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NOUS42 KTAE 080959
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FLZ007>019-026>029-034-091100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
600 AM EST FRI FEB 8 2007

TODAY'S TOPICS FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK ARE TEMPERATURE
EXTREMES...UV RADIATION AND WILDFIRES.

SEASONAL EXTREMES ARE JUST AS COMMON IN THE SOUTHEAST U.S. AS THEY
ARE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WHEN EXTREME TEMPERATURES ARE
FORECAST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEAT AND WIND CHILL
ADVISORIES...AND FREEZE WARNINGS. YOUNG CHILDREN...THE ELDERLY AND
INFIRMED ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT STROKE AND HYPOTHERMIA. PERSONS
IN THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE URGED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES.

ULTRAVIOLET...UV...RADIATION CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO SKIN AND EYES...AND
IS STRONGEST IN THE SOUTHERN LATITUDES...ESPECIALLY DURING THE
SUMMER MONTHS. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO UV RAYS CAN RESULT IN
POTENTIALLY FATAL SKIN CANCER. DURING THE PAST DECADE...NEARLY 5000
FLORIDIANS DIED FROM SKIN CANCER. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES
DAILY UV FORECASTS...RANGING FROM A SCALE OF LOW (2 OR LESS)...TO 11+
OR EXTREME. FOR MORE INFORMATION...GO TO WWW.EPA.GOV/SUNRISE.

WILDFIRES ARE NATURE'S WAY OF MANAGING WILD PLANT LIFE AND
REGENERATING GROWTH. HOWEVER...THEY ALSO CAN BE THE RESULT OF OTHER
FACTORS. PERSONS BURNING MATERIALS...ARSON...AND LIGHTNING CREATE 
HUNDREDS OF WILDFIRES EACH YEAR. LAST YEAR...4,200 WILDFIRES IN 
FLORIDA BURNED NEARLY 650,000 ACRES AND 2007 WAS THE MOST ACTIVE 
WILDFIRE SEASON SINCE 2001. PRESCRIBED BURNS OF HAZARDOUS 
ACCUMULATIONS OF BRUSH MITIGATE THE WILDFIRE RISK. PUBLIC AWARENESS 
OF WILDFIRES HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO THE RAPID POPULATION 
GROWTH IN AREAS WHERE HOMES AND SUBDIVISIONS BORDER ON OR BLEND WITH 
WOODLAND. WITH LOW HUMIDITIES...DRY SOILS AND STRONG TRANSPORT 
WINDS...WILDFIRES CAN QUICKLY SPREAD AND THREATEN HOMES AND OTHER 
STRUCTURES. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES FIRE WEATHER 
WATCHES...RED FLAG WARNINGS...FORECASTS...AND SMOKE DISPERSION 
UPDATES. THESE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT 
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TAE/FIREWX/.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HAZARDOUS WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...
VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TAE...THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AT WWW.FLORIDADISASTER.ORG...OR CONTACT YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

$$