VOA常速英语2014--加州消防员为火灾季做准备

 

California Firefighters Ready for Severe Fire Season 加州消防员为火灾季做准备

HEMET, CALIFORNIA — Years of drought have put California at risk of a serious fire season, and firefighters in Hemet, California, are training to be ready for the next big wildfire.

Record high temperatures in May led to serious wildfires near San Diego, months before the fire season is usually under way. This followed nearly three years of drought and the driest year on record in 2013.  

The drought left the brush tinder-dry, said Captain Richard Cordova, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry¹ and Fire Protection, known as CAL FIRE.

“When we have higher temperatures, lower humidity and you throw winds in there, it is just a recipe for extreme fire danger," he said. "And when we see all those three elements come together, CAL FIRE reacts and starts moving equipment around.”

Tactical training

At the firefighter air base in the city of Hemet, a CAL FIRE air tactical unit trains to stay prepared.  

Helicopters take crews to the scene of wildfires and tankers³ drop flame retardant from the air.

Mike Venable, a contract pilot from the company DynCorp International, flies an air tanker² for CAL FIRE, sometimes dousing⁴ minor⁵ fires on local grasslands⁶.

“Everything from that to the challenging 12,000 or 14,000-foot [3,500 or 4,000-meter] peaks, maybe up in the high Sierras or in the forests that surround our base here, so it is a very big variety of flying. Some can be very dangerous, some not so dangerous,” said Venable.

Pilots and firefighters keep their bags packed and aircraft ready.  

Agile⁷ response

Daily weather briefings alert them to potential hot spots. Careful tracking of fuel load and weather forecasts help with flight planning.

Battalion⁸ Chief Travis Alexander said aircraft are stationed throughout California and can reach a fire in minutes, and are there to back up ground crews.

“Because the aircraft in this agency is just one of many tools. We have the hand crews, the [bull]dozers, engine companies, a variety of other assets," he said. "The air program comes in as a support function.”

At a nearby fire station, crews sort axes, shovels⁹ and other field tools, staying ready to fight both urban and wildland blazes.

Air and ground crews work to keep the fires away from homes and other buildings, said Venable.

“If you are able to help somebody on the ground, save a house, keep a firefighter out of a hazardous¹⁰ situation, that is rewarding,” he said.

It is a continuing effort to stay ahead of the fires. CAL FIRE has 5,000 permanent firefighters. It hired 300 recently because of the drought. Several thousand seasonal¹¹ workers, including inmates¹² from correctional facilities, help out every year.

State officials say their job this year is likely to be a tough one.

1 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

2 tanker   

n.油轮

参考例句：

• The tanker took on 200,000 barrels of crude oil.油轮装载了二十万桶原油。
• Heavy seas had pounded the tanker into three parts.汹涌的巨浪把油轮撞成三载。

3 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。

4 dousing   

v.浇水在…上( douse的现在分词 )；熄灯[火]

参考例句：

• The other spider took a second dousing before it emerged, still alive. 另外一个蜘蛛在冲刷第二遍时才被发现，是个活蜘蛛。 来自互联网
• At this point, the specimen can be shattered by dousing it with sterilized warm saline. 此时，可以用浸入温暖的消毒盐水的方法粉碎标本。 来自互联网

5 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

6 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 agile   

adj.敏捷的，灵活的

参考例句：

• She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！
• An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

8 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

9 shovels   

n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份

参考例句：

• workmen with picks and shovels 手拿镐铲的工人
• In the spring, we plunge shovels into the garden plot, turn under the dark compost. 春天，我们用铁锨翻开园子里黑油油的沃土。 来自辞典例句

10 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

11 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

12 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》