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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you are involved in planning
or policy issues in communities near wildlands, you should plan to attend the
workshop, “Living with Fire in Chaparral Ecosystems: Providing Tools for
Decision Makers.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The summit -- being held Jan.
10-12 at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside -- is the culmination of a
year-long project by the USDA Forest Service, in conjunction with the UC
Berkeley Center for Forestry, the Edward J. Blakely Center for Sustainable
Suburban Development at UC Riverside and the San Diego Natural History
Museum.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The project’s purpose is to bring
together a wide variety of professionals who play a role in dealing with
wildfires in or near the wildland-urban interface, including fire agencies,
planners, government officials, land managers, scientists, fire prevention
organizations, environmentalists, architects, builders and insurance
representatives.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">One of the project’s major goals
is to unify information gathered from a series of workshops held earlier this
year throughout <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place>Southern
California</st1:place>, and to develop practical tools to assist decision makers
in dealing with wildfires in wildland-urban settings. The tools will cover the
full range of wildfire-related issues, whether it’s planning communities to
limit the occurrence and damage potential of wildfires or fighting the fires
once they break out. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Please take a few minutes to look
at the project’s website:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
href="http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/chaparral">www.fs.fed.us/psw/chaparral</A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Click on the “Conference
Information” link on the left. A more detailed description of the summit can be
found there, along with links on the planned agenda, speakers and a registration
form. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you are planning to attend,
please make your reservations as soon as possible. The hotels will release
the reserved, discounted rooms by December 15th, and conference organizers would
like to get an accurate attendance figure to complete final planning. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you have any questions
regarding the summit, please contact:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Dr. Pamela Padgett</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place><st1:PlaceName>USDA</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType>Forest</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Service</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">951-680-1584</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">e-mail: <A
href="mailto:ppadgett@fs.fed.us">ppadgett@fs.fed.us</A></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Sincerely,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:PersonName>Rick
Burnham</st1:PersonName></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Project Manager</P>
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