A warm breeze in the winter might be great. But some warm winds, called Santa Ana winds, actually can bring harm to an area, especially in the wild where fire is a risk.
Write a report about the effects of the Santa Ana winds on wildfires. You will research why these winds can be so dangerous and how they contribute to the outbreak of fires. Here are some questions to guide your research:
What are Santa Ana winds?
What atmospheric and landscape conditions are needed for Santa Ana winds to form?
How do Santa Ana winds affect vegetation?
What happens during a wildfire if Santa Ana winds blow?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above. Write down what you learn in the note-taking boxes.
With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to find other Web sites. You also can research Santa Ana winds at the library. When you are ready, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your report.
Step 2. Research
Research answers for the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!
Toolbox Tip: Click here to learn how to tell whether a Web site is reliable.
