National Preparedness Level: 3 (On a scale from 1 to 5)

National Preparedness Level: 3 (On a scale from 1 to 5)

Information updated on June 23, 2008 5:42 PM

Fire Pictures Gallery

Current Situation:

Initial attack was heavy with 517 new fires. 26 new large fires started and 6 large fires were contained.

Northern Operations received over 3,200 strikes on Saturday June 21. Lightning was occuring on all the forests and units east of I 5 at that time. As of 8:00 p.m., 602 new fires for a total of 2,918 acres started on Saturday, June 21.

On Sunday, 309 new fires for 14,137 acres were located.

A significant dry lightning event hit California over the weekend. In the past two days, 1,080 new fires were reported in California. Currently, California has 25 large fires that have burned more than 90,000 acres. Evacuation orders are in effect for several fires. New large fire activity was also reported in Arizona, Nevada and Texas.

Image: MODIS remote heat detection. Click the image to view full size. Image as of June 23, 7:20 a.m.

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Fire Activity	Yesterday	Year to date	2007 Fire Season	10-Year Average
Number of Fires	517	33,012	43,731	39,405
Acres Burned	21,707	1,854,019	1,646,417	1,455,184

Incident Name	State	Lead Agency	Size (acres)	Percent Contained	Estimate of Containment	Personnel	Structures Lost
Northern California Lightning Series	CA	CAL FIRE	n/a	0	unknown	n/a	0
Various counties and locations throughout Northern California within the CAL FIRE responsibility area only More incidents (Forest Service) below. Siskiyou Unit: All 8 fires have been contained for a total of 10 acres. The Klamath National Forest has a Complex near Happy Camp that is 600 acres with no containment. Humboldt-Del Norte Unit: 51 fires for more than 900 acres, with 4 new fires today. The Paradise Fire is Northeast of Shelter Cove and is 600 acres and 5% contained, The Redcrest Fire is 30 acres, the High Fire is in Humboldt Redwood State Park with unknown acreage or containment, the Carson Fire is 40 acres and 50% contained, the Hansen Fire is 2 acres with unknown containment, the Williams Fire is 25 acres and 50% contained, In the BLM Headwaters Forest there are three additional small fires buring. Mendicino Unit: 90 fires have been reported for a total of more than 7,625 acres. The Orr Fire is 200 acres and has evacuations of the Orr Springs Resort and 50 homes in the area, the Navarro Fire is 1,400 acres and 5% contained, the Cherry fire is 50 acres and 50% contained, the Foster Fire is 50 acres and 50% contained, the Table Mtn. Fire is 1,000 acres and 5% contained, the Mallo Pass Fire is 800 acres, and the Juan Creek fires (2) are at 100 acres each. There are 8 additional fires at 30 acres each. San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit: 15 fires have been reported. The Quarry Fire is located near the base of San Bruno Mountain is 300 acres and 85% contained. Amador-El Dorado Unit: All fires for a total of 80 acres have been contained. Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit: 34 fires reported. The fire of concern is the Foresthill (formerly Mosquito) Fire which is 75 acres and 90% contained. Mosquito Ridge Road remains closed at Foresthill Road until 6 p.m. today. Butte Unit: 27 fires for a total of more than 1,397 acres. The Rim Fire has burned 50 acres with unknown containment. Butte County Sheriff’s department is effecting a Precautionary Evacuation Advisory for the Lake Concow Area for a lighting fire in excess of 100 acres burning off of Rim Rd. (Also referred to as Andy Mountain Rd.) in the Concow area. The American Red Cross is setting up an evacuation shelter at the Spring Valley School at 2771 Pentz Rd. off of Hwy 70. There are four road closures in effect: Concow Rd. from Yellow Wood Rd. north to the end of the pavement on Concow Rd, Concow Rd. from Nelson Bar to end of pavement, Rim Rd. (also known as Andy Mtn. Rd) from Hwy 70 to end of Rim Rd., Deadwood from Hwy 70 to Concow Rd. Tehama-Glen Unit: 75 fires for a total of 2,146 acres. EAST SIDE (Paynes Creek Area)- The Antelope Fire is 600 acres and 20% contained, the Ishi Fire is 60 acres and 50% contained and the Mill Creek Fire is 417 acres with no containment. WEST SIDE (36W) - The Salt Creek Fire is 40 acres with no containment and the Vestal Fire 181 acres and 25% contained. The Tehama-Glenn Unit Information Number is (530) 528-5124. Shasta-Trinity Unit: Over 130 fires for a total of 5,000 acres. Shasta-Trinity Unit Information (530) 225-2510 Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit: 6 fires with 4 contained. Two fires for a total of 7,250 acres. Over 300 homes threatened. The Wild Fire is burning near Napa West of Fairfield. The Walker Fire is burning in the Indian Valley Reservoir in Lake County and is 2,000 acres with 0% containment. Lassen-Modoc Unit: 45 total fires for 500+ acres Tuolumne-Calavares Unit: 9 fires for a total of 5,720 acres. All fires have been contained. Currently the counties of Tuolumne and Calaveras are experiencing heavy smoke in low lying areas due to fires caused by heavy lightning activity yesterday. Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit: 15 fires reported The Cunningham Complex (5 fires total) are burning 3,150 acres total, the Stumpfield Fire is burning 2 acres, the Indian Peak Fire is burning 60 acres, and the Oliver Fire is burning in the Sequoia National Forest. The Sequoia National Forest has reported 25 fires. Lightning Map courtesy Tahoe National Forest. Click the image for full size pdf.
Wild	CA	CAL FIRE	3,750	40	unknown	438	2
CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit. Northeast of Napa and Northwest of Fairfield. Mandatory evacuations in place on Joyce Lane, Twin Sisters Road and Wooden Valley Roads in Napa and Solano County. Voluntary evacuations in the Green Valley subdivision. 300 structures currently threatened. 1 residence and 1 outbuilding have been destroyed. An evacuation center has been established at the Fairfield Community Center.
Tahoe	CA	TNF	n/a	0	unknown	200	2
On June 21 2008, 92 lightning strikes were detected within the Tahoe NF Forest boundary. Click on the image to view full size map. The forest currently has approximately 25 lightning fires, and active suppression is underway. To better manage the fires, they have been split in to two complexes: American River Complex (jointly managed by USFS and Cal Fire): Peavine: 80 acres, difficult terrain. Foresthill fire, 70 acres, 5.5 miles east of Foresthill near the 96 road, primarily backing down the slope. No structures are threatened. 70% contained. Expected containment: 06/23 at 6:00 p.m. Mosquito Ridge road is closed to public traffic. Campers in the French Meadows area are being routed out via Robinson Flat and the Foresthill Divide road. Gov fire (near Government Spring): 800-1,000 acres on south facing slope in NF American River canyon. Ford Point: 1 fire out, 1 fire contained. Westville (one mile north of townsite): 30 acres. Red Star: .1 acre, heading towards the prior Star fire. Yuba River Complex 25 Fire (Cal-Ida): 200 acres Omega #1: 2 acres, contained, in patrol status. Omega #2: 3 acres, contained, in patrol status. Scotchman (Scotchman Creek): 500 acres. USFS, Nevada County Sheriff, and Washington Volunteer FD are advising residents in the Maybert road area to prepare for a possible evacuation. A line of retardant has been dropped in Skotchman's drainage to stop the fire's progression towards the town of Washington. A call for all firefighters in Nevada County has gone out, for a possible contingency plan for the town of Washington. Fall (Fall Creek drainage): 1,300 acres. The fire was very active earlier this afternoon, but fire behavior seems to have diminished as the winds have died down. CHP has closed the Bowman Lake road and is evacuating persons in the Rucker Lake area. Road closures include Bowman Rd from Hwy 20 and FS25 Rd to Cal Ida from Hwy 49. Holding at Bowman Lake Road. Gaston: 12 acres. Clear (Clear Creek drainage): 2 acres. A type II management team is assuming command of the Yuba River complex on Monday June 23.
