ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýA University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø researcher helped National Geographic magazine create a map of natural hazards in North America scheduled to appear in the July issue.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýMary Fran Myers, co-director of the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, coordinated the data on wildfires from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýOne side of the map depicts representative natural disasters across the continent ranging from wildfires and tsunamis to landslides and floods. The other side features six maps showing areas at risk for hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, hail and drought. A seventh map shows population density.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý"People are making decisions about where to live without taking into account the risks," Myers said. "This map might wake people up to what could happen in their region."
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýAnother Natural Hazards Center staff member, editor Sylvia Dane, wrote an essay on natural hazards to accompany the issue that will appear on the magazine's Web site beginning June 17 at: .
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýThe essay in the magazine's Forum discussion section offers Internet users a chance to comment on the Web essay and the article on the same topic appearing in the magazine. The Web site also will have hypertext links to the Natural Hazards Center and other related sites of interest.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýDane's essay notes that between 1975 and 1994, losses from natural disasters in the United States averaged $500 million a week.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý"Natural disasters are not random events that occur without warning, but rather the results of choices we make about where and how we build," she writes.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýNational Geographic magazine is sent to 9.2 million members each month.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýThe Natural Hazards Center is a national and international clearinghouse for information on natural hazards and human adjustments to hazards and disasters. It holds an annual workshop for natural hazards and disaster researchers and workers, disseminates information and conducts research.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýThe center's prime goal is to increase communication among people and organizations working to reduce disaster damage and suffering. The center is part of CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Institute of Behavioral Science.