire, he said."

Above: Courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor

Geographer: Drought, Fires Impact Ability of Amazon to Hold Carbon Dioxide

From the Source:

"Fires in the Amazon could jeopardize the forest's ability to soak up carbon dioxide emissions even as deforestation there slows down, according to a Penn State geographer. In an invited commentary in the Feb. 6 edition of Nature, Jennifer Balch, assistant professor of geography, noted that dry weather conditions, coupled with fires, may mean that over time the Amazon forest will lose its ability to take in more carbon dioxide than it releases — going from being a carbon sink to a source."

Above: "Fires in the Amazon, such as this pasture blaze in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, may swamp the forest's ability to take in more carbon dioxide than land use releases, according to Penn State geographer Jennifer Balch." - Penn State News

California's Drought Heightens Fear of Fire Season

From the Source:

"There is no relief in sight from the historic drought ravaging every corner of California, and where there's drought, there's fire. In the thick of winter and normally wet months, 545 fires have broken out so far this year, burning 1,142 acres.

That is a staggering 330 percent increase in fires over the same Jan. 1 to Feb. 15 period last year and a 150 percent jump in burned acreage...

Current conditions are as severe as during the hottest summer months, and Cal Fire is bracing for the worst. It has already brought in 125 additional firefighters, who normally come on board when fire season starts in late May in the North and in June in Southern California...

There is enough water to fight fires now, [Capt. Michael] Mohler said, but he added a note of warning to the state’s residents and urged them to conserve supplies. 
We’re reminding California residents that not only is it important to save water for the environment and human consumption but for firefighting,' he said."

Above: "Firefighters being deployed as wildfires burn through the foothills in Azusa, Calif., in January." - Al-Jazeera America

Western Wildfire Season 'Likely to Set a Record'

From the Source:

"The number of wildfires has increased over the years. In the 1980s, wildfires burned on average 2.98 million acres a year in the U.S. However, between 2003 and 2012, an average of 7.26 million acres burned each year.

The average length of the annual fire season has grown by 78 days over the last four decades.

Also almost certain to grow is the cost of battling wildfires. National costs have averaged $1.8 billion annually for the past five years, and the 2012 fire season was among the most expensive on record for many regions and states, according to Headwater Economics, a nonprofit research group...

'Because they aren't getting any water, the trees are in danger and won't survive, creating more fuel for fires,' [Malcolm North, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service] said.

North added that the level of destruction this year's fire season brings will depend a lot on luck.

'All we can do is hope for more rain and hope we get some," he said. "But we've had years of dry conditions, so it will take a lot of rain for a long time to prevent the fires.'"

Above: "Firefighters monitor the Colby Fire on Highway 39, January 17, 2014, in Azusa, California." Courtesy of CNBC.

Devastating Australian Brushfires as Seen from Space

From the Source:

"Bushfires are continuing to rage across parts of Australia’s state of Victoria today despite the arrival of milder conditions.

You can see them in the image [on the left] from NASA’s Aqua satellite. Massive plumes of smoke stream from fires burning in the eastern part of the state, as well as just north of the city of Melbourne. Red dots mark spots where the satellite sensor detected fire...

The region has been experiencing hot and windy conditions that have raised the fire risk in Victoria to its highest level since 2009, when fires killed 173 people."

Above: "NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this view of bushfires blazing in the Australian state of Victoria today. (Source: NASA)" - Discover

Technology Tracks Crew Through the Fog of Wildfire (AUDIO)

From the Source:

"For crews fighting wildfires, the ability to get accurate information quickly is crucial. A breakdown in communication was one factor in a fire that killed 19 firefighters in Arizona last year, and in the deaths of two Florida firefighters in Arizona in 2011.

Florida officials hope to address some of those communication problems with a new tracking system designed to keep tabs on crews in the field.

The accident helped spur state officials to roll out an "asset tracking system" on Florida's bulldozers, trucks and other vehicles used to fight fires. The system uses radio tracking to follow the equipment, and a computer program then overlays the information onto satellite imagery, says Jim Karels, director of the Florida Forest Service..."

"'When everything is happening ... a lot of times the firefighters try very hard to keep their communications very short because they know the radio traffic is heavy,' he adds. 'And sometimes by doing that they miss the opportunities to thoroughly communicate what they need to.'

The tracking system, on the other hand, can transmit important information in real time, without the need for voice communication."

Above: "Crews work a controlled burn in Geneva, Fla., in December. The state's forest service has rolled out a system to track equipment during fires, and hopes it can eventually be used to pinpoint firefighters, too." - NPR

Conservation is No Joke in Drought-Ridden California

The case for more drought-tolerant (and Firewise) landscaping has never been clearer. Hawaii is also suffering from drought conditions, so the lessons from California can certainly apply here. 

From the Source:

"Landscape irrigation accounts for more than 50 percent of water used by a single-family residence, according to Sarah Foley, deputy director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council.

'This is why so much effort is being made now on reduction of outdoor use,' she said in an email to Al Jazeera.

'That’s really the biggest area that needs to be changed,” said Brostrom, of the state’s Department of Water Resources. “It hasn’t been emphasized enough. People will think of taking shorter showers, but when sprinklers go off, they’re the equivalent of 20 shower heads in their yards.'" 

Above: "Low-flow shower heads and shorter showers have been common for three decades."