Cold Fire	CA	PNF	1,200	0	unknown	142	0
Summary: Fire fighters continue to battle multiple fires started by dry lightning on June 21. The highest priority for today is the Cold Fire, a 640 acre blaze that lies four miles south of Highway 70 and the communities of Greenhorn and Spring Garden. The Plumas Hot Shots (a highly trained hand crew), with engines and dozers, will continue to build fire line to prevent further spread of the fire north toward the Middle Fork of the Feather River and Highway 70. Expected wind gusts today cause concern for fire spotting beyond fire lines. Fire movement into Nelson Creek is also expected. Several fires in the Feather River Canyon along Highway 70 create extreme hazard due to flaming debris rolling downhill. Crews will continue to scout fires, establish drop points and safety zones, and construct line where possible. Fires in the Bucks Lake Wilderness, although at high elevation, continue to burn with unusual intensity for this time of year. Fire fighters are prepared to locate and attack new starts during the day. County Sheriff Departments are working with the Forest Service to coordinate any potential evacuations. No evacuations are currently in effect, although residents of Spring Garden and Greenhorn have been contacted. Fire Behavior: Dead and green fuel moisture levels are near historic lows on the Plumas and all fuel types may burn rapidly with high intensity. A warming and drying trend is expected over the next few days with lightning storms possible toward the end of the week. Flaming debris rolling downhill toward the base of unburned canyons is a concern. Fire intensity is expected pick up in late morning as valley inversion layers lift. Weather: Forecast for today is for temperatures in the upper 80's with humidity of 12-22% and winds SSW and upslope at 6 to 12mph. Smoke will settle into valleys with night time inversion. Current Situation: Fires are being evaluated. Additional resources, including engines, crews and aircraft have been ordered. The Incident Command has been set up at the Feather River College in Quincy. Current Forest and Road Closures: Visitors and residents should be aware that conditions may change quickly and roads and major highways may need to be closed for public safety.
Eldorado	CA	ENF	50	100	06/23	70	0
Date/Time of Fire Start: Saturday, June 21, 2008. 3:30 p.m. Cause: Lightning Description/Location: Approximately 23 wildland fires resulted from Saturday's lightning storm. Due to firefighter's quick response all of these fires found to date have been contained. Crews continue to mop up and patrol these fires. The Soldier fire located 3 miles northeast of Pollock Pines and north of Highway 50/American River was 100% contained at 50 acres as of 5:00 p.m. Monday. Weather Conditions: Favorable weather conditions are expected over the next few days. Structures Destroyed: None Injuries: None Evacuations: None Road Closures: None
Butte County	CA	CAL FIRE	1,200	5	unknown	168	0
Wildland burning in the Concow area, known as the Rim Fire. Cause: Lightning Strikes. Public Safety threat, if any: There is an immediate threat to all residents in the area of Concow Road north of Hoffman and all side roads in the area due to the fire known as the Empire Fire. There is an immediate threat evacuation on Andy Mountain Road and Ponderosa Way to approximately one mile up Rim Mountain Road. Also, residents on Highway 70 between Fire Station 36 and Pulga are under immediate threat evacuation. Road Closures: Highway 70 is closed at Big Bend. Shelter: Residents and animals are being evacuated to Spring Valley School at 2771 Pentz Road off of Highway 70. Residents are being evacuated to Spring Valley School at 2771 Pentz Road off of Highway 70. Four roads closed: 1. Concow Road from Yellow wood Rd to n end of the pavement 2. Concow Rd from Nelson Bar Rd to the end of the pavement 3. Rim Rd aka Andy Mtn Rd from highway 70 to the end of Rim Rd 4. Deadwood Rd from Highway 70 to the Concow Rd Sawmill Peak: On the East side of the West Branch drainage. Cohasset: 6 fires - 3 contained. No threats to structures. Butte Creek: 2 fires, burned together, contained. Feather Falls area: 7 fires, the largest one is at 10 acres. These fires are burning in very steep and remote areas. No threat to structures. The 500 acre fire in Branch III burning on the east side of the West Branch of the Feather River poses an potential threat to residents in the community of Magaila.
Brown	CA	CAL FIRE	3,870	80	unknown	70	0
CAL FIRE San Benito - Montery Unit Hollister/Panoche area.Lightning-caused fire. The forward spread of the fire has slowed. The fire is burning in light flasshy fuels, over steep terrain.
Whitehurst / Hummingbird	CA	CAL FIRE	1,100	90 and 50	unknown	465	0
Santa Clara, West of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Lightning-caused fire. Hummingbird: # 2 miles West of Morgan Hill # Forward spread has slowed # 850 acres # 90% contained, making good progress # 1200 Homes threatened # Temp 80's, RH >20% Hummingbird Fire -Many of the residents evacuated are being allow to return to their homes. The Whitehurst Fire is actively burning in extremely rugged terrain and in heavy fuels. There is no current threat. Whitehurst * Highway 152 at the Santa Clara and Santa Cruz county line * 200 acres actively burning in heavy fuels * 50% contained, making good progress * No significant values at risk * Temp 87, RH 15%, DP 34, Wind NE @ 10, Elevation 1859' (Source Diablo Grande)
Lime Complex	CA	SHF	4,000	0	unknown	531	0
Location: 5 miles south of Hyampom and 14 miles west of Hayfork, California Date and Time of Fire Start: June 20, 2008 @ 5:00 p.m. Cause: Lightning Estimated Fire Size: 4,000 Acres Estimated Fire Containment: 0% Estimated Expected Containment: TBD Committed Resources: 531 total personnel that includes 15 Crews, 6 Helicopters, 24 Engines, 2 Dozers, 10 Water Tenders, and fire support personnel Operational Objectives: Protect lives and property; reduce the number of larger problem fires by maintaining an effective initial attack capability and by strategically managing smaller fires with high potential for spread; strategically plan for management of all fires; and keep fires within the South Fork Management Unit. Fire Activity: Firefighters observed creeping, backing, and flanking fire. Short crowning runs in the timber are possible. Firefighters expect fire behavior to increase when the smoke inversion lifts in the late afternoon. Remarks: NorCal Interagency Incident Management Team II continues to manage the Lime Complex for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and will transition with a National Type I Incident Management Team to assist with the management of the fires