Branner Blog

A map librarian colleague from the University of Buffalo has kindly allowed me to post this timely and informative message.

Subject: Western US Forest Fires Maps and Imagery

Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:23:44 -0400

From: David J. Bertuca <dbertuca@buffalo.edu>

To: Maps List <MAPS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>

The Western US is burning in many states. Dryness, winds, and other factors are making 2007 a bad year for fire detection and prevention. We have had questions on this and the following may be helpful for locating maps, satellite imagery, and data. (this is a selected list only). Some of the sites listed include maps for Canada and Mexico as well. Note too, that these sites provide useful map tools for non-fire related topics.

National Interagency Fire Center

<http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm>
The following USDA Forest Service site provides a lot of data on the fires:
MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program

<http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/>
Select “Imagery” from top menu tab. You can view the latest (usually 1 day behind at most) images of particular states/regions, or you can select other dates and see the progress of fires/fire control. To the right of the thumbnail, select image type (true color are “real” color views).
ALSO on this page are maps and a GIS providing current status of fires.

Select tab “ArcIMS Maps” and you can use the GIS to see fires in relation to the surrounding terrain and infrastructure. This uses ESRI software and for those who have worked with the interface before, it is easy to navigate and find specific locations. For those wishing to just see a map of an area with the latest fire activity, select “Regional Maps”

<http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/activefiremaps.php>
and select an area. A map will be displayed and you can further select to see that area for current fire detections/activity. Additional maps and data are available at the home site to this page:
Remote Sensing Applications Center

<http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/rsac/index.html>
Also take a look at the NIFC links page:
National Fire Maps

<http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/maps.htm>
News and other Gov sites with images/maps:
<http://abcnews.go.com/US/popup?id=3358368>
MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NASA imagery page:

<http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2007-06-29>
choose images from right column (various res)
NOAA National Fire Weather Page for current reports:

<http://fire.boi.noaa.gov/>
and Natural Resources Canada has a site that provides current situations from its National Forest Fire Situation Report

<http://fire.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/report/firereport_e.php>
see also their Forest Fire Hotspots 2007 page:

<http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/forestfires/hotspots2007/1>
These include fire, drought, and related weather data and maps. I hope this will prove useful to you in assisting others to find what they are looking for.

David J. Bertuca, Map Librarian

225 Capen Hall

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 14260-1672
716-645-2947 x229

dbertuca@buffalo.edu

Is your research taking you out of the U.S. this summer? Check out the geological survey of your destination-nation. There are a couple of sites with fairly comprehensive lists of international geological surveys and links to websites of the organizations that have them.

Mainz maintains one here and the Geological Survey of Japan here.

We are also storing related documents under the del.icio.us tag “international.” Find them here.

And, of course, come visit us in person for all of materials in print.

Almost 40 years ago, about the time of the first Earth Day, biology professor Barry Commoner published a succinct explanation of how humankind’s technological innovations were fatally upsetting the balance of nature. The closing circle: nature, man and technology explains in layman’s terms how continued exploitation of the environment (for short term profit) causes pollution, exhausts the soil, and is unsustainable.

Progress has occurred. Much remains to be remedied. Commoner’s book is still timely, and it’s refreshing to read a recent New York Times conversation with the 90-year-old scientist, writer, and one-time presidential candidate (June 19, 2007 by Thomas Vinciguerra).

As I was ordering some publications from EAGE, I discovered their earthdoc interface. Earthdoc gives EAGE members access to the abstracts of papers and proceedings presented at EAGE conferences since 2000. Only members can download the full-text abstracts, but the citations themselves will be useful regardless.

Most of the conference abstracts are held in Branner (check Socrates to make sure), but earthdoc gives you a quick and easy way to check contents before you come over here to borrow the hard copy.

Inspiring and enlightening essays on land restoration comprise Louis Bromfield’s farm books, most notably “Pleasant Valley” (1945) and “Malabar Farm” (1948). An Ohio native, the author (1896-1956) achieved early fame and fortune writing fiction, enabling him to travel and live abroad for most of his twenties and thirties. With the advent of WW II, he left France and returned with his family to Pleasant Valley, where he bought four “worn-out” farms, with the goal of restoring them to health and productivity. His principles were sound, his vision idyllic, his energy prodigious, and his writing about agriculture both accessible and inspirational. Bromfield’s novels are now seldom read , but the 1926 Pulitzer Prize winner’s most important legacy is apparent today at Malabar Farm State Park and in his non-fiction environmental classics.