Prophecy, Drought, Earthquakes, Famine, Pestilence, War, and Strange Weather.

[Soldier4Christ]

I've been in Flagstaff many times. While stationed in San Diego I would travel through there on my way back and forth to home. I always made it a stopping point for gas and food. Theres a lot there to get damaged.

[Shammu]

Well right at the moment, I am trying to get to a few webcams, I know of in Flag.  A few of them are off line at the moment.

Here ya go brother, your browser must be java enabled to view.

http://www.nau.edu/webcam/flag-reilly/camera-live.html

edited to add; from TV3 in Phoenix.

Reports of a wildfire west of Flagstaff off of Woody Mountain Road. Karen Malis-Clark of the Coconino National Forest says Flagstaff and surrounding area firefighters are responding. Malis-Clark says power has been interupted in areas west of Flagstaff. It is reported that sections of Route-66 and Interstate-40 are closed west of Flagstaff.

[Shammu]

The day it rained golf balls

Jun 13 2006

by Sam Webb
 

Hailstones the size of golf balls hit Coventry during a freak summer thunderstorm

HAILSTONES the size of golf balls rained down on Coventry as a freak storm hit the city yesterday afternoon.

Weather experts said they had seen nothing like it in 40 years.

Cyclists and pedestrians were forced to take cover as the lumps of ice fell from the skies and drivers had to stop or slow down.

The storm, just after 4pm, lasted about 15 minutes and the huge volume of rain which followed caused flash flooding in some parts of the city.

Steve Jackson, of the Bablake Weather Centre, at Bablake School, in Radford, said the hailstones were the largest he had seen since he began recording the weather in 1967.

He said: "They were an inch across, which is getting on for golfball-sized. They are the biggest hailstones I have ever recorded by a long, long way.

"For this region they were phenomenal."

Evening Telegraph reader Matthias McBride, aged 31, who lives with his wife Laura in Leicester Causeway, Foleshill, Coventry, was watching television with their two children, Kelly, aged 13, and Connor, aged nine, when the torrential downpour began.

He said: "At first we thought it was there must be kids throwing stones or shale at our back garden fence.

"We got a real shock when we opened the door and found hail near-ly the size of golf balls was coming in through the door."

A motorist battle through the flash flooding in Coventry

Another reader, Rob Wise, took pictures after being caught up in the traffic standstill at Kirby Corner Road, Canley, where the storm caused widespread flooding.

He said: "These cars were trying to cross a huge puddle over a foot deep."

The storm forced the temporary closure of the SCS furniture store at the Gallagher Retail Park off Stoney Stanton Road when water poured in, ruining suites in the showroom.

Steve Jackson said: "Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures of 28.1 celsius.

"It was the heat which led to the thunderstorms and there is the potential of what we would call 'imported' thunderstorms today as the weather has also been very hot in France.

"However, it will be much fresher and from tomorrow the weather will be dry, warm and sunny with temperatures of 24c by the end of the week."

The day it rained golf balls

[Shammu]

A whole lotta earthquakes in Alaska.