located north of Hayfork near Hyampom Valley and Pattison Peak areas. The Lime Complex is comprised of over 70 fires ranging in size from 1 to over 400 acres. Of the 70 fires, 18 are contained. A number of fires are located in remote areas with steep terrain and little or no access. Fire managers have identified priority fires and include three that pose the highest threat to life and property: The Slide (NW of Hyampom), Dead Shot (SE of Hayfork), and Telephone (SE of Hayfork) fires. A critical priority is maintaining the public’s use of Highways 3 and 36. Past and Current Actions: Firefighters continue to attack more than 70 fires after an intense 2-day lightning storm which moved through the region last Friday and Saturday. Firefighters continue to gather data on the number, location and size of the fires within the Lime Complex which are burning in the South Fork Management Unit (SFMU) of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The Limedyke Lookout has been destroyed by one of the fires. Firefighting groups within the north and south branches of the Lime Complex have been established to meet management and operational objectives. Evacuations and Closures: Fire managers continue to coordinate with Trinity County for possible evacuations in the areas of Hyampom Valley and Salt Creek areas.
SRF Lightning	CA	SRF	900	10	unknown	17	0
Six Rivers National Forest Afternoon winds increased fire behavoir dramatically on the Travis, Blue,Jake Allgood, Sims and Packsaddle
SHU Lightning Complex	CA	SNF	1,250	5	unknown	307	0
Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Have 130 known fires with approximately 34 of them unstaffed. New Fires continue to pop-up and existing fires have started to grow. Evacuation in progress for the Shingletown area. Local government water tender roll over with no injuries. Observed Fire Behavior: Increased fire behavior and development with warm temperatures, low fuel moistures and RH’s.
SHU Lightning	CA	CAL FIRE	150	15	unknown	195	0
Shasta-Trinity National Forest. New fires continued to be found. Increased smoke and haze made finding new fires difficult. Remarks: 31 confirmed fires 2 out 14 contained or controlled. 8 fires in active status with resources at scene. 7 fires unstaffed with resources ordered. Increased smoke haze has made finding new fires difficult.
Whiskeytown Complex	CA	CAL FIRE	100	0	unknown	40	0
8 miles west of Redding Fire 5-2 reached Shasta Bally road which has been closed due to fire activity. Boulder Creek Falls Trail is also closed due to Fire 5-3. Other significant events were two new fires within the park boundary and two new fires entering park boundary from private land. Observed Fire Behavior: Fires have seen moderated fire behavior all day with roll out being the main concern.
Mendocino Lightning	CA	MEU	7,625	0	unknown	664	5
* Approx 90 fires, many in commercial timberland; about 60 unstaffed * Total acreage at least 7 , 625 * Larger fires making significant runs * Orr Fire , 100 acres, evacuation of Orr Springs Resort with 50 structures threatened, no containment, 5 homes destroyed * Navarro Fire at 1400 acres, 5% contained, potential threat to 500 homes * Cherry Fire , 50 acres, 50 % contained , evacuations cancelled. * Foster Fire at 200 acres, several homes threatened, 0% contained, spread towards HUU * Table Mtn. Fire 1000 acres, 5% contained, structures threatened * Mallo Pass Fire (Elk Area) 800 acres, commercial timber, unstaffed. * Cliff Fire (Coast end of Mtn View Road ), 800 acres. * Juan Creek (Rockport Area), 2 fires at 100 acres each, 8 fires at 50 acres each, 0% containment * Indian Fire (JDSF Indian Springs Campground) 100 acres, timber. * County of Mendocino declared a state of emergency for all of Mendocino County on 6/22 * Mendocino County EOC activated
June Lightning	CA	MEU	400	10	unknown	262	0
Location: UPPER LAKE, COVELO, GRINDSTONE Mendocino Unit. Currently 49 fires with largest 250 acres. The Big incident is 100/150 acres. Ron Recker will be assuming the ICT3 tomorrow afternoon. Observed Fire Behavior: Short flame lengths and backing fire. 30 structures threatened. No structures destroyed.
LMU June Lightning	CA	LMU	250	n/a	unknown	327	0
Lassen-Modoc Counties Significant Events: Precuationary evacuations of Little Valley. Observed Fire Behavior: Significant fire growth (wind driven) on the Popcorn Fire.
HUU June Lightning	CA	CAL FIRE	300	15	unknown	505	0
Humboldt-Del Norte, various locations throughout Humboldt County. At least 50 fires for 300 acres. ICs continue to evaluate for effective suppression techniques. Several fires may require indirect attack with subsequent larger acreages. Observed Fire Behavior: Fires continue to spread overnight. Rolling material is making containment difficult. Planned Actions: Locate all active fires. Continue suppression activity on all staffed fires. Paradise fire is transitioning to indirect attack.
TGU Lightning	CA	CAL FIRE	1,050	15	unknown	223	0
Tehama-Glenn Unit, Tehama County. Continue to find new fires with no access and limited resources. Observed Fire Behavior: Fires contained to surface with some spotting Planned Actions: Prioritize and access fires.
Iron Complex	CA	SHF	500	5	unknown	189	0
Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Junctions City California Trinity Alps Wilderness area is being considered for closure. Many area's are being impacted by heavy smoke today. Remarks: Some of the fires have grown together in the Ironside Mtn and Green Mtn. area's. Observed Fire Behavior: Fires continue to have moderate ROS with some torching.
Siskiyou Complex	CA	KNF	500	0	unknown	146	0
Southwest of Happy Camp, CA Start: 06/21/2008, Lightning. Significant Events: Type 2 team taking over fire at 1900 Observed Fire Behavior: Continued to back toward Dillon Creek Drainage, rolling out and making rapid uphill runs. No structures threatened. Planned Actions: Type 2 team to transition and assess.
North Mountain	CA	SNF	500+	0	unknown	n/a	0
At least ten lightning fires were started Saturday across the Stanislaus National Forest after a series of storm cells passed over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The fires were ignited between about 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Most fires were small and burned either a single tree or a few acres with low flame lengths. Patrols are monitoring their progress with some fires already contained. The largest fire is located on the north side of the Tuolumne River Canyon near North Mountain. The North Mountain Fire is as large as 500 acres burning in trees and grasses dispersed among rocky terrain. The fire is moving towards the peak at North Mountain where a lookout tower and radio repeater station are located. Four hand crews have been working on the fire and a type two team has been requested. In addition to the hand crews, other resources used to stop the spread of lightning caused fires include four air tankers, two helicopter, four engines, two dozers, a water tender, and several patrol units and overhead personnel. Smoke will be seen and may impact residences in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Alpine and Calaveras counties.
Walker	CA	LNU	2,000	0	unknown	54	0
Indian Valley Reservoir, Rapid ROS, long range spotting
Gallery	CA	LPF	2,000	0	unknown	200	0
