"Mmmm.
Those crazy hippies might have a point. It is getting a little warmer
than I'd Like."
2007
- 2017
Forest
wildfires in Canada are on the increase. From 2007 to 2017, wildfires
burned an average of 6.6 and 6.2 million acres/year in the U.S. and
Canada, respectively.
2021
Canada
is lucky to have Justin
Trudeau at the helm of their administration. He is concerned about
Canada heating up roughly three times faster than other countries.
Mitigating
greenhouse gas emissions has dominated climate change negotiations for years for the simple reason that without a decrease in the rate of rising temperatures, we are doomed. But the search for breakthrough technologies, increased
battery power and storage, carbon capture, climate monitors and other innovations — while critically important and necessary — often overshadow nature-based solutions that can have profound impacts.
California’s latest state budget recognizes the importance of nature-based climate measures and increases our commitment to working with nature. It elevates making ecosystems more resilient as a key part of our climate strategy. The various packages dedicated to improving our environment in the budget represent a historic amount of funding for natural resources and environmental protection. It emphasizes statewide, what the San Jose City Council’s recent vote to protect Coyote Valley demonstrated, that natural and working lands provide climate resilient infrastructure and our worth preserving.
The budget includes $3.7 billion for climate resiliency, $1.5 billion for wildfire prevention and $4.7 billion for water and drought relief. We are allocating $208 million to state conservancies, including the San Francisco Bay Conservancy, to expedite wildfire prevention work, and a minimum of $60 million annually to all state conservancies for three years for climate resilience.
In the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, for example, some of those funds will go toward large-scale projects to restore watersheds throughout the 25-million-acre region. Other targeted areas in the state include beaches, dunes,
fisheries and critical infrastructure that increase climate resilience. Enhancing wetlands will help mitigate flooding and
sea level rise but also pulls
carbon naturally from the atmosphere.
Our water and drought package includes more than $1 billion in nature-based solutions. The funds will also assist in the restoration of habitats to promote other native species. It enhances wildlife corridors,
fish passages, stream flows and restores ecosystems across the state.
Last year, California wildfires burned over 4 million acres and released 112 million tons of greenhouse gases. Some, such as the CZU Complex
Fire that ravaged Big Basin Park and parts of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, were started by the 15,000 lightning strikes from one August storm. We are investing record amounts of funding on both wildfire prevention and mitigation.
In 2020, we signed an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to partner on reducing fire risks by prioritizing public safety, using science to guide forest management and improving coordination. The passage of the
Biden administration’s bipartisan infrastructure deal is more good news: It will provide more money for forest thinning, restoration and salary increases for federal firefighters who are grossly underpaid.
By Bob Wieckowski - who represents the 10th District in the California State Senate and was part of the California Senate delegation at the
COP 26 U.N.
Climate Change Conference in
Scotland.
JUSTIN
TIME -
The Canadian Prime Minister gave a flawless speech at COP26,
leading the charge against rising temperatures on planet
earth. Though included in the Dirty Dozen because of oil
exports and deforestation, the move to cap emissions from producers - coupled
with the pledge of significant funding for transition to
cleaner technology, makes Mr Trudeau
a clear climate
champion, on a par with Sir David Attenborough, Leonardo di
Caprio and John Kerry, except that Canada is still exporting
fossil fuels to the US and cutting down trees. Though we hope
sustainably in light of the above.
Killed between
1,200 and 2,500 people and has the distinction of being the
conflagration that caused the most deaths by fire in United
States history. It was overshadowed by the Great
Chicago Fire that occurred on the same day.
87 people (incl. 78
firefighters) killed and several towns destroyed across North
Idaho and Western Montana. ~2,000 separate blazes burned an
area the size of Connecticut in what is believed to be the
largest fire in U.S. history.
Spanning from Lac
La Biche, AB to almost Prince Albert, SK. Village of Lac La
Biche destroyed. 300+ people homeless. An estimated $200,000
in property damage.
Cause: drought, high winds,
lightning. Forest Fire area burned is an estimation.
12 firefighters who
parachuted near the fire and 1 forest ranger died after being
overtaken by a 200-foot wall of fire at the top of a gulch
near Helena, Montana.
In 1985, nearly
93,000 acres of forest, wetlands and farmland burned in
northeastern North Carolina in one of the biggest fires in
modern state history
1147 wildfires in
central and northern Manitoba in the spring & summer of
1989. 24,500 people evacuated from 32 communities. Over 100
homes destroyed. Worst fire season in province's history.
Cause: severe drought, human and natural ignition sources.
4899 fires, burned
342 homes, $390 million timber lost.
1998
14,800 acres
(6,000 ha)
Silver Creek Fire
British Columbia
Immediately SW of
Salmon Arm, BC. Cause was lightning. Approximately 7,000
people evacuated. Over 40 buildings destroyed. It cost over
$10,000,000 to extinguish.
Burned about 420
dwellings in Los Alamos, New Mexico, damaged >100 buildings
at Los Alamos National Laboratory; $1 billion damage, second
worst fire in state's recorded history
Burned along the
crest of the Cascade Mountains between Mount Washington and
Mount Jefferson including 40,419 acres (163.57 km2)
within the Mount Jefferson Wilderness.
