Daily Archives: June 12, 2012

Analysis of global fire risk shows big, fast changes ahead

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UC Berkeley News Center 6/12/2012
Excerpt:   “Climate change is widely expected to disrupt future fire patterns around the world, with some regions, such as the western United States, seeing more frequent fires within the next 30 years, according to a new analysis led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, in collaboration with an international team of scientists.

By the end of the century, almost all of North America and most of Europe is projected to see a jump in the frequency of wildfires, primarily because of increasing temperature trends. At the same time, fire activity could actually decrease around equatorial regions, particularly among the tropical rainforests, because of increased rainfall.  …”
Read entire article at http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/06/12/climate-change-global-fire-risk/

Tombstone water war takes a break so ‘shovel brigade’ can fix pipeline

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Green Valley News 6/11/2012
Excerpt:   “The U.S. Forest Service has issued special permits for the city of Tombstone to fix sections of its water line system, which was heavily damaged in last year’s wildfires.

The permits, issued Thursday, allow the volunteer Tombstone Shovel Brigade to go in to the Miller Peak Wilderness Area and use shovels, saws and other hand tools until 8 p.m. Saturday to work on as many as two of the springs that feed the water lines.

Tombstone City Manager George Barnes said it’s not a lot of time, but without the repairs one of the springs has a 90 percent chance of being washed away during the approaching monsoon season. The spring is currently patched with PVC piping and sandbags.  ….”
Read entire story at http://www.gvnews.com/state/tombstone-water-war-takes-a-break-so-shovel-brigade-can/article_8d78f768-b3da-11e1-9c30-0019bb2963f4.html

Fight over sheep grazing continues in federal court

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Deseret News 6/12/2012
Excerpt:   “BOISE — With domestic sheep due to be released on rangeland near Idaho’s Hells Canyon next month, the U.S. Forest Service and environmentalists are back in federal court this week to argue over whether the grazing plan is legal.

Wednesday’s hearing before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill in Boise is the latest theater in the fight over how best to protect wild bighorn sheep from deadly lung disease that scientists say is transmitted by their domestic cousins. Ranchers view grazing closures as a threat to their livelihood.

Last year, the Payette National Forest closed 54,000 acres to grazing, to separate the species.  …”
Read entire article at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765582490/Fight-over-sheep-grazing-continues-in-federal-court.html

State delegation seeks help with forestry issue

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Tuscaloosa News 6/12/2012
Excerpt:   “MONTGOMERY | Five of the seven members of Alabama’s U.S. House delegation have asked U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack for help in resolving a funding issue that is affecting federal money for the Alabama Forestry Commission.

The members of Congress wrote Vilsack and U.S. Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell on May 29 asking about the status of an audit by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General of the Alabama Forestry Commission.

The U.S. Forest Service said the forestry commission owes the federal government $5.1 million for alleged “unsubstantiated” costs as determined by the Office of Inspector General and the Forest Service, a division of the USDA………”
Read entire story at http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20120612/NEWS/120619954?tc=ar