VOA慢速英语2014 加州消防员为火灾季做准备（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2014-06-19 California Firefighters Ready for Severe Fire Season 加州消防员为火灾季做准备

Record high temperatures in May led to serious wildfires near San Diego, months before the fire season is usually under way.

5月份创纪录的高温天气导致圣地亚哥发生严重火灾，几个月前火灾季节通常会到来，

This followed nearly three years of drought and the driest year on record in 2013.

过去三年已经发生了旱灾，2013年是创纪录的最干旱年。

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

加州林业和消防部门发言人Richard Cordov上尉说，旱灾导致灌木丛随时都会发生火灾。

“When we have higher temperatures, lower humidity and you throw winds in there, it is just a recipe for extreme fire danger," he said.

“当存在较高温度、较低的湿度和风的时候，就容易出现极端危险的火灾。

"And when we see all those three elements come together, CAL FIRE reacts and starts moving equipment around.”

当我们看到这三个因素全具备时，加州消防局就会做出应对，准备运输消防设备。”

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

在赫米特的消防员空军基地，加州消防局的一支空中小队准备应战。

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

直升机将人员带到野火现场，灭火飞机从空中投掷阻燃剂。

Mike Venable, a contract pilot from the company DynCorp International, flies an air tanker for CAL FIRE, sometimes dousing minor fires on local grasslands.

戴恩国际公司签约飞行员Mike Venable为加州消防局驾驶一架灭火飞机，他有时负责熄灭当地草原上的小火灾。

“Everything from that to the challenging 12,000 or 14,000-foot 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.

“发生火灾的山峰可能有12000-14000英尺，或者是在高高的寒拉斯山，或是在我们基地周围的森林，所以涉及各种各样的飞行，

Some can be very dangerous, some not so dangerous,” said Venable.

有时会很危险，有时不那么危险。”

Pilots and firefighters keep their bags packed and aircraft ready.

飞行员和消防员将包裹装满，准备好飞机。

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

每日天气简报提醒可能可能存在的热点，仔细地跟踪载油量和天气预报能帮助他们做好飞行计划。

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

消防大队长特拉维斯·亚历山大说加州各地都有飞机，可以在几分钟内抵达着火点并支持地面人员。

“Because the aircraft in this agency is just one of many tools.

“在这个机构，飞机只是许多工具中的一种，

We have the hand crews, the bulldozers, engine companies, a variety of other assets," he said. "The air program comes in as a support function.”

我们有手工人员、推土机、引擎公司和其他很多资产，空中项目只是个辅助功能。”

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

在附近的消防站，工作人员挑出斧头、铁铲等田间工具，准备应对城市和田野的火灾。

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

Venable说，空中和地面人员一起工作使民居等建筑免受火灾。

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

“如果你能帮助地面的人员，拯救一座房屋，让消防员脱离危险境地，那就是有意义的。”

It is a continuing effort to stay ahead of the fires.

要对付火灾需要继续不断的工作，

State officials say they have hired 300 new firefighters in addition to thousands of staff throught California,and their job this year is likely to be a tough one.

州官员称除了加州各地的数千名常备人员外，又雇佣了300人，而且他们今年的工作可能会很艰难。