When the images came over Janice's cell phone early Thursday we knew our niece (Vanessa - who sent them) and her hubby, were in the midst of a stark and sudden emergency. They had received the order to evacuate their home in northern Colorado - between Estes Park and Fort Collins - and had barely an hour to gather all their belongings and escape. Why? Well the Cameron Peak fire (largest in Colorado history) was bearing down on them from the north, and the East Troublesome fire threatened from the east.
Their story is one of thousands told in the wake of the four largest wildfires in the state's history. Scenes accompanying all the stories showing not only the towering flames but the lines of vehicles trying to escape the mobile infernos. (Only now somewhat calmed after a major snow storm last night.) Fortunately Vanessa and hubby, Mitch, already had an emergency plan in case they had to evacuate. Here in a fire state like Colorado, we all have one - which entails putting all valuables (including passports, Social Security and Medicare cards. ID etc.) in easily portable compact safes or briefcases. Also, having necessary clothes - for at least a week- packed up in suitcases.
It is now becoming absolutely clear these fires - and likely the ones before them (in 2012) are tied to global warming - climate change. Look, it no longer requires a Mensa level I.Q. to see that the direct effects have arrived and are hurting tens of thousands of Coloradans - not just from the flames themselves - but the choking air- exposing hundreds of thousands to heavy particulates discharged into the atmosphere.
Look no further than Commerce City teacher Renee Chacon, quoted in the Sunday Denver Post (p. 12A): "We're choking ourselves to death!" She concluded this after desperately closing her home's windows against an ominous, billowing, gray-brown barrage. Engendering scenes such as that below in Fraser, when Carole Roberts had to escape to her friend's home.
"Multiple weeks and even months of exposure to fire smoke will lead to increased respiratory infections and mortality."
She went on to note that the increased hospitalizations occur especially for those with asthma and COPD.
Getting back to the fires themselves, we now have records that show that 8 of Colorado's 20 largest "megafires" - including this year's Cameron Peak fire- hit after 2018. Also, all occurred in the last two decades, while the three largest occurred in the last three months.
Basically, three aggravating factors have incepted Colorado's biggest, most fearsome fires: 1) higher temperatures, 2) prolonged drought and 3) the rendering of thousands of acres of hollowed out trees into fire tinder.
Both (1) and (2) are directly traced to global warming, and (3) can be as well. I actually highlighted the role of (3) and the pest known as the mountain pine beetle in a June 27, 2012 blog post. Therein I referenced a book entitled The Dying of the Trees. and provided a link showing the beetle is a major catalyst in Colorado's wild fires, e.g.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/science/18trees.html?pagewanted=all
In respect of (1) we now know Colorado's average temperature has increased 2 F since 1990 - faster than the global rate of increase, with temperatures in western Colorado increasing even more. Nor will things get better, especially if we continue to sit on our asses and do nothing in terms of controlling fossil fuels. In the words of state climatologist Russ Schumacher (ibid.):
"And we will see years hotter than we've ever had. There's very high confidence in the climate science community that this warming is going to continue...and because the atmosphere is 'thirstier' in hot years, what moisture you have goes away more quickly."
This brings us to (2) where we learn that "97 percent of the state of Colorado has now been classified in "extreme drought". And "across the Southwest, rising temperatures are drawing down water supplies, especially in the Colorado River basin where the crucial Lake Mead reservoir (which supplies Vegas) has dropped to 39 percent of capacity."
Further, "Streams and rivers will lose 4 to 5 % of water for every 1 degree temperature rise." according to Jeff Lukas author of the 2020 Colorado River Basin State of the Science report.
Given how record-breaking wildfires are hitting the West so hard, it is no wonder resident climate scientists are upping their rhetoric to try to get the public's attention. Thus, as one Colorado State University climate scientist (Scott Denning) related to the Sunday Denver Post (p. 1A):
"We've got to get motivated and cease turning the thermostat up with our actions, or inaction. This is urgent, not a scifi thing .It is us turning up the thermostat. And it does not readily turn down. The farther we turn it up, the worse it will get."
But will there be any motivation to change, or for citizens to push to avert the worst consequences of climate change? It is doubtful until we remove the pestilence of Trump and his administration and clean out the rats he's inserted in all the key agencies - from the EPA to the NOAA and beyond. In the case of the NOAA we learned recently (Denver Post) Trump "removed the agency's chief scientist (Craig McLean) and installed new political staff who have questioned accepted facts about climate change and imposed stricter controls on communication at the agency."
In other words, Trump and his Trumpite vermin have followed a similar gutting process to what they've done already at the CDC. In each case destroying the reputations and credibility of the respective agencies as they control communications and public pressers. Ever more reason to have these Trump cockroaches eliminated on November 3rd.
See Also:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Dealing with climate change requires more fight and less flight
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