Stump Dumb EnviroWhackos Blamed for AZ Wildfires

[waltky]

Wildfires To Double In Size By 2050...

U.S. Could Burn $62 Billion a Year by 2050 Fighting Wildfires
9/17/2014

Fighting wildfires could cost the United States anywhere from $10 billion to $62.5 billion a year by 2050, according to a new report. The reason: climate change will make wildfires "more frequent and intense," possibly burning 50 percent to 100 percent more land in the United States in 2050 than they do today, according to the new report from a group of organizations including the Natural Resource Defense Council. Several U.S. states have suffered record wildfires over the last few years, including Colorado, where a blaze destroyed 500 homes near Colorado Springs in June 2013.

The damage won't be limited to the United States. Globally, wildfires could cause $50 billion to $300 billion annually in damage by 2050, according to the report. That is just the cost of fighting fires. When things like property loss, public health, air pollution and soil erosion are factored in, the figures skyrocket. Currently, the United States spends $2 billion to $2.5 billion on wildfire suppression, according to the report. When those other factors are considered, the number jumps to between $20 billion and $125 billion a year.

U.S. Could Burn 62 Billion a Year by 2050 Fighting Wildfires - NBC News

 

[waltky]

Climate change contributing to wildfires...

Record heat sparks warnings, boosts fires in western United States
Mon Jun 20, 2016 - Wildfire warnings were posted across parts of three Western U.S. states on Sunday as a heat wave baked the region in record, triple-digit temperatures, stoking flames in California from the coastal foothills outside Santa Barbara to desert brush near the Mexican border.

Excessive heat advisories and "red flag warnings" for extreme fire conditions were in effect across southern portions of California, Nevada and Arizona, the National Weather Service reported on the eve of the first official day of summer. In the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, the mercury topped out at 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.8 Celsius), shattering the prior record high for the date of 104 degrees set in 1973. In Phoenix, Arizona, the temperature climbed to 118 degrees, 3 degrees above the previous high mark for the date reached in 1968.

A Hotshots member from the U.S. Forest Department sets a back fire while battling the so-called 'Sherpa Fire', which has grown to over 1,200 acres overnight, in the hills near Goleta, California​

With rising demand for air conditioning expected to test the region's generating capacity, the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state's power grid, urged consumers to conserve daytime electricity on Monday. Forecasters said record-breaking heat would persist through Tuesday, especially in the Desert Southwest, where temperatures could reach as high as 120 degrees. "These extreme temperatures can be life-threatening," the Weather Service said on its website.

Fire officials said the heat was a major factor in worsening a wind-driven blaze roaring through dry brush and chaparral about 50 miles east of San Diego, north of the Mexico border, forcing evacuations of dozens of homes in the desert community of Potrero. The blaze, which erupted Sunday morning, had blackened about 1,500 acres and was still burning unchecked over steep terrain and drought-parched vegetation by evening, San Diego County Fire Captain Kendal Brotisser said. About 200 miles to the north, excessive heat also continued to plague crews battling the so-called Sherpa Fire, burning for a fifth day in the canyons and foothills near Santa Barbara.

A Hotshots member from the U.S. Forest Department sets a back fire while battling the the so-called 'Sherpa Fire', which has grown to over 1100 acres overnight, in the hills near Goleta, California​

That blaze, which has charred nearly 7,900 acres and forced hundreds of people from their homes, was 51 percent contained as firefighters took advantage of abating "sundowner" winds that had initially propelled the flames. A much smaller brush fire flared briefly beneath a freeway interchange near downtown Los Angeles, destroying three storage sheds, damaging two homes and snarling traffic in the vicinity as firefighters rushed to douse the blaze. Meanwhile, in New Mexico, local authorities declared a state of emergency due to a five-day-old timber fire that has consumed some 17,615 acres (7,129 hectares) and destroyed about two dozen homes southeast of Albuquerque.

Record heat sparks warnings, boosts fires in western United States

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Climate change ‘a reality’ in US parks
Mon, Jun 20, 2016 - US President Barack Obama on Saturday said that climate change is already damaging the US’ national parks, with rising temperatures causing Yosemite’s meadows to dry out and raising the prospect of a glacier preserve without its glaciers someday.