MAP   2.8    2006/06/15 00:53:26    51.100   -179.000    20.0   ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/15 00:10:26   51.768   178.252   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 23:58:13   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 23:43:29   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 23:33:03   51.595   179.873   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 22:06:57   51.868   178.246   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 21:20:42   52.183   -170.335   1.0   FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 20:29:41   63.477   -147.427   1.0   CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 20:28:51   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 20:26:35   51.731   176.962   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 20:21:18   51.731   176.962   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 20:16:34   51.936   177.106   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 19:25:21   51.625   176.810   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 19:20:27   63.631   -147.638   10.0   CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP   3.0    2006/06/14 19:12:26   51.768   178.252   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.9    2006/06/14 18:55:53   51.542   177.300   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 18:53:34   51.768   178.252   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 18:48:30   51.864   178.084   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.8    2006/06/14 18:34:21   51.764   178.091   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 17:47:45   39.406   -123.292   1.9   NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 17:35:59   35.538   -117.772   19.2   SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP   4.3    2006/06/14 17:25:05   50.951   176.507   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.1    2006/06/14 17:12:17   51.836   177.114   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.8    2006/06/14 17:00:40   59.469   -152.855   1.0   SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 17:00:27   51.864   178.084   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 16:38:28   51.875   178.570   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.9    2006/06/14 16:21:18   51.768   178.252   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 16:05:33   51.936   177.106   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 15:51:34   52.035   177.097   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 15:40:32   51.660   177.936   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 15:26:57   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 15:15:51   51.825   176.791   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 15:08:57   51.764   178.091   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 14:53:43   51.868   178.246   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.1    2006/06/14 14:43:58   52.035   177.097   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.8    2006/06/14 14:24:55   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.1    2006/06/14 14:12:35   51.847   176.864   27.3   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 13:51:26   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 13:46:43   51.930   176.944   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 13:38:54   51.751   177.607   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.1    2006/06/14 13:24:46   50.162   -173.376   90.0   ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 13:20:02   51.631   176.970   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.8    2006/06/14 13:16:11   51.768   178.252   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 13:03:18   51.875   178.570   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 12:52:50   51.525   176.819   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 12:52:15   35.941   -120.488   11.2   CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 12:46:42   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 12:37:13   51.864   178.084   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.8    2006/06/14 12:33:05   52.235   177.079   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.5    2006/06/14 12:24:56   51.846   177.437   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.6    2006/06/14 12:20:53   51.936   177.106   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 12:03:01   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.6    2006/06/14 11:21:40   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 11:17:13   51.860   177.923   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 11:12:13   51.936   177.106   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 11:10:46   51.930   176.944   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 11:02:20   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 10:40:12   51.930   176.944   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.3    2006/06/14 10:29:48   22.385   142.942   176.5   VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 10:28:20   51.886   175.811   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 10:20:17   51.731   176.962   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 10:02:01   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.6    2006/06/14 09:29:31   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.6    2006/06/14 09:20:21   51.768   178.252   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 09:18:51   51.672   178.419   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.9    2006/06/14 08:42:56   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 08:30:56   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.4    2006/06/14 08:23:15   51.936   177.106   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.6    2006/06/14 08:18:01   51.761   176.985   29.1   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 08:05:40   51.930   176.944   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.6    2006/06/14 07:58:15   51.941   177.268   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   2.9    2006/06/14 07:36:29   51.772   178.414   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.7    2006/06/14 07:32:26   51.492   177.068   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.3    2006/06/14 07:30:21   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.6    2006/06/14 07:28:08   51.836   177.114   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 07:25:51   59.825   -154.696   180.0   SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP   5.2    2006/06/14 07:24:07   2.683   94.368   29.3   OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
MAP   2.7    2006/06/14 07:20:18   52.035   177.097   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.0    2006/06/14 07:15:57   51.731   176.962   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.5    2006/06/14 07:06:16   51.687   176.742   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.4    2006/06/14 07:01:05   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 07:00:12   51.864   178.084   20.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.1    2006/06/14 06:56:34   51.775   178.575   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.0    2006/06/14 06:51:32   51.830   176.953   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.4    2006/06/14 06:47:55   52.035   177.097   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.8    2006/06/14 06:38:26   51.936   177.106   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.8    2006/06/14 06:33:55   51.948   177.153   77.1   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.6    2006/06/14 06:32:36   51.865   177.614   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.4    2006/06/14 06:25:17   51.492   177.068   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 06:21:11   52.030   176.935   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.5    2006/06/14 05:54:44   51.731   176.962   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.0    2006/06/14 05:48:21   51.772   178.414   15.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.1    2006/06/14 05:42:30   51.864   178.084   25.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 05:33:37   51.936   177.106   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.4    2006/06/14 05:26:40   51.700   177.088   10.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.6    2006/06/14 05:18:05   52.035   177.097   5.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.7    2006/06/14 05:14:32   51.930   176.944   1.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.2    2006/06/14 05:10:02   51.775   178.575   25.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   6.1    2006/06/14 04:46:42   51.970   177.126   30.6   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.7    2006/06/14 04:35:05   51.822   176.908   35.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   4.7    2006/06/14 04:34:59   50.951   176.507   50.0   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   6.3    2006/06/14 04:18:46   51.893   177.121   37.1   RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP   3.3    2006/06/14 02:40:33   60.665   -151.506   70.0   KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
MAP   2.6    2006/06/14 01:11:19   53.270   -165.526   10.0   FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA

