N. China Threatened by Forest Fires

N. China Threatened by Forest Fires

4 May 2007

published by www.china.org.cn

China — The forest fire in the remote border region ofnortheast China’s HeilongjiangProvince has been brought under control but there are chances of reignition,said local sources.

As ofThursday midnight, the burning fire on the periphery of the blazing site in theHannuohe forestry center in the Greater Hinggan Mountains had been put out, butsmoke could still be seen, said local forest fire prevention headquarters.

According toweather reports, the highest temperature on Friday is expected to reach 12 to 18centigrade degrees and the wind speed may reach 7.9 meters per second. Theheadquarters said it is possible that the fire would reappear fanned by thewind.

Thefirefighters will focus their efforts on the prevention of reignition ofsmoldering fire on the blazing site, said the headquarters.

The fire broke out Monday afternoon in the Hannuohe forestry center and appeared to have died down Wednesday morning after engulfing some 15 square kilometers of forest. But when a strong 50-60 kph wind blew up in the afternoon, it revived and started to spread.

Since the fire broke out, the national headquarters for the prevention of forest fires has sent about 10,000 firefighters and airplanes to the site of blaze.

The provincial government of Heilongjiang has ordered stricter control of inflammable substances.

Lack of rainfall in north China was blamed for the threat of forest fires and people have been warned to be alert of such hazards.

The Chinese Central Meteorological Station has forecasted rain in Heilongjiang and experts believe the rainfall could help put out the fire.

Another firebroke out in a mountain in western Beijing yesterday afternoon and has spread toabout 100 mu (6.67 hectares) of area.The fire, in the Baihua MountainNature Reserve in Mentougou District, was still not extinguished by 10:30 PM onThursday, according to a Beijing Times report.

The fire wasdiscovered in a forestry farm with a total area of 7,000 mu (466.67hectares) at about 3:00 PM on Thursday. Most of the trees in the farm are pinetrees.

 Firefightersand several hundred people were mobilized to fight the fire.

The cause ofthe fire was still not clear, said the report.

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4 de Mayo: Dia del bombero y bombera forestall (4 May – Day of the forest fire fighters

4 de Mayo: Dia del bombero y bomberaforestall (4 May – Day of the forest fire fighters)

3 May 2007

published by www.sirefor.go.cr

Costa Rica — Esta declaratoria a nivel nacional se une a la que a nivelmundial se conoce como el Día Internacional del Combatiente Forestal; esto comoexpresión y apoyo de la comunidad Internacional y de la sociedad en general aquienes controlan los fuegos de bosques y áreas agropecuarias en todo el mundo,reconociendo su nivel de compromiso, dedicación, respeto y agradecimiento haciaquienes tratan de preservar la vida y la integridad de los patrimonios yrecursos naturales de los efectos de fuegos no deseados; así como recordar aquienes han perdido la vida, o sufrido daños o secuelas en la lucha contra losincendios forestales.

Mediante Decreto Ejecutivo Nº 32944-MINAE, publicado 20 de abril en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta, oficializa el día 04 de Mayo como el día del Bombero y Bombera Forestal.

De igual manera en este decreto se establece y reconoce la figura del (la) Bombero (a) Forestal, como aquella persona que participa en labores de prevención, mitigación, control y liquidación de incendios forestales, capacitada y entrenada para trabajar en forma segura y eficiente.

En nuestro país en el año 1991 se constituyo en el cantón de Bagaces la primera brigada de bomberos y bomberas forestales voluntarios, iniciativa que fue replicada a nivel nacional.
Las brigadas de bomberos forestales en Costa Rica esta dividida en brigadas voluntarias, institucionales y de empresa privada, mismas que se encuentran adscritas al Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC) del Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía. Para este año 2007 se cuenta con 984 bomberos y bomberas forestales voluntarias; agrupados en un total de 75 brigadas, mismos que cuentan con una póliza básica de accidentes patrocinada por el Instituto Nacional de Seguros.

“Solo los que aman su profesión son capaces con el ejemplo propio de transmitir a las nuevas generaciones el respeto al trabajo bien hecho, el orgullo de salvaguardar la biodiversidad con que cuenta nuestro país”  Gracias Bomberos y Bomberas Forestales.


