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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
 Posted - 05/16/2007 : 17:43:43
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I'm sure we've all listened to reports over the years on the news about wildfires. Invariably, the size of the fire is given in acres. (E.g. here, here, and so on.) I've personally always thought this to be rather stupid, since most people have no idea what an acre actually is. (Perhaps it's just me though-- I have no idea (without checking) just how large 5 (or 10, or 20) acres is!)
Conversely, most people have some idea of what a mile-- and by extension, a square mile-- is. (Though perhaps I'm giving the average person too much credit; would they say that 100 square miles is a square that's 100x100 or 10x10?)
In any case, it struck me as odd today when I read this article about the fires in New Jersey:Firefighters battling a wildfire that apparently began when a military jet dropped a flare on a bombing range hoped a strong storm in the forecast Wednesday would help douse the flames.
But they also carefully eyed high winds, which could cause the 20-square-mile fire in the central part of the state to spread |
The report on NPR also used square miles.
So what gives? Why the switch? Anyone else notice this?
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JohnOAS
SFN Regular
Australia
800 Posts |
 Posted - 05/16/2007 : 19:28:12 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
I'm sure we've all listened to reports over the years on the news about wildfires. Invariably, the size of the fire is given in acres. (E.g. "here, here, and so on.) I've personally always thought this to be rather stupid, since most people have no idea what an acre actually is. (Perhaps it's just me though-- I have no idea (without checking) just how large 5 (or 10, or 20) acres is!)
Conversely, most people have some idea of what a mile-- and by extension, a square mile-- is. (Though perhaps I'm giving the average person too much credit; would they say that 100 square miles is a square that's 100x100 or 10x10?)
In any case, it struck me as odd today when I read this article about the fires in New Jersey:Firefighters battling a wildfire that apparently began when a military jet dropped a flare on a bombing range hoped a strong storm in the forecast Wednesday would help douse the flames.
But they also carefully eyed high winds, which could cause the 20-square-mile fire in the central part of the state to spread |
The report on NPR also used square miles.
So what gives? Why the switch? Anyone else notice this?
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Australia uses SI metric units for the most part. The kilometres / miles things aside, area is one subject where the terminology used is somewhat inconsistent. Also, we dont have wildfires, we have bushfires  (not brushfires, although that term is used occasionally).
I think part of it is the confusion between "metres squared" and "square meters". People often say one when they mean the other, or aren't aware that there is any difference.
For us metric folk, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that most people I know don't really think in terms of hectares, the SI unit, which is 10 000m2 or a square area 100m on a side.
I got an appreciation for what an acre was via my parent who always talked about land in those terms, and 1, 1/2 and 1/4 acre blocks are something many of us have a personal association with, although real estate agents do now list blocks in m2 by default these days.
I'm 35, so I'd be interested in hearing about what terms people who've been through the education system more recently than I, think in. Internally, I tend to convert anything into a square area of a particular dimension, but I don't really have much cause to think about geographic areas all that often.
My apologies that my little rant doesn't really address your question, but it did make me think, and I thought why not share it (inflict it upon?) the rest of SFN?
Actually I just did a quick survey of recent articles, and bushfires generally are reported in hectares. There are 259 hectares in a square mile. (A good conversion site I use a lot)
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John's just this guy, you know. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2007 : 12:43:07 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
So what gives? Why the switch? Anyone else notice this? |
Why that particular switch?
Why not change to metric while you're at it? |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
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Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2007 : 12:51:39 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
So what gives? Why the switch? Anyone else notice this? |
Why that particular switch?
Why not change to metric while you're at it? |
The metric question is a larger one, Mab. I was just wondering if anyone else had noticed that the description of this fire wasn't in acres, as virtually every other one I'd read about was. But perhaps it was something minor... |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2007 : 18:47:46 [Permalink]
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I noticed hearing sq miles re a fire size recently and was pleased. Then it seemed to be back to acres. I paid it no more than passing attention though.
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Wildfire question
