Mapbook of California Fire Danger Kept Secret

A 201-page book published before the fires of 2003 details where in the San Bernardino Mountains fire damage is most likely. The book has not been made public, according to an AP story, though a copy was leaked to the San Bernardino Sun. It’s ideally for the use of fire fighters, to protect them, said one official. He feels it’s a map book for arsonists or terrorists and does not believe it should be public. Others feel it’s exactly the right tool to change habits and make the area safer. Others argue making the book public will raise insurance premiums and lower property values.

OSG 05 Frank Warmerdam Receives first Sol Katz Award

The award, suggested by Sonny Parafina of IONIC and backed by Paul Ramsey of Refractions Research, honors those who make a significant contribution to the geospatial Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community. Named for Sol Katz, a pioneer in Geo FOSS, and longtime Bureau of Land Management employee, the award is expected to be given annually. I do not believe there was a single person in the closing session of the OSG 05 session who did not feel sure Frank should be the first. They all stood to acknowledge him.