Fire location: 3 miles south of Big Sur, Los Padres National Forest Date/time started: June 21, 2008 / 1 pm Percent contained: 0% Fire line to be constructed: unknown Expected containment: not determined Expected control: not determined Suppression costs to date: unknown Structures threatened: 75 Cause: lightning Firefighters injured to date: 0 Terrain/vegetation/difficulties: steep rocky terrain; heavy fuels—chaparral, grass, trees; limited access; drought conditions; dry gusty winds. Total personnel: Approximately 200 including engine and hand crews. Current situation: The Gallery Fire burned actively through the night north of Partington Ridge and north into Grimes Canyon. Structure protection engines were in place along Partington Ridge and along Highway 1. Crews are holding the fire at the North Coast Ridge Road and Highway 1; however, both the north and south flanks of the fire remain open. The fire is moving primarily northward. Structures damaged or destroyed: No structures are known to have been damaged or destroyed. Weather predicted for today: not available Evacuations: Approximately 75 residences and businesses were evacuated during the night between Partington Ridge and Graves Canyon. The Red Cross has established an evacuation center at the Big Sur Grange Hall. Closures and road status: Highway 1 is closed between the Ventana Inn on the north and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on the south. The Ventana Inn is open. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is closed. Agencies: U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Big Sur Volunteer Fire Dept., California State Parks, Monterey County and other cooperators. Incident Commander: Unified Command with Incident Commander Mike Kremke of the U.S. Forest Service and Chief Frank Pinny of the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Department
Indians	CA	LPF	56,044	55	unknown	2,583	5
Location: 11 miles west of King City in the Monterey Co. portion of Los Padres National Forest. It is burning largely within the Ventana Wilderness. Date/time started: June 8, 2008 / 12:36 pm Fire line to be constructed: 38 miles Suppression costs to date: $27,600,000 Structures threatened: 1,064 residences, 265 other Cause: Escaped campfire Firefighters injured to date: Nine. Terrain/vegetation: Steep and rocky with grass, chaparral and trees Difficulties: Steep terrain, limited access, heavy fuels and drought conditions, along with dry, gusty winds. Fire activity today: The voluntary evacuation notice for upper Pine Canyon (above paved roads), and an advisory to residents of lower Pine Canyon and Thompson Canyon remain in effect. The evacuation for cabins in the Santa Lucia Tract and six residences on private land at the north edge of Fort Hunter Liggett remain in effect. A large animal advisory has been issued for Arroyo Seco Road and Reliz Canyon Road. This advisory recommends the removal of large animals and livestock from areas along Reliz Canyon Road and Arroyo Seco Road between the Elm Street bridge and the Arroyo Seco Recreation area. Fire activity on the east flank was minimal today near Pine and Thompson Canyons with little mop-up required. The firing operation resulted in the establishment of a large black area between those canyons and the main part of the fire. The fire continued to slowly move north toward the Arroyo Seco area with occasional runs in Santa Lucia and Horse Canyons that were predominantly fuel and terrain driven. A large smoke column was visible today due to that fire activity. Crews continued to strengthen containment lines on the northwest side running between Escondido Campground and Santa Lucia Creek and on the north along Arroyo Seco Road. The fire is expected to continue growing slowly to the north throughout the night with minimal humidity recovery. Little to no fire spread is expected in the south and east. A portion of the Ventana Wilderness and adjacent forest lands are closed. Arroyo Seco-Indians and Cone Peak Roads are closed. Pine Canyon Road (at end of pavement) and Reliz Canyon Road at Elm, are closed except to residents. Memorial Campground, Escondido Campground, Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area are closed. Coastal campgrounds and Nacimiento-Fergusson Road are open. At/below 2000': 55-65 degrees, 30% relative humidity, winds light in the morning 1-4 mph. Above 2000': 65-75 degrees, 15-25% relative humidity, winds north to northeast 5-10 mph. Closures and Road Status: A portion of the Ventana Wilderness and adjacent forest lands are closed. Arroyo Seco-Indians and Cone Peak Roads are closed. Pine Canyon Road (at end of pavement) and Reliz Canyon Road at Elm, are closed except to residents. Memorial Campground, Escondido Campground, Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area are closed. Coastal Campgrounds and Nacimiento-Fergusson Road are open. Agencies: U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Fort Hunter Liggett, Bureau of Land Management, Monterey County and other cooperators. Incident Commander: The incident is being managed in Unified Command with Bill Molumby (California Interagency Incident Management Team 2); Rick Hutchinson (CAL FIRE); Chief Mike Crum (Fort Hunter Liggett). Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area Closed June 15, 2008 --- 6:00 a.m. The Indians Fire this morning is approximately 4 miles south of the Arroyo Seco Recreation Area and does not pose an immediate threat to the site. However, in anticipation of the fire's continued progression to the north, and in the interest of public safety, the Forest Service will close the Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area at noon today, June 15. The site will remain closed until further notice. The Arroyo Seco Recreation Area is approximately 14 miles west of the community of Greenfield, CA. This closure does not affect private lands in the area or the Arroyo Seco Road east of the recreation area. For more information, contact the Indians Fire Information Center at (805) 961-5770 (8:00a.m. to 8p.m.). Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez announced that she has closed until further notice a portion of Los Padres National Forest in Monterey County because of the Indians Fire emergency. According to Hernandez, the closure prohibits all public entry to national forest lands, trails, roads and recreation sites within the closed area. The closed area includes Ventana Wilderness lands and other national forest lands east of the Arroyo-Seco Indians Road (Forest Road 19S09), north of the Nacimiento–Fergusson Road (Forest Road 22S01), east of and including the North Coast Ridge Trail (Forest Trail 3E10), and south of and including the Marble Peak Trail (Forest Trail 4E07). The Arroyo Seco Indians Road is closed. Cone Peak Road is closed. Memorial and Escondido Campgrounds are closed. The Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area are open. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is open. All Forest Service campgrounds on the Big Sur Coast are open. "The decision to prohibit public entry in the Indians Fire area is out of concern for public and firefighter safety," said Hernandez. "This is a precautionary measure. As it has already demonstrated, the fire has the potential to spread very quickly and we don't want the public in harm's way."
Clover	CA	SQF	3,350	0	unknown	107	0
