1 | <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> |
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2 | |
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3 | <HTML_CONTENT xmlns:ibis="http://www.ibisph.org"> |
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4 | |
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5 | <TITLE>Wildland Fire Activity</TITLE> |
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6 | |
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7 | <CONTENT> |
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8 | |
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9 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="2"><SHOW/> |
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10 | <TITLE>Description</TITLE> |
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11 | <CONTENT> |
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12 | Wildfires affect public health in several ways. Most directly, they threaten |
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13 | people and firefighters who are directly exposed to excessive heat and acute |
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14 | smoke inhalation. More broadly, they threaten public health by degrading air |
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15 | quality via wildfire smoke. |
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16 | <br/> |
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17 | <br/> |
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18 | This indicator describes the annual number of acres burned and the number |
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19 | of wildfires >100 acres in each county from 1992-2013. These data are |
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20 | intended to provide a better understanding of the spatial and temporal |
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21 | patterns of wildfires in New Mexico. |
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22 | </CONTENT> |
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23 | <SHOW/> |
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24 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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25 | |
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26 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="2"> |
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27 | <TITLE>Learn About Wildland Fires</TITLE> |
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28 | <CONTENT> |
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29 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"><SHOW/> |
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30 | <TITLE>Why Important</TITLE> |
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31 | <CONTENT> |
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32 | Wildfires are a fundamental part of New Mexico's landscape. An |
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33 | average of 285,000 acres burned each year between 1992 and 2013, |
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34 | with a low of 69,000 acres burned in 2001 and a high of 1,143,000 |
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35 | acres burned in 2011 (almost 1.5% of the state's land area). The |
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36 | severity of wildfire seasons depends on precipitation, temperature, |
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37 | fuel availability, and natural or human-related ignition. Each of |
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38 | these factors varies from year to year and place to place. Much of |
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39 | the yearly variation in fire season severity is climate related. For |
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40 | example, a snowy winter followed by a wet, cool spring tends to favor |
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41 | a lower severity fire season, while a dry winter followed by a warm, |
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42 | dry spring tends to favor a higher severity fire season. |
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43 | <br/> |
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44 | <br/> |
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45 | The primary health threat from wildfire smoke occurs when fine particulates |
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46 | are inhaled or come into contact with the eyes. Individuals with preexisting |
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47 | conditions such as asthma, COPD, emphysema, or heart disease are particularly |
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48 | vulnerable to wildfire smoke, though healthy individuals also can be harmed |
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49 | by prolonged smoke inhalation. Symptoms of smoke exposure may include breathing |
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50 | discomfort and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. More severe symptoms |
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51 | may include chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. |
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52 | </CONTENT> |
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53 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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54 | |
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55 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"> |
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56 | <TITLE>Who is at Risk</TITLE> |
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57 | <CONTENT> |
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58 | Those most vulnerable to smoke-related impacts include older adults, young children, and people with pre-existing respiratory health conditions. However, even healthy individuals can be harmed by and should take measures to avoid prolonged smoke exposure. |
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59 | </CONTENT> |
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60 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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61 | |
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62 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"> |
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63 | <TITLE>Wildland Fire and Private Wells</TITLE> |
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64 | <CONTENT> |
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65 | If you live in a wildfire prone area and have a private well, follow these tips to help protect your well and respond should a wildfire occur: |
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66 | <ul class="Indent"> |
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67 | <li>Maintain your private well.</li> |
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68 | <li>Know your private well and take pictures of the following to reference later if there is damage:</li> |
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69 | <ul class="Indent"> |
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70 | <li>Storage or pressure tanks, Pump, Treatment system (including any filters), Well documents, Electrical components</li> |
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71 | </ul> |
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72 | <li>Store or pressure tanks, Pump, Treatment system (including any filters), Well documents, Electrical components</li> |
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73 | <li>Use a well house made of fire-resistant materials.</li> |
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74 | <li>Use fire-resistant electrical coverings.</li> |
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75 | <li>Keep the surface seal in good condition.</li> |
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76 | </ul> |
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77 | <br/> |
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78 | <!-- |
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79 | <a href="environment/climate/WellsDroughtsDiasters.html">Learn about private wells and what to do before, during and after a wildland fire</a>. |
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80 | --> |
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81 | </CONTENT> |
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82 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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83 | |
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84 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"> |
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85 | <TITLE>Health Tips</TITLE> |
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86 | <CONTENT> |
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87 | Staying indoors and keeping the indoor air clean is the easiest way to protect yourself when it is smoky outside. |
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88 | <ul class="Indent"> |
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89 | <li>Reduce physical activity.</li> |
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90 | <li>Stay indoors with all windows and doors closed.</li> |
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91 | <li>Do not smoke or use vapor cigarettes indoors.</li> |
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92 | <li>Avoid using swamp coolers if possible. Smoke passes through most swamp cooler filters.</li> |
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93 | <li>If using an air conditioner, keep the fresh-air-intake closed and the filter clean.</li> |
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94 | <li>Do not rely on dust masks or wet handerchiefs. They do not effectively filter fine |
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95 | particles from the air. If you must go outside for extended periods, use a specialized |
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96 | mask called a "particulate respirator" to keep you safe.</li> |
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97 | </ul> |
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98 | </CONTENT> |
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99 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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100 | |
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101 | </CONTENT> |
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102 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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103 | <!-- |
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104 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="2"> |
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105 | <TITLE>Explore Data</TITLE> |
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106 | <CONTENT> |
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107 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"> |
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108 | <TITLE>Custom Data Queries</TITLE> |
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109 | <CONTENT> |
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110 | <ibis:SelectionsList> |
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111 | <SELECTION> |
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112 | <TITLE>Wildland Fires: Acreage by County</TITLE> |
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113 | <LOCAL_URL>dataportal/query/result/wildlandfires/WildlandFires/AcresBurned.html</LOCAL_URL> |
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114 | </SELECTION> |
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115 | <SELECTION> |
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116 | <TITLE>Wildland Fires: Number of Fires over 100 acres by County</TITLE> |
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117 | <LOCAL_URL>dataportal/query/result/wildlandfires/WildlandFires/NumberWildfires.html</LOCAL_URL> |
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118 | </SELECTION> |
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119 | </ibis:SelectionsList> |
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120 | </CONTENT> |
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121 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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122 | |
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123 | <ibis:ExpandableContent titleLevel="3"> |
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124 | <TITLE>About the Data</TITLE> |
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125 | <CONTENT> |
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126 | <ibis:SelectionsList id="IndicatorList"> |
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127 | <SELECTION> |
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128 | <TITLE>Wildland Fires Metadata File</TITLE> |
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129 | <LOCAL_URL>dataportal/metadata/WildlandFires.html</LOCAL_URL> |
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130 | </SELECTION> |
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131 | </ibis:SelectionsList> |
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132 | </CONTENT> |
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133 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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134 | </CONTENT> |
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135 | </ibis:ExpandableContent> |
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136 | --> |
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137 | </CONTENT> |
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138 | </HTML_CONTENT> |
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