A Picture is Worth... Northern California's Wildfires
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 07. 5.08
Image from ESA
There is still no light at the end of the tunnel for fire-besieged Northern California. According to some reports, there are still over 1,000 wildfires burning in the region with little hope for improvement in the near future. Over 1,400 square kilometers of land have already been burnt, and there are more than 19,000 firefighters on hand, many from around the country, helping to put out the blazes.
The image was captured by the European Space Agency's Envisat satellite on June 25.
Image from NASA/AP
Big Sur and Goleta at risk
Things have gotten bad enough that California has had to call on the services of its National Guard troops for the first time in 3 decades, according to the LAT's Eric Bailey. The Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee have been providing excellent ongoing coverage of the situation and have crafted helpful resources such as this Google map recording the latest wildfire detections.
Via ::Los Angeles Times: National Guard to help fight No. California fires; blaze in Santa Barbara threatens homes (news website)
More California wildfires
::NASA Satellite Pictures Capture Wildfires' Breadth
::Global Warming or Not: The Debate Over California's Wildfires
::Wildfires Causing Further Deterioration of Southern California's Air Quality
It's looking very bleak; especially when you consider how early in the fire season it is - it's difficult to imagine that it's going to be a devastating summer.
California,,,,,the highest polluting state in the US because they do not cut down enough trees. They need a deforestation plan that works. Those Treehuggers got what they deserved, too much overgrowth and now fires that are unmanageable. Its amazing what mother nature does when you let her....burns down trees and throw more CO2 in the air if you don't. These fires are so much more devastating than cars....but we drive cars and not trees to they want to take them away any fun we have. What a nutty state.
Foosfan
Bring in the Russian Supertankers and the 747 NOW!!! --THE MARS BOMBERS ARE GREAT BUT THEY CARRY ONLY HALF THE WATER LOAD OF A SUPERTANKER. WE OWE IT TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND EVERYONE ELSE TO BRING IN THE 7 SUPERTANKERS THEY'RE NOT USING, BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE HURT-OR WORSE!-Call the Governor at: 1-916-445-2841 (see: waterbomber.org -or: evergreen supertanker -on internet. I might add also that the main strategy followed by the California and U.S. fire agencies seems to be to tell people to trim their bushes and pray for rain (in other words, blame the victims-which seems to be what government is good at). We'd better abolish these predatory agencies and let people contract their own fire protection. Of course if we did that, there wouldn't be any out of control wildfires because they would be put out immediatly by private operators and Supertankers whose paychecks depend on results instead of time-serving bureautic stagnation as we've had for decades. Further, in commenting on the runaway wildfires in northern California I wish to observe again that Supertankers are THE answer to wildfires if used in the BEGINNING of the fires, instead of waiting until the deadly fire spreads to monumental proportions (as the fire services usually do) as it has now. If the 6 Russian Supertankers and Boeing- 747 up in Oregon were called in now the fires could possibly still be put out. But I expect the fire officials to dither around for months, as usual, and never bring in the Supertankers that can do the job. We should call the Governor at 1-916-445-2841 and demand these 7 more Supertankers now, and a future investigation of the top fire officials. -Ed Nemechek.-760-246-8059.
In a response to foosfan:
I live in Northern California because of the shared view of limited resources that most of the communities have. In the state of California we have the toughest emissions regulation in the country, not just for the overall environment, but because the wind blows to the east (which is probably where you are). So your welcome.
Is it rally going to take massive detestation that touches every American before we all focus on this world wide problem. If we all do nothing for selfish reasons that is what surely will come.
Judging from this earlier comment I am inclined to hope that the predictions of 90% of the population being wiped form the earth happens, and soon. They say ignorance is bliss, and I am miserable.
I live up where the fires are at and neither of our airports are big enough for the 747 or the IL-76 to land at being that the longest runway available is 7,000ft and the minimum recommended runway length for a 747 is 6,600ft and the IL-76 requires 9,840ft
http://ci.redding.ca.us/transeng/airports/rma.htm
http://ci.redding.ca.us/transeng/airports/benton.htm
http://www.sdcraa.com/documents/planning/assp/tier_one/Appendix%20B_Aircraft%20Runway%20Length%20Requirements.pdf
http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/vvs/il76-01.htm
my parents live up there and from what they said at least for redding the air has been getting better to the point where you can at least go outside for leisure purposes again... still pretty bad though, canceled fourth of july festivities (with the air still being bad either way and fire hazard can't blame them). Hoping it's taken care of soon, redding still has a ton of growth in and around the city =/
In response to foosfan and Ed Nemechek:
A quick lesson on the natural history of California:
That huge green patch in the middle of the state is a great valley. No, it's not two (referred to as the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valleys), it's one.This valley was actually a savannah. Very dry, hot summers. Extremely wet winters. Fire is a natural part of the California summer. Yes it sucks for humans and some wildlife but it cleanses the land and promotes new growth which is necessary. Flooding is also natural. The valley is supposed to flood during the winter. This creates vernal pools teaming with life. We have destroyed the savannah of California by blocking waterways and destroying land that is at first "preserved" (but tilled until it is completely changed and cannot support the life that once thrived there), then it's used for farmland, then it's turned into real estate. Foosfan, before commenting on a subject, you should research it. You obviously know nothing about California. As for Ed, thanks for your input. You made a very good point.