Clover - WFU, Sequoia NF. FUMT (Beckman). Thirty-two miles north of Weldon, CA, started 05/31/2008 at 1455 hrs. Timber and brush. Increased fire activitiy with spotting up to 0.25 miles along the southern flank. Continued low fire intensity and little fire spread along the eastern, northern and western flanks. The Pacific Crest Trail is currently open but many hikers are using alternate routes to bypass the fire. Warning signs are posted and hikers are discouraged from traveling at night. Hikers are encouraged to hike through the fire area before 1 pm. Actions: Contiinue to check fire spread. Monitor Fire behavior, spread and smoke
Elkhorn 2	NV	HTH	4,700	50	unknown	247	0
Elkhorn 2, Humboldt-Toiyabe NF. Previously reported confine/contain fire. Forty-eight miles northeast of Tonopah, NV. Brush, hardwood slash, pinyon juniper. Creeping, smoldering and short upslope runs. Last narrative report unless significant activity occurs.
Windmill Road	TX	TXS	2,195	90	unknown	0	0
Windmill Road, Texas Forest Service. Started on private land twenty-five miles southeast of Ozona, TX. Brush, pinyon pine, juniper, slash and grass. Minimal fire activity. Monitor status.
Sutton Ranch	TX	TXS	1,665	50	unknown	6	0
Sutton Ranch, Texas Forest Service. Started on private land twenty-three miles southwest of Ozona, TX. Brush, pinyon pine, juniper, slash and grass. Minimal fire activity. Monitor status.
Bridger	CO	FCQ	45,800	90	unknown	271	3
Bridger, Fort Carson FD. Twenty miles east of Thatcher, CO. Pinyon pine and juniper. Minimal fire behavior with isolated interior torching. Last report unless significant activity occurs.
Evans Road	NC	NCS	41,060	75	unknown	345	4
The Evans Road Fire was reported on June 1 approximately 15 miles NW of Fairfield in the New Lake vicinity in eastern North Carolina, several miles south of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge on private land. The fire resulted from a lightning strike. On the afternoon of June 3, the fire broke from containment, running 3,000 acres onto Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. By late evening, the blaze had grown to approximately 8,000 acres. Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is approximately 93,000-acres and is home to the endangered red wolf, black bear, hundreds of species of migratory birds, and a variety of other native wildlife. The refuge is a popular attraction for birders, wildlife photographers, as well as being a good hunting and fishing hot spot. Windy weather and a limited water supply have complicated suppression efforts for firefighters. The fire is primarily burning in shrubby swamp lands which are very difficult to suppress in dry conditions due to the explosive fire movement through the shrubs and the large amounts of organic vegetation in the soil available to burn. The fire will likely linger for weeks in the soil until significant rainfall floods the swamp. Continued active interior fire today with re-burn on all areas of the fire. Operational personnel continue to secure the portion of line along Evans Road using KG blades to widen containment lines. The fire continues to burn actively with single tree torching, creeping and smoldering in the remote, inaccessible area of the Refuge. Thunderstorms moved across the area with a large amount of lightning and strong out flow winds. A minimal amount of precipitation fell over the fire ranging from .02 to .29 inches, which lessened fire activity in the afternoon. Water Handling Operation continues on the western side of the fire, using canals, ditches, and high volume lift pumps to reinforce containment and assist mop-up efforts.
South 1	VA	GDR	2,862	28	07/01	396	0
The South One wildland fire is burning in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge near Suffolk, Virginia. The fire started on June 9, 2008 as the result of logging equipment that caught on fire. The fire is burning primarily in downed and dead Atlantic White Cedar that was felled by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. The Southern Area Type II Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Tony Wilder, assumed command on June 12, 2008 at 0700. Restrictions and Closures Lake Drummond is closed. Railroad Ditch, West Ditch, Interior Ditch and Corapeake Ditch Roads are closed to the public. The area of the Refuge south of Corapeake Ditch Road is also closed. The remainder of Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge remains open for public use and enjoyment. All interior roads and all trails in Dismal Swamp State Park are closed to the public, but the Visitor Center remains open. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Drummond Reservation, part of the Dismal Swamp Canal, is closed to visitors as a safety precaution. Contact the Corps at 757-201-7642 for more information. A temporary flight restriction remains in effect up to 3,000 feet above the fire.
Hulldale	TX	TXS	1,200	60	unknown	16	0
Hulldale, Texas Forest Service. Started on private land thirty-two miles south of San Angelo, TX. Brush, pinyon pine, juniper, slash and grass. Creeping and smoldering. Residences threatened.
Rocky	NM	LNF	40,934	20	unknown	230	0
Rocky, Lincoln NF. IMT 2 (Cowie). Thirty-five miles west of Carlsbad, NM. Pinyon pine, juniper and grass. Moderate to high fire behavior. Structures and gas wells threatened.
West Fork	NM	N2S	3,800	15	06/25	256	0
West Fork, Cimarron District, New Mexico State Forestry. IMT 2 (Reinarz). Twenty-eight miles west of Raton, NM. Mixed conifer and juniper with oak understory. Active surface fire with isolated torching. Natural gas pipeline threatened. Precipitation occurred over the fire area yesterday.
Bonney	NM	N5S	14,315	13	unknown	221	0
Bonney, Capitan District, New Mexico State Forestry. Thirty-one miles west of Roswell, NM. Pinyon pine, juniper and grass. Active fire behavior with rapid rates of spread. Residence threatened.
Stone Coal	VA	VAF	650	0	unknown	45	0
Stone Coal - WFU, George Washington and Jefferson NF. Seven miles west of Fincastle, VA. Hardwood litter. Backing fire.
Walla Valley	AZ	NPS	6,132	0	unknown	45	0
Grand Canyon North Rim: about 9mi west of developed area; in vicinity of Walla Valley and Point Sublime. Grand Canyon National Park fire management officials determined that weather, fuel, and air quality conditions were within acceptable parameters and began the Walla Valley Prescribed Burn on Saturday, June 21, at 6:21 p.m. The Walla Valley Prescribed Burn is somewhat unique in that it is intended to simulate natural fire events by using a point source ignition technique to mimic lightning ignitions, by allowing the ignition points to burn in all directions (within the prescribed boundaries) as naturally ignited fires would burn and by allowing the fire to burn over a period of approximately three weeks exposing it to a vairety of weather contions. It is expected that the effects of the Walla Valley Rx burn will more closely resemble a natural fire than the effects seen on most conventional prescribed burns. The burn unit is comprised of a ponderosa pine dominated mixed conifer forest on the northern portion of the burn unit and a more pure ponderosa pine forest on the middle and southern portions of the unit. A small amount of pinon and juniper occur close to the rim edge; and gamble oak dominates the vegetation directly below the rim. A small test fire was ignited within the burn unit between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. The fire's behavior was assessed and determined to be within parameters, so blacklining along the north eastern boundary of the burn unit was initiated to secure that area.