Fotog. 1: ACG – SINAC

La Comisión Nacional sobre Incendios Forestales (CONIFOR) con el apoyo del escultor Miguel Mora han elaborado una maqueta la cual es la primera iniciativa del que será el monumento al Bombero y Bombera Forestal; el cual se espera develar el próximo año como reco cimiento a la labor que estas personas han realizado a lo largo de los años (Fotog. 2).


Fotog. 2: D.Roman

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Un incendie de forét prés de la frontiére sino-russe maîtrisé

Un incendie de forét prés de la frontiére sino-russe maîtrisé

30 April 2007

published by www.french.xinhuanet.com

Hohhot, Chine —  Les pompiers chinois ont éteint un incendie qui s’est déclaré dimanche dans une forét d’une ville de Mongolie intérieure prés de la frontiére sino-russe, sans faire de victimes, selon des sources du gouvernement local lundi. 

La police enquéte sur la cause de l’incendie. 

L’incendie s’est déclaré dimanche aprés-midi dans la forét de pins et de bouleaux argentés de la forét de Xing’an prés de la villed’Ergune, á la frontiére russe. Plus de 400 pompiers et de résidents locaux ont participéá l’opération, selon le département d’information de la ville. 

L’incendie a été totalement éteint lundi matin, selon le département. 

Plus de 100 pompiers demeurent sur place afin de s’assurer qu’il n’y aura pas de nouveaux départs de feu.

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Indonesia Makes It To 2008 Guinness World Records As Fastest

Indonesia Makes It To 2008 Guinness World Records As FastestForest Destroyer

3 May 2007

published by Greenpeace South East Asia

Indonesia — The next edition of the Guinness Book of World Records will include acitation for Indonesia as the country with the fastest rate of forest destruction among countries which comprise 90% of the world’s remainingforests. Indonesia is destroying an area of forest equivalent to 300 football fields every hour. It has already lost 72% of its large intactancient forests (1) and half of what remains is threatened by commerciallogging, forest fires and clearances for palm oil plantations (2).

The Guinness World Records, considered a global authority on record breakingachievements, confirmed to Greenpeace that this unfortunate record will feature in its 2008 record book to be published in September thisyear. (3)

The citation from the Guinness book will read as follows: “Of the 44 countries which collectively account for 90% of the world’s forests, thecountry which pursues the highest annual rate of deforestation is Indonesia with 1.8 million ha (4,447,896 acres) of forest destroyed each year between2000-2005, a rate of 2 per cent annually or 51 km² (20 miles²) destroyed every day. (4)”

“It is sad and tragic that among countries with significant forest cover left, Indonesia has the fastest rates of forest destruction. Every 30minutes, a forest area as wide as the National Monument (MoNas) Park in Jakarta is being wiped out. It is a national shame for Indonesia to ownthis distinction in the record books,” said Hapsoro, Forest Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Greenpeace is calling on the Indonesian government to stem the tide of forest destruction in the country by imposing a moratorium on commerciallogging operations in natural forest areas nationwide. The group contends that a moratorium is a necessary first step in arresting the country’srunaway deforestation rates in order to give the forests some time to recover. The moratorium should also be used to review and re-orientIndonesia’s existing forest policies which currently favor interests promoting destruction rather than protection.

The forestry sector in Indonesia is plagued by lawlessness, corruption and forestplunder, which the Indonesian Government is failing to control.

International demand for timber and paper, as well as commodities such as palm oil is also driving this destruction.

“Only Indonesia can protect its forests and the people who depend on them, but governments of the EU, China, Japan and North America must also makesure that their countries do not become clearing houses for products of forestdestruction. Otherwise, this dishonor belongs to them as well,” said Hapsoro.

Indonesia’s record rates of destruction make the country not only the fastest forest destroyer but also the third largest greenhouse polluterfollowing the United States and China. Up to 25% of greenhouse gas emissions comes from tropical forestclearance. (5) 

The record breaker was announced as the governors of three Indonesian provinces recently held discussions with the international community onpossible joint efforts to prevent deforestation and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Reduced or avoided deforestation is also one of thesolutions being considered for mitigating climate change at the Third working group meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change nowtaking place in Bangkok.

Greenpeace is an independent campaign organization, which uses non-violent, confrontational creative strategies to address global environmentalproblems, and promote solutions essential for a green and peaceful future.