Alaskan earthquakes in the past 24 hours

[Shammu]

Monsoon Wreaks Havoc in Bihar; Patna Roads Flooded

Patna: June 9, 2006
 

Life has come to a virtual standstill in the Capital as Patna witnessed incessant rain on Thursday as well that started over a day and a half ago flooding all the roads and lanes with water gushing into hundreds of thousands of houses and business establishments causing damages worth several lakh rupees.

In past 36 hours alone, the state capital recorded more than 22 centimeter of rain, a new record for Patna for the last 20 years, according to the weather officials.

There is not a single locality that is not affected by the non-stop rain though some areas appeared to be less affected than others thanks to their relatively higher location.

Kadam Kuan, Arya Kumar Road, Machhuatoli, Langartoli, Rajendra Nagar, Lohanipur, Bahadurpur Gumti, Kankarbagh, Patrakarnagar, Hanuman Nagar, Station Road, Meethapur, Gardanibagh, Shastrinagar, Shivpuri, S. K. Puri, S. K. Nagar, Pataliputra Colony, Rajapur, Golghar, Bakerganj, Mahendru – all remained

In many areas, water level reached as high as four feet bringing the traffic to a complete stop. Motor cars, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, could be seen stalled just about everywhere.

Tragically, an 11-year old girl was reported to have drowned in the flood water on Road Number 11 in Rajendra Nagar.

Situation was particularly horrible in the low-lying areas of Kankarbagh where water entered into houses forcing people to evacuate and move to higher levels. With dead animals floating everywhere, an outbreak of an epidemic remains very much a possibility, officials said.

The scene was not much different in places other than Patna where continuous rain for over 36 hours has brought normal life to a grinding halt. Gaya witnessed even more rain and traffic on most national highways remained disrupted due to flooding on them.

Outside Patna Junction, the railway station appeared more like Pahleja Ghat with entire Station Road under two feet of water. Train movement also remained affected as tracks at Patna Junction remained submerged in 2 to 3 feet of water. Only two platforms were open for departure and arrival causing long delays on all passenger trains.

Attempts were being made to pump out water from the railway tracks, railway officials said.

[Shammu]

Air tankers called, winds brisk at Flagstaff-area wildfire

06:33 PM Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, June 14, 2006

By The Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Winds are kicking up this afternoon as fire crews battle the state's latest wildfire west of Flagstaff.

A spokesman for the Tonto National Forest says winds are blowing at 34 to 46 miles-an-hour helping push the Woody Wildfire along.

Fire bosses are worried that if winds stay high and there's no humidity this evening, the fire could continue eating through dry forest.

A spokeswoman for the Coconino National Forest says they have a rough estimate of 100 to 200 acres that

have burned as a result of the Woody Wildfire burning on the westside of Flagstaff.

Five to eight specialty firefighting crews are on the way to fight the Woody Wildfire.

The fire was first reported at four this afternoon.

Four air tankers have been called in and are now dropping fire retardant.

The forest service is hoping the winds diminish after sundown and the humidity rises.

Fire bosses are worried that if winds stay high and there's no humidity this evening, the fire could continue eating through dry forest.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) says it has been asked to help evacuate an area called Saskan Ranch. It's not clear how many homes are in the area.

A subdivision called Railroad Spring about a mile northwest of the fire has also been evacuated. The area is mostly primary residences and modular homes.

A DPS spokesman says the fire began in the area of mile post 192 on I-40. It jumped a median and began burning rapidly westbound toward Route 66.

Firefighters from the Flagstaff Fire Department are fighting the blaze, along Woody Mountain Road.

A plume of smoke could easily be seen from downtown Flagstaff along with brisk winds.

