Wildfire Season & Mobile Pyrolysis

Wildfire Season & Mobile Pyrolysis

Wildfire Season & Mobile Pyrolysis plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

It has already been a tragic year in the northwest for wildfires and it's still not finished. Meteorologist Brad Rippey says that here in the northwest, most of the country remains in a dry weather pattern.

RIPPEY: With that combination of drought, heat and dry conditions and even a few lightning strikes we are seeing a slight increase in wildfire activity across the Pacific coast states. At this point, the largest active fire is the Happy Camp Complex in California and that complex, although it's more than 50% contained has burned more than 125-thousand acres.

And speaking of wood and fire, a new renewable energy technology is being demonstrated in Cle Elum, Washington. It's called mobile pyrolysis and uses high temperatures to convert woody debris from forest harvests into oil, char and syngas, and can be used on site.The public will have a chance to see this conversion in action at a Washington State DNR demonstration of mobile pyrolysis technology on October 22 and 23 in Cle Elum. The demonstration is open to the public; however, registration is required and space is limited. There is no cost to attend.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

As summer's heat gives way to fall's cool crisp air I begin to feel myself rejuvenate. While most people mourn the passing of summer, I can hardly wait for summer to be over and Mother Nature to usher in the grandeur that is autumn. There are many things I love about fall, not the least being that it's prime harvest time for many wonderful foods, including practically everyone's favorite - apples. Thankfully, our family lives in one of the biggest apple producing states in the nation, so there's no shortage of varieties to choose from when it comes to apple picking time. We recently enjoyed attending our state's Cider Week and are planning on taking in a neighboring state's fall Fruit Loop, where we will follow a 35 mile route through orchards, farmlands, forests, and rural communities. The East Coast can rave all they want about their fall foliage, but quite frankly autumn in the Pacific Northwest is about as close to perfection as one can get.

Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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