Notes to Editors:

(1) Roadmap to recovery, 2006, Greenpeace International (see: http://www.intactforests.org/)
(2) World Resources Institute, 1997, The Last Frontier Forests.
(3) Copies of the certificate from Guinness World Records that confirms the world record are available on request.
(4) While Indonesia destroys its forests faster than any other country, Brazil destroys a larger area of forest every year.
(5) Houghton, RA (2003) Revised estimates of the annual net flux of carbon to the atmosphere from changes in land use and land management 1850 – 2000.Tellus 55B: 378-90; Houghton, RA (2005a) Tropical Deforestation as a source of greenhouse emissions.

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Gran incendio obliga a movilizar a un millar de bomberos en noreste China

Gran incendio obliga a movilizar a unmillar de bomberos en noreste China

1 May 2007

published by www.spanish.xinhuanet.com

Harbin, China — Un millar de bomberos luchan para  contener un incendioforestal con un frente de tres kilómetros en  las montañas Gran Xing’an,situada en la provincia nororiental  china de Heilongjiang. 

Las llamas se iniciaron la tarde del lunes en el centro  forestal Hannuohey alcanzaron rápidamente un área de tres  kilómetros de largo y 800metros de ancho. 

El departamento meteorológico provincial prevé fuertes vientos  durantelos próximos días que podrían dificultar las tareas de  extinción.

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UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. John Holmes, challenging the international community to enhancing international cooperation to reduce the negative impacts of fire on the environment and humanity

UNUnder-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. John Holmes, challengingthe international community to enhancing international cooperation to reduce thenegative impacts of fire on the environment and humanity

14 May 2007

published by the Global FireMonitoring Center

GFMC,Freiburg (Germany) and Sevilla (Spain) – In a public address delivered at theopening of the 4th International Wildland Fire Conference in Sevilla,Spain, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr.John Holmes, challengedthe international community to foster efforts in international cooperation infire management. He noted that it has been recognized that fire has its place innature and must be managed carefully. However, there are signs indicating thatnatural and sustainable anthropogenic fire regimes are changing. Land-use andland-use change, the dependence of growing human populations on the naturalenvironment, as well as the impacts of regional climate change, result in anincreasing vulnerability of societies and an increasing risk of wildfiresdisasters.

Hestressed the need of international cooperation to address the growing fireproblems worldwide. The need of international, mutual assistance betweencountries in managing large fire disasters is obvious. The Under-SecretaryGeneral underlined, however, that fire prevention and preparedness are mosteffective in reducing the risk of large, less controllable fire disasters.

Heturned the attention to the GlobalWildland Fire Network.The Global Wildland Fire Network, which provides an umbrella of 13 RegionalWildland Fire Networks worldwide, is one of the most active programmes operatingunder the auspices of the UnitedNations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction(UN/ISDR). The last global fire assessments conducted in 2000 and 2006 werebased on inputs of the Regional Wildland Fire Networks. With this informationand data the United Nations agencies have obtained a realistic picture of thedimension of fire use, wildfire occurrence and the impacts of fire on planetEarth. This information is enabling the UN system to respond within the scope ofthe mandates of UN specialized agencies and programmes.

Heunderlined the intent of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction tocontinue supporting the Global Wildland Fire Network and its AdvisoryGroup. Both bodies areimportant for the implementation of the HyogoFramework for Action 2005-2015 “Building the Resilience of Nations andCommunities to Disasters”,which was formulated by the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in 2005. Thedevelopment of a GlobalWildland Fire Early Warning Systemwithin the envisaged multi-hazard Global Early Warning System, proposed byformer UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2005, will be an essential improvement.The UNISDR International EarlyWarning Programme isfacilitating the realization of this ambitious endeavour.

Mr.Holmes said that the conference is an important milestone for recommending actionin view of a possible GlobalStrategy to Enhance International Cooperation in Wildland Fire Management.He congratulated the Government of Spain and the Regional Government ofAndalusia for accepting the challenge of organizing and hosting the 4thInternational Wildland Fire Conference. The outcomes of this conference would becrucial for the consolidation and functioning of the Global Wildland FireNetwork and the effective implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action andthe ISDR.

Hethanked all representatives of the international community for coming to Sevillaand contributing to the success of the conference and to be part of a process,which will contribute to sustainable development and protection of the world’svegetation resources and to reduce the negative impacts of fire on theenvironment and humanity.