And DPS is now reporting that it's offices in Flagstaff remain open and have not been evacuated.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Coconino County Sheriff's Department.

Air tankers called, winds brisk at Flagstaff-area wildfire

Last I heard it was over 200 acres in little more then an hour.

[Soldier4Christ]

2 trapped, 5 missing after volcano erupts

Items compiled from Tribune news services


Rescuers dug through volcanic debris Thursday to reach two people trapped when Indonesia's most volatile volcano erupted, nearly enveloping a village with a searing gas cloud and forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Wednesday's eruption came a day after the alert level was lowered and people returned to the homes around Mt. Merapi.

"The situation is . . . life-threatening," said Yousana Siagian, head of the Vulcanology and Disaster Mitigation Center, after the alert level again was raised to its highest status and the mountain dumped thick ash on scores of houses.

On Thursday, crews struggled to reach two people trapped in an underground emergency shelter by the eruption. Five other villagers were reported missing. The rescuers had been in touch with the two by cell phone. The bunkers, several of which dot the slopes of Merapi, typically are equipped with water and food.

[Soldier4Christ]

Residents of 2 towns flee wrath of volcano

SORSOGON CITY—Residents scampered for safety on Tuesday evening as Mt. Bulusan exploded again, sending ash and steam 1.5 km above its summit.

Scientists said the explosion produced an ash and steam cloud that blanketed 11 villages in the towns of Juban and Casiguran and affected many other villages.

“The nature of these micro-earthquakes ... may be associated with magmatic movement” inside the 1,565-meter-high volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Tuesday’s explosion indicated that “Bulusan Volcano is undergoing a period of elevated unrest distinct from the early explosions” in March and May, the institute said in a statement.

“More ash explosions are expected in the near future considering the heightened level of activity,” the institute said, warning residents of nearby areas to take precautions against increased ash fall.

The volcano has been spewing ash into the air since early June, raising fears of a possible eruption.

A 57-year-old man living nearby died last week from an asthma attack triggered by the ash fall.

The institute said residents must stay at least 4 km away from the crater and warned that volcanic deposits on the slopes of the mountain could turn into deadly volcanic mudflows.

Civil defense officials said that more than 10,000 people could be evacuated if the volcano erupted at full force.

Bulusan has erupted 15 times, most recently in November 1994.

Another volcano, Kanlaon, in Negros, also had a “minor steam-ash emission” on Tuesday but no volcanic earthquakes were recorded, the volcanology institute said.

There are 22 active volcanos in the Philippines, part of the “Pacific ring of fire” made up of islands created by volcanic activity on the Western Pacific.

[Soldier4Christ]

Wildfire Blows Across 3,000 Acres in Colo.

Winds gusting to 45 mph pushed a wildfire across 3,000 acres just north of Dinosaur National Monument Wednesday, and residents of 15 houses were advised to leave.

Evacuations were not mandatory and none of the houses was immediately threatened, said Lynn Barclay, a spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Land Management. An abandoned cabin was destroyed.

"It's hot, it's windy, it's dry. We're in extreme fire danger," Barclay said.

Winds seemed to be calming down by afternoon, she said.

The fire had been estimated at 800 acres Tuesday night.

Fire officials have said a stump that was still smoldering after a lightning strike last week ignited the fire about 200 miles west of Denver.

[Soldier4Christ]

Flagstaff wildfire spurs evacuation
Overnight crews fight for control of Woody Fire


A late-afternoon wildfire on the western edge of Flagstaff on Wednesday forced mass evacuations of two private campgrounds and hundreds of homes.

The Woody Fire, apparently sparked by humans, started about 4 p.m. near Route 66 and Interstate 40, about two miles from downtown Flagstaff.

Within 30 minutes, a huge plume of smoke towered above downtown as nervous office workers filed out of offices.
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Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Railroad Springs, Hidden Hollow and Wildwood Estates areas along with nearby Woody Mountain and Kit Carson campgrounds.

By nightfall, winds had lessened and the fire settled down. Firefighters planned to hit the fire hard overnight. By 8:30 p.m., plans to bring in a top-level firefighting crew were tabled, and a lower-level crew was taking over control of the fire early this morning.

