California Wildfire Information

As the wildfire season commences here in California, I would like to refer you to 2 excellent informational resources on tracking the location and progress of fires California and throughout the country.




Geomac Wildland Fire Support Wildfire Viewer

California Wildfire Information - California Wildfire Alliance



UPADTE: (620pm PDT): Here is another wildfire mapping resource MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program from Remote Sensing Applications Center.

Fallen Fruit

I have often bemoaned all the fruit I see "wasted" each year as I walk around the neighborhood. A few years ago I heard of a group that would gather your fruit, leaving you a portion for your own use and donating the rest to food banks.

The people at Fallen Fruit have taken a different tack. The web site publishes maps of local LA neighborhoods and the fruit trees that can be found there. It seems there is a law on the books in Los Angeles, that fruit overhanging sidewalks become public property and can be gathered by anyone.

Maybe I should work up a map of our neighborhood here in Van Nuys. I know we have oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, figs and more.

Los Angeles maps of fallen fruit ripe for the taking

Mark Frauenfelder: Fallen Fruit is a website run by people who encourage you to grow fruit on the perimeter of your property and allow others to harvest it. They also have maps of Los Angeles neighborhoods that are bearing lots of free fruit.

(Via Boing Boing.)