Mr.Douglas Pattie, Senior Coordinator of the UN/ISDRPlatform for the Promotion of the Early Warning delivered the openingaddress.

Originaltext of the Opening Address of the 4th International Wildland FireConference by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. JohnHolmes:

 Formore information on the 4th International Wildland Fire Conferencesee:

Informationon the UNISDR Global Wildland Fire Network and the Global Fire Monitoring Center(GFMC):

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Florida Wild Fires Force Evacuation of 100 Homes

Florida Wild Fires Force Evacuation of 100Homes

14 May 2007

published by www.planetark.com

Tallahassee, Florida, USA — Florida evacuated people from about 100 housesin the rural northern part of the state on Friday as windswept brush firesburned in the region.

Forestry officials said fires had burned nearly 83,000 acres (33,200 hectares)of swampland and a destroyed a few hunting huts north of Lake City, on thefringe of the Osceola National Forest. Smoke from the fire could be seen 100miles (160 km) west in the state capital of Tallahassee.

It was by far the largest of 223 brush fires burning in Florida, and began inGeorgia in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge six days ago. Heavy windspushed it south into Florida, where it burned a pair of simple hunting camps buthad not destroyed any homes.

“There is a lot of swampland and timberland up there. When it is as dryas it just gets going and creates its own weather,” said Ronda Sutphen,Florida Division of Forestry’s fire prevention officer.

Lightning started many of the fires in Florida, where the winter dry seasonwas the third-driest on record. Firefighters had hoped a subtropical storm offFlorida’s Atlantic coast would soak the state but it dissipated without bringingany significant rainfall.

“It doesn’t look good,” Sutphen said.

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Ga. wildfire called ‘a long-term battle’

Ga. wildfire called ‘a long-term battle’

1 May 2007

published by www.chron.com

Waycross, Ga. USA — Authorities warned locals Tuesday it would be a while before crews can extinguish vast wildfires that have burned more than 135 square miles of forest and swampland in southeast Georgia in two weeks.

“This is a long-term battle,” acting Georgia Forestry Commissioner Robert Farris said. “This is not going to be over at the end of the week or very shortly here.”

Firefighters have contained about 64 percent of the vast Ware County fire that has scorched 87,000 acres of drought-stricken forest and Okefenokee Swamp land since it ignited when a fallen tree struck live power lines April 16. The fire has destroyed 21 homes, but there have been no deaths or serious injuries.

The fire is Georgia’s largest since state record-keeping began in 1957, Farris said.

After an update on the fires in Waycross, Gov. Sonny Perdue said Tuesday he would continue seeking federal disaster money to help offset the estimated $18 million cost to fight the blazes.

“We do what it takes and we do the accounting later,” Perdue said. “When you’re fighting fire, it’s not a time to balance your checkbook.”

Perdue also said authorities are certain some smaller fires close to the main blaze were set by arsonists.

Farris said investigators are looking into six fires they consider suspicious — including one that broke out Saturday near a fire command post. Farris said a wildland arson investigations team has arrived to begin looking for evidence.

In nearby Atkinson County, schools were closed Tuesday and about eight homes had to be evacuated as a smaller wildfire grew to 4,200 acres. It was burning in a peat bog about 20 miles west of the main Ware County blaze.

The cause was under investigation, but arson was not suspected.

Despite ongoing challenges of extreme drought conditions, no rain in the forecast and shifting winds, firefighters were making progress and strengthening fire breaks plowed around the larger blaze, forestry commission spokesman Byron Haire said.

He said that most of the new acres burned were inside the Okefenokee Swamp, an ecological environment that actually benefits from fires.

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Un incendie de forêt hors de contrôle dans l’Est de la Chine

Un incendie de forêt hors de contrôledans l’Est de la Chine

3 May 2007

published by www.french.xinhuanet.com

China — Un incendie de forêt qui s’est ravivé dans une régionfrontalière du nord-est de la Chine restait hors  de contrôle jeudi matin,selon une source locale.

Attisé par un vent d’une vitesse de 20 à 28 km/h, le feu dans  lesmontagnes Grand Hinggan dans la province du Heilongjiang s’est propagérapidement vers le sud-est.

Jusqu’à 15H00 jeudi, le feu s’est étendu sur 4,5 hectares. **

L’incendie s’était déclaré lundi après-midi dans le centre  forestierde Hannuohe et semblait avoir été éteint mercredi matin.