Sharon Falor, athletic director of Flagstaff High School, said she was taking a nap in her home near the fire's ignition point when she heard a large bang from an electric transformer and the power went out at 4:02 p.m. That was followed closely by two more bangs, Falor said.

"I went 200 to 300 feet from my house and saw all this dense smoke," Falor said. "It totally freaked me out because this whole area is people 55 and older, so I just started banging on doors."

From their home in the Railroad Springs area, Troy Pond, who manages a Flagstaff office-supply store, and his wife, Dee Dee Pond, also saw the smoke quickly forming about two miles away.

"I went driving down (Route) 66, and it was already shooting flames out of that pine grove down there more than 100 feet high," Troy said. "It was incredible watching all the fifth-wheelers peeling out of Woody Mountain Campground like they were race cars."

"We smelled smoke, and then our electricity almost immediately went out," Dee Dee said. "It wasn't more than 10 minutes that the police came by and told us we had 15 minutes to get out."

The Ponds spent the night with hundreds of others at Flagstaff High School, the Red Cross shelter.

Gail Balysh, another resident of Railroad Springs, said she had to hustle to get her two dogs, a cat and the medical-insurance project she had been working on for three years out of her house.

Flagstaff firefighters, with two engines, nervously paced the nearby area of Lowell Observatory.

"It all depends on the wind, because that thing was spotting out embers a long way very early on," said Todd Dobbs, a spokesman for Flagstaff Fire Department.

Visitors to the observatory, atop Mars Hills in southwestern Flagstaff, were sent home early. The observatory, more than a century old, had done its own preparations by thinning the woods around the property.

Five large air tankers were dropping retardant on the fire, and two helicopters dropped water. At sundown, the fire had burned about 125 acres.

Connie Birkland, a spokeswoman with the Coconino National Forest, said firefighters would work all night to control the blaze, although air support shut down at dark.

"It is looking very good," she said. "There is not a lot of smoke, and things have laid down significantly."

She said three hotshot crews, a dozen fire engines and other support from multiple agencies in the Flagstaff area attacked the fire.

"We had a lot of support and immediate response," she said "They hit it hard."

Officials planned to re-evaluate conditions this morning and could then determine whether residents can return home.

Raquel Romero, fire information officer for the Coconino National Forest, said the city of Flagstaff, Coconino County and the forest concentrated strongly on thinning the forest in southwest Flagstaff.

"We conducted a tremendous amount of prescribed burning and thinning in that area for just this scenario," she said. "Southwest Flagstaff is the most vulnerable because the wind usually comes out of the southwest. We conducted a lot of thinning around A1 Mountain, Woody Mountain and Mars Hill, and multiple evacuation drills have been done."

About 1,200 customers of Arizona Public Service remained without power into the night. Mark Fallon of APS said most of those customers are in the evacuation area.

Birkland said firefighters hope to have the fire "completely checked" by this morning, taking advantage of lower temperatures and higher humidity after dark.

A red-flag warning, posted when fire conditions are extreme, was put into place again for most of the state.

Meanwhile, near Heber, fire crews continued to battle the 6,200-acre Potato Fire, which continued to grow Tuesday but remained contained by fire lines protecting private property that holds about 100 houses and 55 full-time residents.

One of the evacuees, Mary Griego, said early Wednesday that she was more worried about finding a place to live than about her home. "All I can say is the Lord will help us out. All we can do is pray."

Chevelon Retreat and Chevelon Acres have about 100 homes between them; only 25 were occupied when the evacuation order was given, according to a spokeswoman with Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

About half of the residents left with the evacuation order on Monday, and 13 more families joined the initial evacuees on Wednesday. Several property owners remained at their places.

One of them, Eric Johnson, has lived at Chevelon Retreat for five years. He said he did not leave because "this is my home, it is the only place I own."

Johnson said that he believed the fire was avoidable and that the U.S. Forest Service missed an opportunity to put it out last week. He said the government frequently overlooks the community.