Current Large Fires

Fire locations are based on data provided by the National Interagency Fire Center and are subject to change.

Large Incident - A wildfire of 100 acres or more occuring in timber, or a wildfire of 500 acres or more occuring in grass/sage.
Wildland Fire - Any nonstructure fire, other than prescribed fire, that occurs in the wildland.
Wildland Fire Use (WFU) Fire - A naturally ignited wildland fire that is managed to accomplish specific prestated resource management objectives in predefined geographic areas outlined in Fire Management Plans.
Map information provided courtesy of the UDSA Remote Sensing Application Center using data provided by the National Interagency Fire Center. The data is subject to change.

Weather Outlook:

California will be dry today with some local gusty winds along the coast and Sierra Mountains as well as cooler temperatures over the southern half of the state. Scattered wet and dry thunderstorms are expected over eastern Arizona, New Mexico and southern Colorado. Scattered thundershowers are on tap from Florida to Virginia.

Northern California: Not much change is expected over the next few days as a dry and stable westerly flow continues over the Geographic Area. Afternoon minimum RH’s and temperatures will be seasonable... warm and dry except near the coast where it will be cooler with higher RH than experienced there recently. Winds will mostly be driven by local terrain effects. Less wind is expected east of the Cascade/Sierra crest today than occurred yesterday. A more southerly flow is expected late this week that could lead to more thunderstorms near and east of the Cascade/Sierra crest starting Thursday.

Many thanks to the Fire Information Services for the updates!

Tire-less driver not spared arrest

Tire-less driver not spared arrest

Photo 1 of 1 | Zoom Photo +

Yarmouth police say they were able to track William Fenton, 52, to his Yarmouth home because of the gouges in the road left by Fenton's Cadillac Seville, which was missing its front right tire.Yarmouth Police Department

By Hilary Russ

hruss@capecodonline.com

June 21, 2008

WEST YARMOUTH — A man was arrested on a drunken driving charge after he drove home without one of his front wheels.

William Fenton, 52, was picked up after police traced gouge marks from his car along a half dozen local roads. Fenton allegedly made the marks by traveling the distance on one of the rims of his green 2000 Cadillac Seville.

At about 1:40 a.m., police received a handful of calls from motorists and residents in the area of Winslow Gray Road and Route 28 about a car that sounded like it was dragging on the roadway, Yarmouth police Sgt. Thomas Hennessey said.

Officers went to the area, where they picked up the trail of gouge marks, along with at least one small, lost car part on Route 28.

Officers tracked the scarred streets, following gouges along South Sea Avenue, Exeter Road, Crowell Road, Silverleaf Lane, Lorena Road and Lewis Road.

They found Fenton's Cadillac in his driveway at 131 Lewis Road, Hennessey said. Fenton appeared to be asleep behind the wheel, his shirt wet, the car still running. There was no tire on the right front wheel and the rim was "pretty chewed up," Hennessey said.

Officers knocked on the window, asking Fenton to open the door. He lifted his eyelids, smiled, and turned away, Hennessey said.

Fenton fumbled to turn off the car and was unable to unlock the doors. Eventually, he rolled down the window so officers could unlock the car, the Yarmouth police sergeant said. A Bud Light beer can was in the center console, and others were on the passenger floor, he said.

Fenton was arrested just before 2 a.m. and was later bailed. He was arraigned yesterday at Barnstable District Court on charges including operating under the influence, second offense. He faces a pretrial hearing July 14.

He was found not guilty of a previous drunken driving charge in 2005, according to the Times archives.

Michelangelo 'hid secret code in Sistine Chapel'

Michelangelo hid a secret code in the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel made up of mystical Jewish symbols and insults aimed at the pope, according to a new book.

AFP/GETTY

The Sistine Chapel was intended to be decoded, the authors believe

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which the renaissance artist worked on for four years in the early 16th century, is actually a "bridge" between the Roman Catholic Church and the Jewish faith, according to The Sistine Secrets: Unlocking the Codes in Michelangelo's Defiant Masterpiece.

The book, which is already on the New York Times bestseller list, is the work of Rabbi Benjamin Blech, an associate professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York, and Roy Doliner, a tour guide at the Vatican.

Scanning through the arrangement of figures on the vast 14,000 square foot ceiling, the authors have found shapes that correspond to Hebrew letters.

For example, the book states, the figures of David and Goliath form the shape of the letter gimel, which symbolises g'vurah, or strength, in the mystical Kabbalah tradition.

Kabbalah is a set of ancient esoteric teachings which are meant to decode the inner meaning of the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, and to explain the reasons for Jewish religious observances.

On the opposite wall, the scene showing Judith and her handmaiden carrying the head of the Assyrian general Holofernes is in the shape of the Hebrew letter chet, which represents chesed, or the characteristics of "loving kindness".

"There are so many layers of meaning on meaning, and most of it is from the Jewish tradition," said Mr Doliner on an American television programme.

Rabbi Blech added that all the figures in the nine scenes on the ceiling are Jews.

"He emphasises only Old Testament figures in the entire ceiling, and what he was trying to say was: Why have we ignored our true roots?" he said.

The book adds that the tree of life in the fresco is not, as usually thought, an apple tree, but instead a fig tree according to ancient Jewish tradition.

The authors believe the entire Sistine Chapel, which they say is built to the same proportions as the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, is a "lost mystical message of universal love" which was intended to be decoded.

The authors believe Michelangelo picked up his knowledge of Judaism while at the court of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence.

