CAL FIRE NEWS: 2013 California Arbor Week Poster Contest Announced

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

CAL FIRE NEWS: 2013 California Arbor Week Poster Contest Announced

CAL FIRE Emphasizes the Importance of Trees in California

2013 California Arbor Week Poster Contest Announced

Sacramento – Trees are an essential part of California’s climate and are vital to improving air quality and conserving water. To help educate Californians on the value that trees provide to building successful, healthy cities and neighborhoods, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and California ReLeaf are announcing the annual statewide Arbor Week poster contest for students in 3rd through 5th grades.

Students are asked to create original artwork based on the theme “The Trees in my Community Are an Urban Forest”.

Submissions are due to California ReLeaf by February 15, 2013.

Winners will be featured at the State Fair and awarded cash prizes provided by the California Community Forests Foundation.

CAL FIRE is partnering with California ReLeaf to encourage cities, nature groups, schools, and youth organizations to celebrate California Arbor Week by planting trees in their communities. California ReLeaf is an alliance of community-based groups, individuals, businesses, and government agencies working to protect the environment by planting and caring for trees and the state’s urban and community forests.

“Trees are critical to the health of our environment, climate, economy and the overall well-being of California,” said CAL FIRE Director Ken Pimlott. “Educating our youth is one of the most important ways we can increase awareness of and appreciation for the trees and forests in the communities where Californians live, work and play.”

The goals of Arbor Week include educating Californians about trees, encouraging tree planting, teaching elementary school children the environmental, social, and economic benefits of trees, and protecting the state’s valuable natural resources.

“Trees make California’s cities and towns better. It’s that simple,” said Joe Liszewski, Executive Director for California ReLeaf. “Everyone can do their part to plant and care for trees, ensuring that they are a resource long into the future.”

Contest rules, as well as educational materials related to the value of trees, community benefits of trees, jobs in the urban and community forestry field, and tree identification can be downloaded at www.arborweek.org/contests.

The contest is sponsored by California ReLeaf, CAL FIRE, and the California Community Forests Foundation.

California Arbor Week runs March 7-14 every year to mark famed horticulturist Luther Burbank’s birthday and to raise awareness of the benefits of trees in our communities. In 2011, legislation was passed to define California Arbor Week in statute. Visit www.arborweek.org for more information.

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CONTACT: Dennis Mathisen
Information Officer
(916) 651-FIRE (3473)
Source: http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/newsreleases/2012/ArborWeek2013Final.pdf

CFN - California Fire News 2012

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Wednesday, January 9, 2013