"We are (considered) scum," Johnson said. "We are on the wrong side of the cattle guard."

The communities are on private property just north of national forest boundaries, in an area where the tall pines give way to shorter, sparser vegetation.

Johnson said he would take off if the fire came too close.

Officials estimated 60 percent containment of the fire, which started on June 6.

Two major power lines that run side by side along the eastern side of the fire were turned off as the fire raged below.

APS and Salt River Project said such shutdowns should not affect power availability to their customers.

[Soldier4Christ]

Wildfires Burn Several Thousand Acres In Utah

A wildfire has burned more than 3,500 acres about 10 miles southwest of Santa Clara and was one of at least three large wildfires in Utah on Wednesday.

The Cave fire had burned 3,590 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, said Anne Stanworth, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Gusty winds had caused the fire to spread easily through dry cheat grass, she said. The cause of the fire, which started Tuesday, had not been determined, she said.

Twenty-two engines, a helicopter, a heavy air tanker and two hand crews were assigned to the fire, she said. A new team of fire managers was en route.

Winds also caused the Tunnel fire to grow to about 3,200 acres. The fire, started by lightning Tuesday, was burning near Elberta, about 30 miles southwest of Provo, said incident commander Dan Ames, a spokesman for the Utah Office of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

The fire was 85 percent contained by Wednesday afternoon and could be contained by Wednesday night.

``We should have it close to 100 percent (contained) by tonight,'' he said. ``We probably won't have it controlled for a few days with the weather predicted.''

The National Weather Service had issued a ``red flag'' warning Wednesday for much of central and southern Utah.

The Weather Service was predicting continued thunderstorm activity through Thursday for much of the state.

Crews were also working a 1,500-acre fire on the Utah side of Navajo Mountain on the Navajo Indian Reservation. The blaze was believed to have been started by lightning Saturday, said Jim Whittington, a BLM fire information officer in Kingman, Ariz. As of Tuesday evening, the fire was burning in rugged terrain and no estimated time table for containment.

A message left for Whittington seeking an update on the fire was not immediately returned Wednesday.

[Soldier4Christ]

Rainfall keeps wildfire at bay

Drought index still a concern

Fire officials will fan out across the state during the next few days, flying over brush fire hot spots and digging through smoldering muck to determine whether Tropical Storm Alberto has dampened the fire threat.

There were 138 active fires -- including the smoldering remains of a fire that burned through 6,500 acres in Canaveral Groves -- reported across the state before Alberto blew through, belting parched landscapes and wild lands with much-needed rain.

"We're doing pretty good. There was some lightning associated with Alberto, but we never were called out on any new fires," said John Koehler, Orlando district manager for the Florida Division of Forestry.

Koehler, who also coordinates the state's response to fire coverage in Brevard County, said it was too soon to tell how many lingering fires might have been extinguished by Alberto's welcome downpour.

"We're going to be out assessing that today. We'll be flying the plane, looking at the fires to see if there's any residual smoke. Some of us will also walk through the affected areas, dig in the soil to see if there is any heat. If there's heat, then the fire's not out," Koehler said.

Statewide, it's been an active year for wildfires. In Brevard, massive fires in Canaveral Groves, west of Palm Bay and in surrounding counties plagued the area with smoke, fire threatened residential areas and caused numerous road closings along Interstate 95 and State Road 520 for more than a month.

Fire officials also hoped Alberto's tropical rains would ease dry conditions. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index indicates Alberto's three-day sporadic rain total of 2.32 inches did little to ease the arid conditions in Brevard and elsewhere.

On Wednesday, less than an inch of rain fell in Brevard, although intermittent rainstorms flashed throughout the county and brought a 55-mph wind gust to Patrick Air Force Base, said meteorologist Scott Kelly, of the Melbourne-based National Weather Service.

Temperatures should rise to 90 degrees today and Friday and cool down into the mid-80s for the weekend as easterly winds come onshore, he said.

The chance of rain today through Sunday will fluctuate from 20 percent to 30 percent, Kelly said. For the weekend, thunderstorms will likely arrive overnight or early in the morning.

