2006年VOA标准英语-New Forest Fire-Fighting Technology

By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
23 June 2006
 
Watch Fire Report

With the long hot days of summer in the northern hemisphere come wildfires in many parts of the world. Paul Sisco reports on some new technologies being tried in the United States to detect and battle them.

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Firefighters   
  
It is hot and dry in the western United States and that means wildfires. In North America, the season has begun with unusual intensity¹. Max Fratus battled a recent wildfire that destroyed a thousand homes in the Sierra Mountains of California.

"I talk to people that have been in the fire service their entire career, and not only this fire, but fires in preceding years -- because of the drought, because of the fuel conditions -- they've produced fire behavior, flame links, intensities² that we had never really experienced before,” he said. “Everything that we had to throw at it we did, and it just seems to burn right through it. I've never seen a fire come through here of anything of that magnitude."

 
Dale McGill
  
The first defense³ against forest fires is early detection. In Northern California computerized cameras are replacing traditional lookouts⁴ and fire towers. The camera system is called Fire Hawk⁵. Dale McGill of the California Forest Service said, “On the very first day it was activated⁶ we found a fire and about 30 seconds later the phone rang."

It has been the first alert on several fires, according to McGill. He said, "Right away we can tell whether it's going to be a very active fire or it’s going to be a fire that perhaps is not anything at all."

The camera detects smoke by day and heat at night, spinning 360 degrees every four minutes.  When it spots something the computer instantly maps the exact location. The system is proving effective and efficient, and more are being installed. Also in California, NASA, the U.S. space agency, is working with Forest Service researchers to convert drones, officially called "UAS", or unmanned aerial systems, into fire-fighting tools. 

Vince Ambrosia⁷  
  
Vince Ambrosia of NASA said, "A fire manager on a wildfire condition, who doesn't know where his fire is going, could launch an unmanned aerial vehicle and with the imaging capabilities⁸ on-board the platform can ascertain⁹ where the fire is, how fast it's moving; does he have any resources or personnel that might be in danger."

They'll relay thermal¹⁰ images and data to portable communication stations on the ground. None too soon.  More than one million hectares have already burned this year in the hot dry western United States, and firefighters are currently battling a major wildfire in North Central Arizona

1 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

2 intensities   

n.强烈( intensity的名词复数 )；（感情的）强烈程度；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• At very high intensities, nuclear radiations cause itching and tingling of the skin. 当核辐射强度很高时，它能使皮肤感到发痒和刺痛。 来自辞典例句
• They ask again and again in a variety of ways and intensities. 他们会以不同的方式和强度来不停地问，直到他得到自己想要的答案为止。 来自互联网

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 lookouts   

n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台

参考例句：

• Lookouts were spotted all along the coast. 沿海岸都布置了监视哨。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Lookouts and leadsmen in bulky life jackets stumbled and slipped after him. 监视哨和测深员穿着饱鼓鼓的救生衣，跌跌撞撞地跟在他后面。 来自辞典例句

5 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

6 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

7 ambrosia   

n.神的食物；蜂食

参考例句：

• Later Aphrodite herself brought ambrosia.后来阿芙洛狄特亲自带了仙肴。
• People almost everywhere are buying it as if it were the biggest glass of ambrosia in the world for a nickel.几乎所有地方的人们都在买它，就好像它是世界上能用五分钱买到的最大瓶的美味。

8 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

9 ascertain   

vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清

参考例句：

• It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
• We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

10 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。