2006 sees record number of wildfires

WASHINGTON - The nation set a record for wildfires this year and climate experts say 2006 will probably end as the third warmest year on record for the contiguous United States.

Drought and hot conditions contributed to the record wildfire season, with more than 9.5 million acres burned through early December, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

The annual climate report, released Thursday by the National Climatic Data Center, says 2006 will most likely be the third warmest year on record, trailing only 1998 and 1934.

For the world as a whole, 2006 is expect to end as the sixth warmest year on record, the agency said.

Meanwhile, in England, the weather service — known as the Met Office — and the University of East Anglia also issued a joint statement proclaiming 2006 as the sixth hottest year on record worldwide.

Notable weather in 2006, according to the U.S. climate center, included:

• The nation's residential energy demand was approximately 9 percent less during the relatively mild winter, and 13 percent higher during the hot summer.

• Summer included a heat wave that peaked during the last half of July. All-time records were set in a number of locations across the central and western United States.

• For the contiguous United States, five of the first seven months of the year were drier than average. Combined with unusually warm temperatures, drought conditions persisted in much of the country. By late July, half of the contiguous United States was in moderate to exceptional drought.

• Above average rainfall from August through November helped end drought in many areas, although in places such as western Washington, record rainfall in November led to extensive flooding.

• The 2006 hurricane season was near-normal. The nine named storms during the 2006 season is the second lowest since 1995. Only the 1997 season had fewer. This is attributed largely to the rapid onset of El Nino in the equatorial Pacific, which suppresses conditions conducive to hurricane formation in the Atlantic.

• Also related to El Nino, the Eastern Pacific hurricane season showed a sharp increase in activity compared to the below-normal levels seen since 1998. Through early December, 19 named storms had formed, with three making landfall along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including major Hurricane Lane.

• The extent of Arctic sea ice was second lowest on record in September, which is the time of year with sea ice coverage. This was only slightly higher than the record low extent measured in 2005.

The fire swept through the coastal town of Four Mile Creek destroying an unoccupied house. (Thu 14 Dec, 10:20 PM)

Tasmania fire crews try to protect properties

Firefighters have worked through the night to protect threatened properties on Tasmania's east coast, with no significant relief in sight.

On Thursday, bushfires destroyed another two houses while a beachside hamlet cut off by a blaze at St Mary's which has blackened about 17,500 hectares.

Tasmania Fire Service spokesman Danny Reid said that with a cool change forecast overnight, crews would also take the opportunity to develop contingency plans.

"I believe there's been some rain in some areas but not up in the areas where they really need it and there's no relief in sight for the next few days," he told ABC radio.

The loss of two more properties on Thursday was the worst damage recorded since a firestorm ripped through Scamander on Monday night, gutting 13 homes and several other buildings.

Both homes were razed on Thursday when bushfires leapt containment lines.

Residents of Four Mile Creek, south of Scamander, were forced to evacuate to the beach about 3pm (AEDT) after what some described as "a fireball" jumped the road and raced towards the sea.

Two houses, one of which was unattended, a packing shed, a boat and many garden sheds were lost.

Active fires are still being reported in Scamander, Irishtown, Four Mile Creek and Cornwall.

Weather conditions are expected to moderate, allowing fire fighters to consolidate containment lines through backburning operations.

Crews are concentrating their resources around Irishtown and south of Four-Mile Creek following Thursday's increased fire activity.

The fire perimeter is estimated at between 100 and 110 kilometres.

Incident Controller Ken Burns said there was still a lot of work to be done.

"We will be here for a long time the country is inhospitable and difficult to access," he said.

Fire crews will also continue to battle a fire at Kellevie in the state's south, which has so far burnt 8,000 hectares.

U.N. seeks $237 mln for Somali flood, conflict victims

NAIROBI, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The United Nations appealed on Thursday for $237 million to help hundreds of thousands of Somalis, including victims of recent floods and a looming war between the government and an Islamist movement.

Already one of the world's poorest nations, the Horn of Africa country has been further buffeted this year by fighting after Islamists took over Mogadishu and then by heavy rainfall that has killed scores in floods.

An estimated 1.4 million people lack proper food, while another 400,000 have been displaced, U.N. officials said.

"To make things worse, Somalia now faces the possibility of war," said Eric Laroche, humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, referring to a standoff between the Islamists and the interim government of President Abdullahi Yusuf.

"The international community must do what it can to avert such a scenario and to preserve ... the human dignity of Somalis by ensuring access to the most needed basic services."

As well as food and shelter, the funds, which the United Nations wants to raise from international donors, would be used to improve water and education services.

Most of Somalia's 10 million people live on subsistence farming and pastoralism. One in four Somali children dies before five, according to U.N. figures.