Forests, Trees & Plants

LONDON, Nov. 20 (UPI) — A proposed Google program would allow anyone with Internet access to spot illegal logging in tropical rainforests and report it, the company said.
The program, to be released next year, would let so-called armchair detectives report their findings to an agency monitoring whether countries were meeting their commitments to reduce deforestation, [...]

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Nov. 19 (UPI) — Firefighters contained a stubborn southern California brush fire that burned 145 acres near a scenic highway but threatened no homes, fire officials said.
Four firefighters were slightly injured fighting the Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif., blaze, Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Capt. Greg McKeown said.
At one point flames [...]

BALTIMORE, Nov. 19 (UPI) — Researchers at the University of Maryland say they will use a cluster of IBM computers to analyze wildfire smoke patterns to provide real-time assessments.
The scientists said the goal of the project is to provide fire and public safety officials with a real-time assessment of a wildfire, allowing them to make [...]

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Nov. 17 (UPI) — Firefighters in Southern California have contained 75 percent of a brush fire that burned more than 250 acres in Rancho Mission Viejo, authorities said.
The fire was contained late Monday to Verdugo Canyon at least two miles from any homes and was expected to be fully contained [...]

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 15 (UPI) — Critical fire conditions were prevalent in California’s Inland Empire and San Diego County Sunday, officials said.
The National Weather Service was expected to issue red flag warnings for the area with wind gusts of more than 35 mph likely to blow through the Cajon Pass and the Santa Ana mountains [...]