The index, which measures moisture in the soil on a scale of 0-800 -- 800 being desert-like conditions -- shows Brevard with an average of 529. Some spots, such as the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, still spike the index to 730. The difference in moisture levels is caused by differences in the landscape, from parched flatlands to low-lying marsh areas, forestry officials said. In fact, much of the state -- 39 of its 67 counties -- remained in the 500 to 599 range on the index Wednesday.

"Short term, the rain we got was wonderful, but if we don't get more in two weeks, we'll be right back to where we were," said Timber Weller, a wildfire specialist with the division of forestry.

"Alberto sucked in a lot of dry air behind it. But a lot of that rain will be taken in by the plants or will evaporate. We don't want people to think that we're out of the woods just yet."

Herschel Davis, a Port St. John resident, said he was happy to see the rain. Gone, for now, is the burning acrid smoke and the sight of black ash floating across the sky and into his backyard.

"I don't think we ever get enough rain. But just to get some moisture in the ground, we really appreciated it," Davis said.

"Now my lawn is super green, and I'm pleased."

[Soldier4Christ]

Tropical Storm Alberto snuffed out 18 blazes in Florida

Tallahassee, Florida -  Tropical Storm Alberto brought some needed relief to firefighters battling wildfires around the state.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson says eighteen blazes were extinguished by yesterday's rain, but about 150 other fires were still active at the time.

While it brought some much needed relief to parts of drought-stricken Florida, it may not have been enough to get Florida out of the woods as far as the wildfire season goes.

Officials say a return of the normal summer weather pattern is the real key to ending the wildfire threat this year. But that has not happened yet.

[Shammu]

Forecasters eyeing tropical wave
Published - June, 15, 2006

Fredie Carmichael
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com
As the remnants of Alberto continue to sputter near the coast of Massachusetts, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center have turned their attention to a large tropical wave.

At 5:30 a.m., the wave was located about 1,000 miles east of the Southern Windward Islands, the hurricane center said. Shower activity from the system remains disorganized and no significant development is expected, the hurricane center said.

Other tropical storm formation isn't expected through Friday.

Forecasters eyeing tropical wave

[Shammu]

Louisiana in worst drought in 111 years
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS - Most of New Orleans sat submerged in water for weeks after Hurricane Katrina, but the eight months since Oct. 1 have been the driest southern Louisiana has seen during the 111 years that records have been kept, the state climatologist says.

Since October, most of the southern half of the state has averaged just 21 inches of rain, down from the usual 40-inch average, climatologist Barry Keim said. The National Weather Service says the rest of June promises more of the same.

"We're in what's called extreme drought," Keim said of the state's record-breaking dry spell. "We've really been suffering here, especially since Katrina."

Without the once-dependable daily showers, lawns have browned, rice and sugar cane crops are suffering and residents have emptied store shelves of hoses and other irrigation devices.

The increase in watering could stress city and parish pumping systems, and officials fear they could break because of ground subsidence caused by the lack of rain.

"A tropical storm would do wonders for us right now," Keim said. "A weak one, of course."

The forecast for the rest of the month calls for little or no rain, said Mike Shields, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Slidell. Shields said there will be a chance for only spotty showers over the weekend.

"And then until the end of the month, it looks like the same pattern of high pressure still over us and keeping us dry," he said.

Southern Louisiana had been abnormally dry for about five months before the storm made landfall Aug. 29, Keim said.

"The drought was interrupted, if you will, by Katrina, and we went back into the drought pattern. Then we got that deluge from Rita. And as soon as that storm left, we went right back into the drought pattern," he said.

Normally, humidity rises into the sky, forming a cloud and then rain. But Keim said a stable structure of atmosphere is hanging over the region, preventing the moisture from rising, similar to the atmospheric conditions in normally arid states.

The National Weather Service predicts that rain in the area will return to normal levels over the next three months. But Keim said such predictions typically can be way off.

"We're crossing our fingers," forecaster Tim Destri said. "We can't say for sure, but we see some hope of getting back to the typical summer pattern."

Louisiana in worst drought in 111 years