“Make no mistake. Climate change is no longer just a threat. It’s already a reality,” Obama said from a podium, with Yosemite Falls, one of the world’s tallest at 739m, as a backdrop. At the California park, where Obama was spending the weekend with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha, the president also talked about how a rabbit-like animal known as a pika is being forced further upslope at Yosemite to escape the heat.

US President Barack Obama speaks about the National Park Service at Yosemite National Park in California​

“Rising temperatures could mean no more glaciers at Glacier National Park. No more Joshua trees at Joshua Tree National Park,” he said, adding that a changing climate could destroy vital ecosystems in the Everglades and threaten landmarks such as Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Obama spoke near Yosemite’s Sentinel Bridge, where views of Half Dome, a well-known rock formation, and Yosemite Falls created a picturesque background.

After a night with his family in a rented cabin in the popular park, Obama stuck to his usual routine by rising early on Saturday and heading to a recreation center on the grounds for his daily gym workout. Obama’s weekend in the great outdoors was planned to encourage more people to appreciate and visit the US’ national parks. The National Park Services manages more than 400 sites around the country and celebrates its centennial in August.

Climate change ‘a reality’ in US parks - Taipei Times

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California wildfire spreads as flames hit parched land
Mon, Jun 20, 2016 - A wildfire fed by parched land and high winds spread in southern California on Saturday, forcing hundreds of people to leave their homes as the blaze formed destructive columns of flames known as fire tornadoes.

The so-called “Sherpa Fire” in Santa Barbara County, about 145 km northwest of Los Angeles, had burned through about 3,161 hectares by Saturday evening, officials said. Firefighters estimated the fire was 45 percent contained after early evening “sundowner winds,” that can whip through the area’s coastal canyons, did not emerge overnight on Friday. “We had a very good night last night,” Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Eric Peterson told a news conference.

However, county officials issued a new “red flag warning” for gusty winds today and tomorrow. More than 1,200 firefighters have been dispatched to battle the flames, fueled by dry chaparral and grass in canyons about 32km northwest of Santa Barbara. The fire is one of a series of blazes in western and southwestern states brought about by high temperatures and a prolonged dry spell.

California wildfire spreads as flames hit parched land - Taipei Times

 

[waltky]

Unattended campfire started Soberanes Fire near Big Sur park...

California blaze near Big Sur traced to unattended campfire
Tue Aug 2, 2016 - A blaze that has scorched some 43,000 acres (17,400 hectares) and destroyed dozens of homes near California's famed Big Sur coast was sparked by an illegal, unattended camp fire in a state park, authorities said on Tuesday.

The so-called Soberanes Fire, which erupted on July 22, began as a small blaze, 2 feet (60 cm) in diameter, ignited by unknown individuals in a section of Garrapata State Park that was closed to camping and campfires, according to U.S. Forest Service spokesman Don Jaques. No arrests have been made, he added. The more than 5,450 fire personnel battling the blaze have been able to draw containment lines - a measure of how much of its perimeter has been cleared by fire crews of unburned vegetation - around only 18 percent of the wildfire so far.

A firefighter stands on steep terrain while fire crews create fire breaks at Garrapata State Park during the Soberanes Fire north of Big Sur, California​

Steep, mountainous terrain as well as hot, dry conditions have hampered efforts to quell the fire tearing through drought-parched chaparral, grass and timber. One person, a bulldozer operator hired by property owners to help battle the flames, died last week when his vehicle rolled over. It was the second California wildfire-related death in a week. In addition, 57 homes and 11 other structures have been destroyed while some 2,000 remained under threat on Tuesday, fire officials said. About 350 residents have been ordered to evacuate the area, though some evacuation orders have since been lifted.

The fire threat, coming in the middle of the region's summer travel season, has prompted the closure of several popular California campgrounds and recreation areas along the northern end of the Big Sur coastline, including Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Another fire broke out on Saturday in grass and brush about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Fresno, in central California. It has since charred about 2,020 acres (817 hectares) and is threatening 400 structures, prompting evacuations in the area, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Five structures, including three homes, have been destroyed, fire officials said. On Tuesday morning, the so-called Goose Fire was listed as 30 percent contained.

California blaze near Big Sur traced to unattended campfire