Q: Every Memorial Day, American flags are placed on the graves of the veterans in Marietta National Cemetery. Are those flags recycled and used year after year?
-- Carol A. Canady, Winston
A: The cloth flags are used until they are no longer clean and usable, Margaret Helgerson, director of both the Georgia and Marietta national cemeteries, told Q&A on the News. When the flags are replaced, they are given to local Boy Scout units, which hold flag-burning ceremonies, she said. Helgerson said Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts place 18,000 flags every year at Marietta National Cemetery.
Q: The media reported that the present Arizona wildfire is the second-largest wildfire in the state's history. How big was the largest wildfire, and how did it start?
-- William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
A: The largest wildfire in Arizona was the Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002, which charred about 469,000 acres in eastern Arizona over a three-week period before it was fully contained, Reuters and The Associated Press reported. The Rodeo-Chediski Fire began as two separate fires intentionally set by two individuals -- a Bureau of Indian Affairs firefighter in hopes of creating a job for himself and a stranded hiker seeking to signal a helicopter, according to the news site azcentral.com. That blaze destroyed about 500 buildings and forced about 30,000 people from their homes, Phoenix TV station ABC15 reported.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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