Half a Decade After Black Saturday, Towns are Still Rebuilding

A very engaging, interactive, and creative webpage detailing the long-term physical and psychological effects of catastrophic wildfires on communities in Australia. Definitely worth spending some time scrolling through!

From the Source:

"TODAY the Herald Sun begins a series of reports on Victoria's bushfire-affected communities five years on from Black Saturday. We speak to survivors who recount their courageous stories, meet a town that is rising from the ashes, and remember those we lost."

"The Herald Sun can reveal that, five years on:
*Doctors and psychologists have reported anecdotal evidence of a rise in suicides, alcohol and drug abuse and addictive behaviour such as gambling by traumatised bushfire survivors.

*Family violence reports increased in traumatised fire communities including Marysville, Flowerdale and Kinglake.

*There is unhappiness in some areas about block buybacks, which weren’t available until the change of government in 2010. Residents such as Phil Fennell in Kinglake West worried about a lack of maintenance on the two empty blocks either side of his house. He was also concerned about any negative impact on his property price.

*Many houses are not complete, as survivors ran out of money before they could apply the finishing touches, and increased fireproofing drove up construction costs.

*20 of the 67 recommendations from the bushfire royal commission have not yet been completed.

*Only three fire refuges have been completed — none in the Kinglake or Marysville regions."

Above: "An aerial of Marysville after the fires. Picture: Mark Smith" - Herald Sun News

Brushfires in Australia Deadlier, More Destructive and Worse to Come (VIDEO)

From the Source:

"BUSHFIRES are almost twenty times more deadly and eighty times more destructive than a century ago - and experts warn the devastation will continue to grow as urban sprawl pushes further into bushland. Exclusive analysis by News Corp Australia has revealed the true extent of the devastating toll caused by decades of bushfires.

In today's money, the combined damage caused by bushfires over the past 90 years is almost $7 billion.

And $2.6 billion of this damage was caused in the past 13 years."

Above: "Harmful effect ... Sydney’s CBD is shrouded in a haze of smoke from bushfires in Springwood, Winmalee and Lithgow in the Blue Mountains last October. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images"

Wildfire Rages in Forest Outside of Los Angeles, Residents Evacuated (VIDEO)

Driest year in California's recorded history and notorious Santa Ana winds create a recipe for an early fire season - a VERY early fire season.

From the Source:

"GLENDORA, Calif. » Homes burned in a wildfire threatening neighborhoods in dangerously dry foothills of Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains today, fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds that spit embers into the city below. Residents who awakened in the pre-dawn darkness to see flames approaching were ordered to evacuate.

Television images showed several structures engulfed in flames in a neighborhood abutting Angeles National Forest, just north of the San Gabriel Valley community of Glendora. Homes are nestled in canyons and among rugged ridges that made an accurate assessment difficult.

At least 2 1/2 square miles of dry brush were charred in the wilderness area about 25 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles...

The notorious Santa Anas, linked to the spread of Southern California's worst wildfires, picked up at daybreak. The extremely dry Santa Anas blow downslope and can push fires out of the mountains and into communities below. The area, which has been historically dry, has been buffeted by the winds which have raised temperatures into the 80s. The Santa Anas typically begin in the fall and last through winter into spring. A wet winter reduces fire risk, but the whole state is experiencing historically dry conditions."

Above: "A wildfire burned in the hills just north of the San Gabriel Valley community of Glendora, Calif. today. Southern California authorities have ordered the evacuation of homes at the edge of a fast-moving wildfire burning in the dangerously dry foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains." - Associated Press

Warm Weather, Low Humidity Raise Wildfire Risk in San Diego County

Extreme summer-like winter conditions in Southern California are extending the fire season. Article demonstrates a good example of the conditions that create extreme fire behavior:

From the Source:

"'A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, above normal temperatures and very low fuel moisture will contribute to extreme fire behavior,' the NWS said."

"NWS forecasters said the lack of rainfall this winter had further dried vegetation well beyond what was normal for this time of year in many areas."

"This National Weather Service map shows in pink the areas under a red flag warning beginning Monday, Jan. 13, 2014." - Courtesy of KPBS

Record Driest Year in California, Parts of Oregon

California is experiencing unusual winter fires given the driest conditions the region has experienced in its recorded history - normally wet areas like Big Sur, for example, are ablaze. These conditions aren't unique to California, as Hawaii has experienced record-breaking drought conditions over the last few years, spurring an increase in the frequency, size, and severity of fires across all of the islands. 

From the Source:

“California and parts of western Oregon witnessed their driest year on record in 2013, according to statistics from the National Weather Service (NWS)...

A critical season looms for the nation's most populous state, struggling through its third straight dry winter.

The culprit for this dearth of rain and mountain snow is a persistent ridge of high pressure aloft over the eastern north Pacific Ocean, which has diverted the jet stream, and hence, the storm track, well to the north into Canada. 

The few storm systems that have penetrated the West Coast recently have tended to drop south out of western Canada as relatively moisture-starved systems, rather than sweeping in ashore from west to east, tapping deeper moisture. 

Are there any signs of the pattern turning wetter? In a word, 'no'."

Article link no longer exists.

Above: "Drought status of the western U.S. as of Dec. 24, 2013. Areas of worse drought are indicated by the progressively more tan/brown contours. (NOAA/USDA/NDMC)."