24 Octubre, 2007 

Experts Available to Discuss Southern California Wildfires --(BUSINESS WIRE)--ExpertSource: TOPIC: As the Southern California fires continue to burn for a third day, President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency in California, according to an article by Bloomberg. Approximately, 350,000 residents have evacuated from their homes. The weather is making the fight to contain the fire difficult as gusting winds are causing new fires. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection stated on its web site that more than 5,700 firefighters are fighting 13 wildfires in seven counties from San Diego to Malibu. Please visit Business Wire’s Hot Topics Archive for recent news items issued regarding the Southern California Fires. EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story: Dr. Tom Bonnicksen, professor emeritus at Texas A&M University and one of the nation's noted forestry experts, can comment on the dangers posed by, and the causes of, wildfires in Southern California and solutions to prevent a tragedy like this in the future. Dr. Bonnicksen is uniquely qualified to comment on the forest crisis given decades of work on California forestry issues. He has worked closely with community and forestry leaders both before and after the historic 2003 wildfires in the San Bernardino National Forest as well as fires in the San Diego area. He regularly visited the San Bernardino area before and after the fires, including tours with the Forest Service, members of Congress and then-U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman. He has been quoted extensively on the issue in Southern California and national media. Dr. Bonnicksen, who received his Ph.D. from UC-Berkeley, has studied California forests for more than 30 years and has written extensively on forest health issues in California, including the San Bernardino Forest. He is a visiting scholar with The Forest Foundation, based in Auburn, Calif., and a scholar in residence at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. PR Contact: Bill Halldin 916-781-0657 bill@halldinpr.com Brad Lotterman, of UnitedHealth Group, can assist media members searching for experts who can discuss what counseling services are being made available to those affected by the Southern California wildfires. Individuals trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the Southern California wildfires now have access to a free Help Line staffed by experienced master’s-level specialists. These specialists can assist callers with a broad range of personal concerns. The toll-free Help Line number is (866) 342-6892. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary. Service is free of charge. Normally, these services are routinely available to UnitedHealth Group customers through its operating unit OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions. However, the Help Line is now being made available to address the potential needs among the general population in Southern California.