Uinta National Forest fire officials in coordination with Utah County implemented a prescribed burn project near Cascade Springs yesterday, Tuesday, September 23, 2003.  Around 5:00 p.m. that day the prescribed burn experienced an unforeseen wind event where winds picked up to 25 mph.  This caused the prescribed fire to escape contingency lines.  Fire officials immediately went into suppression mode.  Air tankers, helicopters, engines, crews, and other resources were immediately ordered.

Before the unexpected wind event the prescribed fire was traveling under appropriate fire prescriptions at about 10 feet per minute.  After winds picked up to 25 mph the fire traveled at 70-80 feet per minute.  The fire was also spotting about 300-500 feet ahead of the flame front.  Flames reached a high of about 60-80 feet.  Under these conditions, it was difficult for fire personnel to safely fight the fire.  As always, public safety and the safety of fire personnel are of the utmost importance.  Fire officials are also concerned with the protection of private and state lands.

The Cascade II Fire has burned approximately 2,500 - 3,200 acres.  Fire officials expect the same burning conditions as Tuesday.  Temperatures are predicted at about 80-90° and 70-80° in higher elevations over the next few days with winds at about 10-15 mph.  There is no estimated time of containment of the fire.

The Cascade II Fire is under a unified command with the US Forest Service and the State of Utah.  A Type II national fire team will assume command of the fire later today.  Fire personnel consist of several cooperating agencies which include State of Utah, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah County, Wasatch County, Bureau of Land Management, Heber City, and Midway City.

Resources on the fire include two air tankers on standby at Hill Air Force Base, four helicopters, four hand crews, two dozers, and 13 engines.

Prescribed fires are used to restore healthy ecosystems, reintroduce fire as a natural process into ecosystems, create diverse vegetation stands for wildlife habitat needs, reduce the risk and severity of catastrophic wildfires through reduction of hazard fuels, and establish effective regeneration of vegetation to lower the occurrence of insect and disease.  Early fall provides the best burn conditions at higher elevations.  Air temperature, relative humidity, fuel moisture, and wind speed and direction are some of the requirements that must be met before burning begins.

Prescribed fire projects are successfully implemented nationwide.  Recently, Vernal Bureau of Land Management successfully completed a prescribed fire project this week.

For additional information regarding the fire contact Loyal Clark, Uinta National Forest Supervisor's Office, 88 West 100 North, Provo, 801-342-5117 (office) or 801-368-5871 (cell phone) or visit Utahfireinfo.gov

5:29:17 PM    

Today the Center for Digital Government presented Governor Mike Leavitt with a "2003 Best of Web" award for the state’s Web site, utah.gov.   Because of its innovation, efficiency, and functionality, the state's Web site stood out among a pack of more than 260 entries from federal, state, and local governments throughout the country. 

"Our goal is to use technology to make state government services more efficient and accessible," said Governor Mike Leavitt.  "This award shows we're making real progress in our efforts to move more government services online instead of in line."  The Governor credited the state’s information technology professionals for this accomplishment, adding, "We’re grateful for your hard work to implement this important vision."

The state's award-winning Web site offers hundreds of online services.  Among the most popular are vehicle registration renewal, hunting and fishing licenses, online business registration, and tax filing.  In addition, utah.gov is the first government Web site in the country to offer live help, 24 hours a day, seven days a week through an online chat system.

"Utah has historically been a leader in digital government.  Capturing first-place in the Best of the Web contest reflects its true commitment to the citizens and businesses of the state," said Dennis McKenna, CEO of the Center for Digital Government.

The state used citizen focus groups and navigation testing to help structure the Web site.  Customers said they wanted easy access, simple navigation, complete information, and a consistent look and feel.  The utah.gov site was redesigned and launched June 19 and receives an average of 1.4 million new hits per month.

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute providing government, industry and education leaders with decision support, research and educational resources to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.

Moving government services online—24 hours a day, seven days a week— is a part of Utah’s 1000-Day Plan.

5:03:20 PM    

In a joint state agency effort, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) have announced the launch of a yearlong campaign encouraging Utahns to get out and walk.

Today's presentation included the announcement of a television and radio campaign and the introduction of an 8-page informational piece describing the benefits of walking, walking instruction and the best places to walk. A Web site, http://www.utahwalks.org, was also showcased.

After the campaign's introduction, everyone was invited to join Scott Williams and John Njord in a walk around the block.

UDOH and UDOT plan to capitalize on the popularity of walking in an effort to promote healthy living. Walking is one of the most popular forms of physical activity among adults with more than 80 million recreational and casual walkers. When correctly done, the benefits of walking include reduced risk to: breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and premature death.

Hundreds of trails, tracks and scenic pathways are currently available for walkers to enjoy throughout the state.

3:34:43 PM    

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a contagious, vaccine preventable illness that is increasing in numbers along the Wasatch Front. The Utah Department of Health and four local health departments have noticed that the number of pertussis cases in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, and Weber-Morgan health districts was higher than expected in August 2003. Twenty cases of pertussis was reported in August, compared to monthly averages of between one and 10 cases.

Both adults and children can get pertussis, but the bacterial disease is generally milder in adults. Five of the recently reported cases in Utah were in children under age 1, the age group in which pertussis is most serious. This group is also more susceptible to infection as they have not yet completed the series of pertussis vaccinations. Fortunately, none of the recent pertussis cases died, but four of the five children were hospitalized. The age range for cases was from under age one to age 73.

Because children can become seriously ill and possibly die from this disease, vaccination is strongly recommended. Children need to be vaccinated at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months of age, and again before entering grade school. It is important to keep your child fully immunized by following the above schedule. Children who miss doses of vaccine are at risk of severe illness.

Pertussis is very contagious and it is easy to infect nearly everyone in a household as well as some school or work contacts. The vaccine is only available for children under the age of 7. People are only protected for about 5-10 years after vaccination. This means that older children and adults are not protected against pertussis. Infected adults and older children can easily infect younger, un-vaccinated or partially vaccinated children in their household, school, church, etc., because they do not get as sick as infants and therefore may not seek treatment and may not know they have pertussis.

If your child has not yet had the DTaP immunization or has missed a dose, it is not too late to begin. The following recommendations can help your child stay well:

1. Ensure that your newborn child starts pertussis immunization now. Low cost immunization is available from your local health department and through the Vaccines for Children Program. For information on immunizations, call the Immunization Hotline 1-800-275-0659.
2. If your child has missed a regularly scheduled dose of vaccine, get a booster as soon as possible.
3. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing and wash your hands.
4. If adults or older children have symptoms of pertussis, which starts out like a cold and then proceeds to coughing spells, see your doctor. Your doctor can perform a test to make sure that you have pertussis and not a virus (which doesn’t respond to antibiotics). Health care providers should consider and test for pertussis in patients of all ages with chronic cough.
5. If you are diagnosed with pertussis, or have contact of someone with pertussis, be sure to take all of the antibiotics that you are given. Antibiotics will reduce the spread of the illness to other family members.

For more information on this vaccine or others that are recommended to prevent other serious disease and illness, see the immunization schedule or visit www.health.utah.gov.

2:56:51 PM