An insurance industry study of the 2007 Witch Creek wildfire, which destroyed 1,700 structures in San Diego County, reached the same conclusion as UCCE's wood durability specialist Steve Quarles: wind-blown embers cause most home fires.
The report, released by the Institute for Business & Home Safety, was covered in a 1,000-word Stockton Record article written by Bruce Spence.
In addition to danger posed by flying embers, the study found that combustible fences and decks connected to houses were so effective in drawing a wildfire into structures that they "might as well be called wicks," according to the article.
The story included information about new state codes that regulate new structures being built in wildfire zones.
Quarles, quoted in the Stockton Record article, said the new state code will also benefit owners of existing homes, because it details what they need to do and what materials they need to retrofit a house to be more resistant to a wildfire.
"It was harder to do two years ago," Quarles was quoted in the story.
Because new home builders will need them, the code will also make fire-resistant construction materials readily available.
A sprinkling of newspapers ran stories today based on the ANR press release distributed yesterday on the potential economic effects of passing Proposition 2. Voters will decide in November whether to approve the initiative, which would require egg producers to employ cage-free production practices.
In addition to spreading news about the likely downfall of the California egg industry, the coverage revealed that there's something about eggs that begets puns.
The Sacramento Bee said the "November ballot measure meant to improve the lives of the state's laying hens likely would crack the state's egg industry."
The Woodland Daily Democrat's headline quips, "Initiative lays an egg for state producers."
The Stockton Record's jest was more subtle; its headline reads "Measure could send egg industry packing, study says." The Record's story, written by Reed Fujii, balances comments from the study's two authors with a proponent of the measure.
A radio clip on Inland News Today declares "egg-laying hens would be freed from their cages."
It looks like Proposition 2 will prompt a significant amount of debate in the coming months, but as they say, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.
UC Cooperative Extension forestry advisor Greg Giusti was an important source of information for a story in today's Santa Rosa Press Democrat about repercussions of recent forest fires. Reporter Glenda Anderson also spoke to officials from CalFire and the Mendocino Redwood Company, but the majority of the story relayed information from Giusti.
Giusti was credited in the story for the following information:
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Douglas fir trees are more susceptible to fire
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Redwood trees are more resistant and may benefit from the burning of underbrush
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Demand for Douglas fir lumber is weak and the price is depressed
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The loss of younger, more fire-prone Douglas fir stands could cause a gap in future timber harvests, income and employment
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The fires could prompt more environmental regulation by displacing protected spotted owls and their favorite food -- wood rats
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The fires will give local biologists a good opportunity to study how animals react and adapt to fire
The debate over Proposition 2 is beginning to heat up. The proposition, which will appear on the November ballot, was designed to regulate treatment of farm animals. So far, voters seem to be in favor of the idea. According to a story in today's San Jose Mercury-News, a field poll found that two-thirds of California voters will mark their ballots in favor of the initiative.
Among other things, Prop 2 would end the common practice of housing egg-laying hens in cages in California starting in 2015. A new study released today by the UC Agricultural Issues Center found that nearly all of the $330 million
The UC research study concludes that non-cage production costs are so much higher than the costs of the cage systems, it would prevent California producers from competing with eggs produced in other states, which will not be required to follow the new regulations. A news release by ANR's Pam Kan-Rice about the AIC study was distributed to the media today. The release says the study was funded by the University of California, but it seems there may be some misinformation in the media about that point.
An article in the Fresno Bee last May said scientists at UC Davis and other institutions received $400,000 from the American Egg Board to study the use of cages for egg-laying chickens.
Freelance writer Don Curlee expressed outrage in his column about the proposition, which ran in various newspapers including the Visalia Times-Delta today. He wrote that the initiative was placed on the ballot by a "compact of kook-fringe animal rights advocates."
At least one reader took exception. "I'll be glad to pay extra at the supermarket, I already do for cage-free eggs and dairy-free products. But tsk, tsk, poor ag-lobbyist/publicist Mr. Curlee -- the only member of the 'kook-fringe' I see here," the reader wrote in the newspaper's online comments section.
It will be interesting to see following the November election who winds up with egg on their faces.
The current issue of the Almond Board of California's newsletter "The Handle," which is e-mailed to about 100 almond processors monthly, opens with a warm letter from its chief executive officer, Richard Waycott, about UC ANR's new leadership.
The letter says Waycott and ABC's production research head Bob Curtis recently met with ANR vice president Dan Dooley and associate vice president Rick Standiford. Waycott wrote that Dooley wants to position agriculture front and center at the Regents’ table, crafting a long-term plan for
The letter noted that Dooley plans to complement this objective with “systematic advocacy and PR,” enlisting the UC scientific community “to be active in public policy and issues of the day.”
Waycott's missive continues:
"After the meeting, as Bob and I descended the elevator to the parking lot, I felt like shouting, 'Ag is back! Ag is back!' Dan’s summation . . . as to why agriculture deserves a larger share of the pie…was oh so refreshing."
Waycott concluded with a call to action, of sorts, saying readers need to "rally round Dan and his team."
The same issue of The Handle also covered the June symposium held by UC and a variety of commodity groups on public spending for agricultural research. The story noted that public funding for agricultural research and extension has generated a dividend of $20 to $30 for every dollar invested.
For instance, productivity gains over the last 50 years have helped farmers more than double agricultural production with only a modest increase in overall inputs. In the case of almonds, the average yield has increased 86 percent over the last two decades, The Handle said.
The Handle
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