A series of
wildfires that killed 9 people and injured 85 (including 61
firefighters). Burned at least 1,500 homes from the Santa
Barbara County to the U.S.–Mexico border.
In Northern
California, the fires were mostly started by lightning. In
Santa Barbara (Southern California), the Gap fire endangered
homes and lives. The Basin Complex and Gap fire were the
highest priority fires in the state at this time.
Also known as the
Lava Canyon fire this was the largest fire in BC in 2009.
Started 31 July by lightning this fire made news when it
threatened a wild horse population.
Burned through
Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada and its surrounding area from 14
May 2011 through 16 May 2011. The fire destroyed roughly
one-third of Slave Lake and cost $1.8 billion.
Largest wildfire in
New Mexico state history. Began in the Gila Wilderness as two
separate fires that converged, both started by lightning.
Destroyed 12 homes in Willow Creek, NM.
Rampart Range and
West Colorado Springs with 346 homes destroyed primarily in
the Mountain Shadows neighborhood, it is the second most
destructive fire in state history. Two fatalities reported.
North of Colorado
Springs, Large, fast-spreading fire due to dry conditions,
high heat and restless winds. Destroyed 509 homes and left 17
homes partially damaged. As of 13 June 2013 it became the most
destructive fire in Colorado state history.
Occurred in
Yosemite National Park. Biggest wildfire on record in the
Sierra Nevada, and fourth largest wildfire in California
history. Started 17 August 2013 and was contained on 24
October 2013.
Four wildfires
merged to become the largest single wildfire in Washington
state history(Of the 3,000,000 acres Great
Fire of 1910, only 150,000 acres were in Washington.)
Said to have been
the largest set of wildfires in 30 years in the Northwest
Territories. Total cost of firefighting was between C$55
and C$56 million compared to the normal budget C$7.5 million.
There were no reported deaths.
Largest fire
evacuation in Alberta history (88,000 on 3 May, a further
8,000 on 16 May). Over 2,400 homes and buildings destroyed.
Costliest disaster in Canadian history.
The 2017 BC fire
season is notable for three reasons; first, for the largest
total area burnt in a fire season in recorded history; second,
for the largest number of total evacuees in a fire season
(Estimated 65,000 evacuees); and third, for the largest single
fire ever in British Columbia.
Largest wildfire in
modern California history at the time (see 1889 Santiago
Canyon fire that may have been larger). Spread fast due to
strong winds and unusual dry weather in December.
Timber
grown for wood is only good if part of a
replanting
scheme, with at
least 2 trees planted for every one felled, though we would suggest up
to 10 trees should be planted to offset the loss of carbon absorption
during growth.
We
need to plant more trees - a whole lot more trees, not clear them, and
especially not waste timber that is a vital renewable resource for zero
carbon house building. Forest fires that cause deforestation are raising
the temperature of Planet
Earth and there is no Planet
B.
1.
TRANSPORT:
Phase out polluting vehicles.
Governments aim to end the sale of new petrol,
and diesel vehicles by
2040 but have no infrastructure plan to support such ambition. Such
infrastructure should exceed the performance of fossil
fuel filling stations, prolong EV
battery life and provide power grids with a measure of load leveling.
Any such system should seek to obviate the provision of millions of fast
charge points where implementation could prove to be a logistical
nightmare and an inefficient energy delivery system. This may involve
international agreement as to energy storage format and statute to steer
car makers to collaborate (in part) in a world of competition.
Marine
transport can be carbon neutral given the right policies, with phased
transition in specific stages such as not to unduly penalize present
investment in LNG
shipping and other recent MARPOL
compliant IC
powered vessels. Future cargo vessel should be at least in part powered
by renewable energy, on the road to zero carbon via the development of
shorter distance ferries
and the like, making allowances for
technology catch-up from 2030 with scrappage
trade in on outdated ships and marine
taxes on internal
combustion engines.
Air
travel powered by kerosene
should attract hefty mitigation offset, where low carbon alternatives
should be encouraged.
3.
HOUSING:
On site micro or macro
generation is the best option, starting with new build homes that are
both affordable and sustainable by design to replace crumbling housing
stocks. Encourage building in timber to provide carbon lock from a
renewable natural resource. Make sustainable housing a permitted
development. Taking out the need to apply for planning permission, will
cut out council blockers from the decision making process, to stamp out
empire building agendas.
4.
AGRICULTURE:
We need to grow more trees
to absorb carbon emissions from a growing
population, air travel, and to build new homes. We should promote
reductions in food waste and eating of foods that use less energy to
produce. Educating children on these matters in schools and via
campaigns such as no
meat Mondays, should be part of ordinary study.
5.
INDUSTRY:
Factories should be aiming for solar heating and onsite renewable energy
generation. EV parking and even service facilities should be part of new
industrial estates as part of any building permissions.
6.
POLITICS:
- National governing bodies need
to adopt rules to eliminate administrative wastages, to include scaling
down spending on war machines, increasing spend on educating the public
and supporting sustainable social policies that mesh with other
cultures. This includes fostering policies and making funds available to
close links in the technology chain to make up for lost time. Kleptocratic
empire building must cease in the search for natural equilibrium.
...
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LINKS
& REFERENCE
https://
SOIL
EROSION - The
more land that we lose to grow crops the greater the food security
issue. As the ice caps melt, desertification spreads to make Earth more
uninhabitable.
