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  1. squintamongdablind on

    |One lesson climate change teaches us again and again is that bad things can happen ahead of schedule. Model predictions for climate impacts have tended to be optimistically biased. But now, unfortunately, the heating is accelerating, outpacing scientists’ expectations.

    Our future on this rock is looking pretty bleak.

  2. Apprehensive-Care20z on

    just fyi for the folks reading,

    It isn’t just that the average temperature increased by 1.5 degrees. It’s how large scale weather patterns shift, which means how rainfall patterns move. How ocean cycles change.

    But getting back to temperature, one degree warmer on the entire planet is an insanely huge amount of energy.

    *to raise the temperature of the planet one degree Celsius requires about 5 exaJoules (5 with 18 zeros after it) of energy.*

    That’s a hell of a lot of extra energy in the atmosphere.

  3. Important-Owl-8152 on

    You obviously do not understand what the Governor did not do. Based on Many recommendations he did not equip the areas above the developments water towers. Because environmental wackos, found a bug with 3 buttholes that needed protection.

  4. The comments on that article are so sad. Half are complete denial of climate change and ridiculing the author the other half are just blanket claims about how capitalism is the true enemy….

    I have been glued to this current event and am so saddened by it, but I really hope there is some way the people will collectively learn from it.

    There needs to be action and agency when it comes to smarter city and building planning. There needs to be controlled burning and forest management. There needs to be a reduction in fossil fuels and increase in passive homes with metal siding/roofing.

    But lastly I agree with the author this will get worse and be at all of our door steps before we know it.

    Prepare for fires, prepare for drought, prepare for tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, flooding, famine, pandemics and even war.

    The world is beautiful but it takes mindful work just like everything else in our day to day lives.

  5. So, just to level set for everybody coming out with the right-wing talking point that this is an aberration and it has nothing to do with climate change and everything with bad policy on the part of California Democrats:

    – You’re dead wrong
    – this is happening all around the world
    – it’s getting worse
    – the main driver is climate change

    More background:

    Wildfires encroaching on areas settled by humans have become increasingly common and severe over the past decade due to factors like climate change, urban expansion into wildland areas, and forest management practices. Here’s an overview of recent trends and notable examples:

    Increasing Frequency and Severity

    1. Climate Change: Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and more erratic weather patterns have made forests drier and more prone to ignition.

    2. Urban Expansion: The growth of cities and communities into wildland areas (wildland-urban interface, or WUI) has increased the risk of fires impacting human settlements.

    3. Forest Management Practices: Decades of fire suppression have led to the accumulation of combustible materials, making fires more intense when they do occur.

    Notable Examples

    1. Australia (2019–2020): The Black Summer fires burned over 46 million acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and killed 33 people directly. The fires encroached on major settlements, including suburbs of Sydney and Canberra.

    2. United States:

    California: The Camp Fire (2018) devastated the town of Paradise, killing 85 people and destroying nearly 19,000 structures. Wildfires have increasingly threatened cities like Los Angeles and San Diego.

    Hawaii: In 2023, wildfires on Maui, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, destroyed much of Lahaina, killing at least 100 people.

    3. Canada: Wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta have grown more frequent and severe, with 2023 seeing record-breaking fires that blanketed cities in smoke.

    4. Europe:

    Greece (2021 and 2023): Fires destroyed villages and tourist areas on the islands of Rhodes and Evia, leading to evacuations and damage to homes and infrastructure.

    Portugal and Spain have also faced major wildfires impacting settlements due to heatwaves and droughts.

    5. South America:

    Brazil: Fires in the Amazon, often set for deforestation, have encroached on indigenous and rural communities, leading to displacement and loss of livelihoods.

    Chile (2023): Devastating wildfires destroyed homes and infrastructure, particularly in the central regions.

    6. Africa: Fires in North Africa, particularly Algeria, have destroyed towns and claimed lives, exacerbated by extreme heat and arid conditions.

    7. Asia: Wildfires in Siberia (Russia) have burned close to populated areas, fueled by unprecedented heatwaves and lack of resources to combat them.

    Worsening Trends

    The intensity and reach of wildfires are expected to increase due to ongoing climate changes and human activities. Urban planning and fire mitigation strategies (like creating firebreaks and promoting fire-resistant building materials) are critical to reducing the impact on settlements.

    Would you like specific recommendations for fire safety or further details on any of these examples?

  6. StalkMeNowCrazyLady on

    You don’t even need to be a climate scientist. The fact that for almost 100 years the city has had to pipe it’s water supply in from 230 miles away and has already dried up one lake should have been enough proof. If an area doesn’t have the most basic resource to sustain life, you shouldn’t be living there. It’s that simple.