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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Fires this time........
The most ominous thing about these fires is that they are not merely an effect of climate change, they are a cause.
The burning of the forests and tundra is releasing astounding quantities of carbon, stored for centuries in the wood and the permanently frozen subsoil.
Melting permafrost releases methane, a greenhouse gas many times more destructive of the worlds climate than carbon dioxide.
The fires are in fact a feedback mechanism, accelerating climate change as climate change accelerates them.
In one of Ray Bradburys searing, never-to-be-unread short stories, an astronaut in a space suit is floating languidly in space, musing on his existence and the wonderful perspective he has on the blue planet Earth below him. Shortly we learn that these are the musings of a doomed man, as he is in fact hurtling toward that earth and will die a fiery death when he hits the atmosphere. Just before that happens, we leave him, and join a mother and small child taking an evening walk as the child looks up in wonder and says, Look, Mom! A shooting star!
Somewhere in the northern hemisphere tonight, a small child will look up in wonder and say, Look, Mom! What a pretty sunset!
The burning of the forests and tundra is releasing astounding quantities of carbon, stored for centuries in the wood and the permanently frozen subsoil.
Melting permafrost releases methane, a greenhouse gas many times more destructive of the worlds climate than carbon dioxide.
The fires are in fact a feedback mechanism, accelerating climate change as climate change accelerates them.
In one of Ray Bradburys searing, never-to-be-unread short stories, an astronaut in a space suit is floating languidly in space, musing on his existence and the wonderful perspective he has on the blue planet Earth below him. Shortly we learn that these are the musings of a doomed man, as he is in fact hurtling toward that earth and will die a fiery death when he hits the atmosphere. Just before that happens, we leave him, and join a mother and small child taking an evening walk as the child looks up in wonder and says, Look, Mom! A shooting star!
Somewhere in the northern hemisphere tonight, a small child will look up in wonder and say, Look, Mom! What a pretty sunset!
Excellent website, and writer.
http://www.dailyimpact.net/2015/07/22/the-fires-this-time/#more-2993
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The Fires this time........ (Original Post)
dixiegrrrrl
Aug 2015
OP
ananda
(28,866 posts)1. Both result and cause at the same time.
Geez
niyad
(113,336 posts)2. k and r and thank you!
n2doc
(47,953 posts)3. Positive Feedback n/t
me b zola
(19,053 posts)4. K&R
countryjake
(8,554 posts)5. KICK!
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)6. Looks as if we have reached the 2070 rate already. n/t
countryjake
(8,554 posts)7. That's what I thought when I saw the graphic (note it's from 2012)
For the Pacific Northwest, the second image definitely looks like this year's fire season.
Washington burns.
And we can't breath. And the Evergreens, Rivers, and Fish are dying.
The Future is coming faster and faster, now.
countryjake
(8,554 posts)8. kickety!
A really great read!
Response to dixiegrrrrl (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)10. I was watching KING 5 on line, and reading the PNW sites...
pictures were ghastly.
There are some smoke maps that show smoke air as far down as South Ala. but they are inaccurate...we have had clear blue skies all month.