In addition, they say there are several attacks on Pope Julius II, who commissioned the work, embedded in the painting.

Disgusted with papal corruption, they think Michelangelo painted the prophet Zechariah in the pope's likeness.

Behind him, one angel is "making an extremely obscene hand gesture at the back of his head."

Critics of the new book point out that there is no record in Michelangelo's extensive and well-preserved writings of any secret code in the ceiling.

Dr Arnold Nesselrath, a curator at the Vatican museums said there was no way that Michelangelo could have painted any of the ceiling without the pope's express consent.

Marco Bussagli, an art history professor at Rome's La Sapienza university, said the revelation of "anti Catholic and anti-Christian" messages on the roof "suggests that the Dan Brown syndrome has struck again."

Mr Brown is the author of the controversial book, The Da Vinci Code, in which he writes that Jesus was secretly married to Mary Magdalene.

The two authors are not the first to have "seen" a secret Michelangelo code.

In 1950, a Venezuelan diplomat named Joaquin Diaz Gonzalez wrote a pamphlet arguing that an outline of the face of Dante, the poet, was hidden in the arrangement of the figures in the Last Judgement. He also "saw" a giant depiction of Jesus on the cross.

In 1990, Frank Meshberger argued in the Journal of the American Medical Association that the central panel, showing God and Adam reaching out to touch each other was in the shape of a brain and spinal cord.

In 2000, Dr Garabed Eknoyan saw the shape of a kidney in the painting, while in 2005 two Brazilian doctors found hidden body parts throughout, including a bronchial tube hidden in the tree trunk in the panel showing Eve's Creation.

Thief caught on camera for third time

A thief has been caught on CCTV stealing a sat nav from an undercover police car for the third time.

SWNS

Footage revealed that it took Milsom just six seconds to smash the window and grab the sat nav from the undercover vehicle

James Milsom, 21, was filmed breaking into the covert vehicle, just six weeks after he was released from prison for stealing a sat nav from another unmarked police car.

It was the third time he had been caught in identical operations in just four months.

Footage revealed that it took him just six seconds to smash the window and grab the sat nav from a vehicle in Bristol before escaping in daylight.

But his face was caught on camera as he leant through the window, giving police a clear image of their suspect.

Avon and Somerset police came up with the 'covert capture' vehicles, which contain hidden cameras the size of a pinhead, after a spate of high-value thefts from cars.

Superintendent Ian Wylie said: "Some of the photographs we have got from the cars have been excellent images.

"There is no doubt who the thief is and what they are doing. When faced with such evidence there is no other way to go than 'guilty'."

The cars are now parked around the crime hotspots of Bristol in an attempt to catch the most prolific offenders.

Milsom has been jailed for 14 weeks by Bristol magistrates.

“Dead” man wakes up just before his organs are removed

“Dead” man wakes up just before his organs are removed

June 14th, 2008 ·

If you are an organ donor in France (or anywhere really), you may want to pay attention to this story. We think donating organs is a beneficial and selfless act that is good for society, but debate has always raged whether or not a surgeon or doctor would treat an organ donor patient differently than a non-donor. Well, a 45-year-old who recently suffered a heart attack and was pronounced “dead” came back to life moments before his organs were to be removed for transplants. The man is only alive today because initially the surgeons authorized to remove organs were unavailable. Wow, that’s pretty lucky! This might cause a review of experimental “stopped heart” rules implemented to speed up the organ donation process.

France and other nations have adopted a new policy in which people who’s hearts stop and fail to respond to prolonged massage can be pronounced dead, but this definition of death is controversial.

From the Independent article:

The 45-year-old at the centre of the controversy collapsed close to the La Pitié-Salpêtriere hospital. Efforts were made to revive him at the scene, and more elaborate procedures continued at the hospital for 90 minutes. As surgeons were preparing to remove his vital organs, the man began to breathe unaided. His pupils moved and he showed signs of pain. His heart started to beat again. After several weeks during which he was gravely ill, the man can now walk and talk. He has yet to be told that doctors were ready to remove his organs.

Other doctors have seen similar incidents, according to the ethics committee report. “During the meeting, other reanimators … spoke of situations in which a person whom everyone was sure had died in fact survived after reanimation efforts that went on much longer than usual,” the report said. “Participants conceded that these were exceptional cases, but ones that were nevertheless seen in the course of a career.”

Le Monde said doctors had feared the new transplant rules would confront them with cases of this kind. They believe the existing rules are imprecise and could undermine public support for the removal of organs for transplant. They are pushing for the issue to be discussed as part of a consultation next year on a proposed, new law on medical ethics.

Right now we’re sure the man considers himself lucky to be alive, and he’ll only feel luckier if he ever learns the truth behind his survival!

Flood Museum Underwater in Iowa

by Jason Parrott

Listen Now [3 min 22 sec] add to playlist

All Things Considered, June 21, 2008 · The flood of 1993 was thought to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for residents of Fort Madison, Iowa. They even filled a downtown museum with artifacts of that historical Mississippi River flood. But 15 years later, history has repeated itself.

Jason Parrott reports for Tri States Public Radio.

Mississippi River level rises beyond forecasts

from The Associated Press

Enlarge

Floodwaters from the Mississippi River surround mailboxes and a house on Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Foley, Mo. At Foley, more than half of the homes in the town of 200 residents were under water. Associated Press © 2008

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Foley Mayor Bill Thornhill and his wife Chris walk through town as the Mississippi River encroaches Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Foley, Mo. Amid the battle to hold back the swollen Mississippi River, some towns got an unwelcome surprise Saturday as river levels rose higher than projected. Associated Press © 2008

Enlarge

A flooded lounge chair holds a police line in place Saturday, June 21, 2008 on the flooded south side of town in Foley, Mo. Amid the battle to hold back the swollen Mississippi River, some towns got an unwelcome surprise Saturday as river levels rose higher than projected. Associated Press © 2008

Enlarge

A police line surrounds the flooded south side of town Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Foley, Mo. Amid the battle to hold back the swollen Mississippi River, some towns got an unwelcome surprise Saturday as river levels rose higher than projected. Associated Press © 2008

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Foley, Mo., resident Donna McDonald sits in an emergency shelter Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Winfield, Mo.,where she has been living since Thursday night waiting to see if the flood waters surrounding her home rise or fall. Associated Press © 2008

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Resident John Watson is prepared for Mississippi River flood waters that may not come Saturday, June 21, 2008 in Foley, Missouri. Watson has been living in a tent on his roof but the waters have yet to encroach on his property. Amid the battle to hold back the swollen Mississippi River, some towns got an unwelcome surprise Saturday as river levels rose higher than projected. Associated Press © 2008

FOLEY, Mo. June 22, 2008, 10:28 am ET · Amid the battle to hold back the swollen Mississippi River, some towns in northeastern Missouri and Illinois got an unwelcome surprise Saturday as river levels rose higher than projected.