Quelque 9 000 personnes ont été mobilisées pour lutter contre  le feu.

Le gouvernement provincial du Heilongjiang a demandé un contrôle plusstrict sur les substances inflammables.

Le manque de précipitations dans le nord de la Chine est  considérécomme un facteur important des incendies de forêt.

Le bureau météorologique local a prévu des pluies dans les  prochainsjours, ce qui devrait faciliter l’extinction de  l’incendie.

** Note by GFMC: This number probably means 450 ha – to be confirmed

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Six people killed by wildland-residential interface fires in Minusinsk, Krasnyoarsk Region, Russia

Six people killed bywildland-residential interface fires in Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Region, Russia

5 May 2007

GFMC Special Report 

Russia — According to the media, in Krasnoyarsk Kray of 3 and 4 May2007 several large fires burned more than 520 country houses near Minusinsk city.Six people died trying independently to suppress fire, four people weretransported to the hospital with strong burns. More than 100 dacha areas weredestroyed. The fires lasted several hours and destroyed the whole dacha village.Hundreds of people were evacuated to safe regions. Most of the damage occurredin Minusinski region and some in the Southern regions of the Kray. The cause offire was carelessness of people burning dry grass. Dry weather and a strong windfanned the fires. More than 4000 ha of pine stand were also destroyed. Thestatus of emergency was declared in Minusinski region.


1 – Fire in a pine stand

Firefighters encountered a complexsituation with extremely fast fire spread. The firefighters hardly wereable to suppress all new fire spots. In the night of 4 May a total of nine fireswere burning. According to the police, someone burned trash and grass. Within aminute the wind blew the fire for several kilometres. The fire services areprepared for new fires since the strong wind is expected in the east regions ofKrasnoyarsk Kray.

  
2 and 3 – Little is left from thehouses

The first fire started on 3 May in themorning from the village Zeleny Bor. The fires concentrated near such villagesas Zeleny Bor, Topolki, Selivanikha, Shoshino, Novotroitskoe, railway stationKrupskaya. Fierce crown fires passed the area South of Topolki village and nearSelivanikha village. Fortunately the fire went to the direction of the road. InShoshino village seven houses burned, a private shop, some wooden structures, twopigs. The total area of fire here is 800 square meters.


4 – Another burned house

Almost simultaneously the fire appeared in gardens of societiesCooperator and Stroitel about 10-20 km from Minusinsk. The danger that the citywill be in a fire ring is a real one. In Stroitel 150 country houses burned. 56people were evacuated. In Cooperator 55 houses were destroyed.

    
5 and 6 – The landscape after the fire battle

 

The firemen from Minusinski, Shushenski, Kuraginski, Ermakovski regionswere attracted to suppress fires with 27 ground tankers, 8 fire engines,bulldozers, a fire train, personnel of the forest entperprises (leskhozes),police. In the morning of 5 May all fires are suppressed. However, Minusinsk isstill covered with smoke.

 

Within 24 hours there were a total of 47 fires on the territory of theKray including 6 in Krasnoyarsk. Besides there are 15 forest fires on the areamore than 1226 hectares in Dzerzhinski, Ermakovski, Manski, Partizanski andShushenski regions. In 7 cases the fires were caused by people.

 


7 – Why?

 

On 3 May 2007 the Ministry of Emergency (EMERCOM) of Russian Federationcalled for an emergency meeting of the responsible government commission inMoscow. The most fire-threatened regions are Krasnoyarsk Kray, Tuva Republic,Khakhassia,  Buryatia and Chitaregion. The Minister for Emergency Situations said that about 200 people wereleft homeless.

 


8 – Reports of the fires in the Russian TV (NTV)

 

 

 

9 – Satellite-derived map of active fires burning in Krasnoyarsk Kray on 3 May2007. The fire sites in Minusinsk can be seen in the upper central part of themap.

 

 

 

Sources: Regional Northeast AsiaWildland Fire Network (L.. Kondrashov),based on informationof NTV (TV) and the local press (Krasnoyarski Rabochiy, etc.). Satellite map:Fire Remote Sensing Laboratory, Sukachev Institute of Forest, Russian Academy ofSciences, Krasnoyarsk (A. Sukhinin).

 

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