CAPITAN, N.M. - A wind-driven fire flared from 2,400 acres to about 10,000 acres overnight Sunday in the Capitan Mountains of central New Mexico,
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=45089&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=7
Firefighters do well financially, $1,600.oo per day for NOT fighting fires, or, $2,265 to fight fires, even though it is dangerous work.
Article in the 'Missoulian' -
Severity money is 'pretty much a scam'
"I'm gonna be honest with you. That severity money is pretty much a scam," said Hoback, who made more money not working fires than working them. "A lot of days we didn't do anything ... and the money is incredible.
"A lot of money is wasted, like on our deal. I made $650 a day less on severity than I would usually get, so it was only about $1,600 a day instead of $2,265 on the days when I went out on a fire.
I told them I would do it even cheaper - you only make $800 per day on a good day when you're logging - but they said no."
He added that he took the severity job at the cheaper rate because it was a sure thing, as opposed to firefighting, when no one knew when - or even if - they were going to get called out.
"Do you want $1,600 a day or gamble that you'll be called?" Hoback said. "I took the sure thing."
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/05/24/news/mtregional/news04.txt
Tests Confirm Sarin Gas in Baghdad Bomb
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040525/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq_sarin&cid=540&ncid=1478