Millions of Caterpillars Attack Bali, Indonesia

Indonesian Island of Bali Declares a State of Emergency as Millions of Caterpillars Invade Trees

Bali, Indonesia. Bali’s capital Denpasar, as well as six other regencies (districts) of Buleleng, Jembrana, Gianyar, Klungkung, Tabanan and Karangasem have declared a state of emergency as caterpillars invaded the  island, a report said.

Similar to the occurrence in East Java, Bali’s caterpillars aim at mango trees.”

In other regencies the caterpillars are less choosy and multiply in any old tree. ” Each tree is taken up by between 100 and 1,000 caterpillars.” Said the report.

“For the time being, the caterpillars have only invaded trees,” said Made Putra Suryawan,  Bali’s Head f Agriculture, Plants and Food Agency.

“In Buleleng, each tree is occupied by between 200 and 1,000 caterpillars.

Red banded mango caterpillar: There are NO  successful control method for the species.

Red banded mango caterpillar (Deanolis albizonalis). Source: Australia/ qld gov/via guam insects net

Tent Caterpillar.  Source: Washington State University.

Yellow-Necked Caterpillar. Source: Purdue University/Dept of forestry and Natural Resources

Other Links

• Vast swarms of locusts sweep across Australia

Extreme fire danger, continued major flooding in the US

Wildfires Consume 2 Million Acres*

Extreme fire danger in southern Plains, continued major flooding in north-central states: NWS

*Year-to-date total estimated by Fire-Earth

Click image to enter NWS portal.

Extreme risk of wildfires in southern Plains and continued major flooding, which is drowning the northern High Plains, has prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue dozens of Red Flag and flood warnings.
Red Flag Warnings are in effect through TUESDAY evening for

• South-central and southeastern Colorado
• The western half of New Mexico
• Southwestern and south-central Nebraska
• The western half of Kansas
• The Oklahoma Panhandle
• The Texas Panhandle and west Texas

Meanwhile, snow is forecast for “higher elevations of the Mountain West today with rain at lower levels,” NWS reported. ” Rain and thunderstorms are possible for parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley into southern Vermont and New Hampshire. There is a slight risk of severe weather in coastal Virginia and North Carolina.”

In Bent County, Colorado, a wildfire which started Saturday near Las Animas in a wooded area has expanded outside containment lines, burning about 9,000 acres and forcing evacuation of about 100 homes, the report said.

In northwest North Dakota, officials reported a minor (lightly-traveled) bridge on the Des Lacs River near Burlington washed out Monday afternoon. Monday evening, boils and leaks were reported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Burlington Dam #1, upstream of Burlington on the Des Lacs River. Officials are greatly concerned about failure of the dam.

Local officials and support units are also watching the McGregor and White Earth dams, which are considered to be “high hazard” dams. National Weather Service forecasters at NOAA’s Bismarck office said melting of the record snowpack upstream has not yet begun in earnest. Runoff could exceed the capacities of primary outlet systems and cause spillway flows. [More…]

A 5-state area is facing some risk of severe weather development Thursday, Storm Prediction Center reported.  The area covers

• Eastern quarter of Kansas and Oklahoma
• Extreme northeast Texas
• Western half of Missouri
• Western two-thirds of Arkansas

National Wildfire Stats

Texas Wildfires – YTD Total:

• No. of Reported Fires: 5,339
• Acres Burned:  983,187
• Structures Lost:  659
• Source: http://ticc.tamu.edu/Documents/Home/tx_sitrep.pdf

National Year-to-Date Report on Fires and Acres Burned by State [Data incomplete!]
for March 29, 2011

Click image to enlarge.

Related Links

• Much of New Mexico in Severe to Extreme Drought [NWS website]

• Global Disaster Forecast – UPDATE 17 Mar
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• US Wildfire Pattern Consistent with Drought
• National Fire Stats Falsified?
• Denver wildfire forces evacuation of 10,000 homes
• Wildfires Wreaking Havoc Across the U.S.
• World on Fire