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NOUS42 KTAE 171158
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
600 AM EST FRI FEB 17 2006

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 DURING THE PERIOD FROM LATE
MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO UV RAYS CAN
RESULT IN POTENTIALLY FATAL SKIN CANCER. DURING THE LAST DECADE...
NEARLY 5000 FLORIDIANS DIED FROM SKIN CANCER. THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE ISSUES DAILY UV FORECASTS...RANGING FROM A SCALE OF 0 OR
MINOR...TO 10+ OR VERY HIGH. 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. SINCE 1995...MORE THAN TWO MILLION
ACRES OF FOREST LAND HAS BURNED. 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
FORECASTS AND SMOKE DISPERSION UPDATES FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...AND THE
EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. 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.

$$