Recent levee breaks north of Canton, not far from the Iowa line, had allowed the river level to drop there and at other towns far north of St. Louis.

Officials knew it would rise again to expected crests during the weekend, but the amount of the increase caught them off guard.

The Mississippi reached 26.3 feet Saturday morning at Canton after dipping below 23 feet two days earlier, and it was expected to crest later in the day at 26.4 feet.

That's still more than a foot lower than the record set during the Great Flood of '93.

However, the new Saturday morning reading was "a full foot higher than we expected it to be," said emergency management spokeswoman Monica Heaton. "The levee's fine, but the river did another unexpected thing last night."

Forecasters said Saturday afternoon that the river would crest several inches higher than expected in Hannibal and at Quincy, Ill., where it was set to crest late in the day more than 2 feet below the '93 flood peak.

"We're confident we can hold that and not have any issues," said Adams County's emergency management chief, John Simon. "It'll be another sigh of relief, but it's not over yet. We're not out of the water yet, no pun intended. We have a while to go."

Hannibal emergency management director John Hark said the river was well above flood stage but still about 3 feet below the record set in 1993. Before a levee break north of Hannibal in Meyer, Ill., allowed some water to drain out of the river last week, Hannibal was expecting a crest at or near the record.

The crest was revised Saturday to 29.1 feet, set to arrive in Mark Twain's hometown sometime Sunday morning.

"We're keeping an eye on it," he said.

Downriver, near St. Louis, the latest federal forecast called for lower crests than predicted a day earlier. That was good news in hard-hit Lincoln County, where five levees had broken in the past three days.

At Foley, more than half of the homes in the town of 200 residents were under water, and townspeople were only beginning to decide whether to go back or move out.

Robert "Bobby" James, a union carpenter who moved to Foley a year ago, stayed after falling in love with the river. A few days ago, the handyman took out baseboards, flooring and carpet from his house as a pre-emptive move against the coming flood.

Even if the town floods again, he said, "I raise it 10 feet, put in new flooring, slap on five gallons of paint and I'm back in business."

National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Miller speculated that forecast models simply had been unable to account for the amount of water flowing into the Mississippi from the three rivers that saw major flooding in Iowa — the Cedar, Iowa and Des Moines rivers.

"Honestly, the models didn't do well with it because it was so far out of the range of normal," Miller said.

Miller was unaware of any levees facing renewed danger because of the river's unexpected rise, but said river towns need to be aware that the flood is a long way from over.

"Obviously any town protected by a levee is still under risk," Miller said. "The longer you have levees that have water up against them, the better the chance you have a levee being compromised."

Flooding and widespread storms this month have forced thousands from their homes and inundated towns and cities along rivers in six states, killing 24 and injuring 148 since June 6.

But while the swollen Mississippi has topped or broken through levees for hundreds of miles above St. Louis, the flooding hasn't led to any deaths or significant injuries in Missouri or Illinois.

(This version CORRECTS the first paragraph to say northeastern Missouri instead of northwest Missouri.)

The Buzz on Pollinators: Podcasts Hover Around National Pollinator Week

The Buzz on Pollinators: Podcasts Hover Around National Pollinator Week

Published on Jun 21, 2008 - 7:27:00 AM

By: USGS

June 20, 2008 - National Pollinator Week is your chance to listen to a series of podcasts and learn more about the essential birds, bees, bats, and even beetles that pollinate your food and flowering plants, and make our wild areas beautiful and healthy.

From native bees in urban areas to climate change and pollinators, endangered pollinators and plants, and how to make your landscape more pollinator-friendly, these podcasts will give you the inside buzz on North America's pollinators.

The podcasts were produced for National Pollinator Week by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) and its federal partners in the Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. They will start running on Monday at http://www.pollinator.org/:

* Monday, June 23. The Pollinator Partnership: Bringing Together Pollinators and People. Discusses an overview of pollinator issues, The Pollinator Partnership and Pollinator Week events, gardening guides for pollinators, educational curriculum and free posters and pollinator wheels.

* Tuesday, June 24. Endangered Pollinators, Endangered Plants. Discusses imperiled butterflies and plants as well as some of the challenges facing their recovery.

* Wednesday, June 25. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Altitudes: Pollinators, Phenology, and Climate Change. Discusses how climate change may be affecting pollinators and their phenology - the timing of their life-cycle events.

* Thursday, June 26. Busy Bees in the Beltway: Native Bees and Cities. Focuses on specific studies of native bees in Capital-area national parks and reveals how natural areas in even urban environments contribute to the conservation of native bees.

* Friday, June 27. Managing Mini-Fauna: Pollinators on Public Lands. Discusses steps land managers can take to start managing for pollinators.

Also, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will have additional pollinator podcasts available at http://www.fws.gov/pollinators.

Why the emphasis on pollinators? The National Academy of Sciences has reported that not only is there direct evidence for decline of some pollinator species in North America, but also very little is known about the status and health of most of the world's native pollinators, whether they be beetles or bats, bees or birds, or flies and wasps. Additionally, the recent occurrence of Colony Collapse Disorder has negatively affected managed honey bees, alarming and puzzling the agricultural community and researchers.

As discreet as most pollinators are, their well-being is and always has been necessary to people all across this planet. They are critical to the life cycle of seed-bearing plants. Without them, the ability of agricultural crops and wild plants to produce food products and seeds is jeopardized. Over 75 percent of flowering plants rely on pollinators, and they are responsible for an estimated $15 billion in services to agriculture alone in the United States.

While the importance of a healthy pollinator population to agriculture is clear, pollinators are just as important to sustaining functioning ecosystems and the food supply for wildlife.

DOI has a special obligation to understand and improve the condition of native pollinators on Federal lands. It manages about 500 million acres - or one-fifth of the surface land of the United States, which offers tremendous opportunities for the conservation of pollinators in North America.

Department of the Interior bureaus are working to meet this obligation. The Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Geological Survey are active partners with NAPPC. Three of these DOI bureaus manage millions of acres of federal lands, while the other, USGS, has the scientific expertise to help address pressing scientific questions.

NAPPC, which is managed by the Pollinator Partnership, includes more than 120 partners throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada, such as government agencies, scientists, academics, farmers, ranchers, and others. Their goal is to build strong public and private partnerships to protect pollinators based on best practices and sound science. To learn more about the Pollinator Partnership and to listen to the podcasts, please visit http://www.pollinator.org.