Dataset of the Day: Honoring Geography Awareness Week

Every year during the third week of November begins the Geography Awareness Week. Beginning in 1987 by presidential proclamation, Geography Awareness Week celebrates the importance of geography education in the United States. This week allows for geographers to share their ideas and show off what they have been working on.

A Seemingly perfectly fit to honor Geography Awareness Week, I thought it would be a good idea to show some of the data mapping functions in GeoCommons that will illustrate where there have been a lot of forest fires in the U.S., and in particular, California.

The map below illustrates data points of active fire detection areas throughout the U.S. from last week. I also magnified the Santa Barbara area of California where fires have caused a devastating amount of damage:

To view the map: http://maker.geocommons.com/maps/1507?page=1

To view data: http://finder.geocommons.com/overlays/7043

To view map of magnified region: http://maker.geocommons.com/maps/1506?page=1

To view data: http://finder.geocommons.com/overlays/6999

By using the above map citizens can find out where there have been areas that have been affected by forest fires. The forest fire data is updated weekly in Finder!

Subsequently to the map above, below are two maps that illustrate evacuation centers in and fundraiser sites for forest fire damage relief in southern California:

(Click for map and data)

(Click for map and data)

The above maps thus featured some of the capabilities of Finder! and Maker!, and use geography as a medium to raise community awareness about forest fires, evacuation centers, and fundraiser sites in the U.S.

Please visit GeoCommons and enjoy making your own contributions to Geography Awareness Week.