Wildfires

Paul Hata asked:


It is at increasingly alarming rates at which deforestation runs right now. More than 80% of the forested areas have been compromised since the year 2003. If you try to take a look at the satellite overviews of deforested sites, you can almost actually see that there is nothing left of the green lands that we richly used to possess.

Now, you can only watch bits and pieces of it floating separately and widely away from each other. Controlling deforestation is a controversial issue these days; and the means of plotting the rate is available for man to use. However, man could be the only key for the future survival of the planet. Without much enthusiasm and care for the remaining part of nature, it is likely to flourish one day without us knowing about it.

The Earth is totally threatened by the loss of nature because it remains to be our number one hope in breathing and living on this planet. Unbeknownst to many, the biggest forests are the homes of carbon and the lungs of the earth. Without them functioning properly, our vital means to live will be lost; and there is no way of taking it back anymore. The support nature gives us should be repaid with utmost care and affection. Man should follow the path to nature restoration before everything else gets out of control.

How To Preserve Nature

There are complex ways where we can reach our hands out to nature. First, distinguish environmental necessities from luxuries. The latter are the ones that are nice to have but are actually costless. Necessities are the basic things we must have in order to survive. Combat ecological change through knowing what can be eliminated and what should be retained. All that threatens nature, safety of the people, and health should be disregarded.

Simple ways such as saving paper, fixing car fumes, and lessening energy consumption could always be ways to help nature minimize the floating carbon dioxide in the air. These greenhouse gasses are answerable for destroying the ozone, which then is responsible for the UV rays coming in. You see, if we do not take part in the preservation of wildlife, we can lose the battle at any time of the day.

Bigger contributions to nature’s rehabilitation are replanting and controlling the degree of damage to the forested lands. Government policies should strictly be implemented and followed. Illegal use of the forest and its natural inhabitants should thus be constrained. If people are governed by laws which threaten them, they will surely back off from any unlawful and illegitimate activity.

The Future Paths

The future path of deforestation actually depends on human answers and decisions. The endpoint is obviously fatal if things continually get out of hand. Various remodeling and rebuilding efforts are on the move right now; and if the trends continue to rise the good way, the scenario can be totally overwhelming.

Government reinforcement should clearly be demonstrated to finally control deforestation rates and to put unlawful programs to an end. Creation of repression and reserves are the measures used to finally stop unauthorized practice. If things go about this way, and if people are eager to follow, the future path of the world can clearly be predicted.

The critical step to controlling deforestation is asking people to join. Without the world’s largest number of inhabitants on the move, our drive to halt deforestation could not take place. The support that the government and the citizens can give is the most crucial ingredient to finally say goodbye to such unlawful practice.



FELIX

Roger Munns asked:


Vail Resorts in Vail Colorado operates one of the largest recycling programs of any ski resort in North America and their on-mountain recycling program is the largest of its kind in North America.

Vail Resorts consists of five mountain resorts. Each resort receives monetary contributions of $1 from each skier per season pass, online lift ticket transaction and night spent at the resort in the Colorado and California locations.

Since the program began, Vail has received more than $550,000 in guest contributions. The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has matched the contributions by more than $275,000. All funds are used for projects that aim to restore, improve and protect Vail’s neighboring National Forests.

The effort put forth by Vail Resorts owners, employees and skiers alike gives a glimpse into the number of skiers who are concerned about the environment. The preservation of National Forests is a major factor in the success of not only Vail Resorts but other ski resorts worldwide. The environment skiers are helping protect is the same environment that attracts them to Vail Resorts to begin with.

Vail’s five major resorts are some of the most visited and most family friendly resorts in North America.

Families can learn very valuable lessons about wildlife preservation, recycling and environmental issues. Currently, Vail’s recycling program recycles about 70 percent of on-mountain waste. The amount of waste recycled equals nearly one pound per guest, and about 100 tons of material per month are recycled during an average ski season.

Some of the most notably environment friendly parts of the resorts are:

* Beaver Creek’s Spruce Saddle Lodge. The lodge is the first ski resort restaurant to become a Certified Green Restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association. The GRA is a national non-profit organization that dedicates its time to setting sustainable environmental standards within the restaurant industry.

Spruce Saddle Lodge is one of the first resort restaurants to be recognized by the GRA for multiple environmental breakthroughs. The restaurant uses recycled, tree-free, biodegradable and organic products throughout the lodge. It also maintains impressive water efficiency, energy and conservation levels and recycling and composting programs.

* Keystone Composting at Keystone Ranch Restaurant. Keystone’s composting program began in 2002 and has grown immensely over the years. More than 500 pounds of kitchen waste per week is being diverted from the landfill.

Combined with efforts from the Keystone Conference Center, food scraps and wood shavings create the soil used in landscaping throughout the resort. Similar composting programs are being established by other resorts.

* Heavenly Waste Reduction, in partnership with California’s El Dorado County, diverts about 482 tons of recyclable waste from landfills each year.

Surrounding communities are also encouraged to keep yard wastes out of local landfills. An annual event, Compost Your Combustibles, educates and encourages citizens to participate in recycling and composting efforts.

* Vail Resorts and RockResorts. Recycling programs are in place for all employees and guests of any Vail Resorts or RockResorts.

They promote water conservation to guests by promoting the reuse of towels and linens for multi-night stays.

Restaurants on the resorts use biodegradable, compostable and recycled food and beverage containers and flatware. The resorts recycle beverage and food containers and paper items used in all resort operations.

All areas of the resorts use environment-friendly cleaning products that are not only safer for the environment, but for guests and employees as well.

Resorts worldwide are becoming more environmentally aware and passing their knowledge on to their guests. With the help of their guests, they are able to conserve more water and recycle and compost more waste in a broader range of areas of resort operations.

The efforts put forth by these resorts and others around the world help protect the environment and wildlife that attracts their visitors.



TYRONE

Rachel Yoshida asked:


For many of us, we grew up being taught at school and watching television commercials about Smokey the Bear. He is the role model that we used to learn about fire safety in the forest and other places. We probably did not give as much thought to the importance of what he was saying as we should have then, but you can bet that many people who have had their homes burned down because of out of control forest fires do now.

Homes are only one thing that is destroyed when people are careless with fires in the woods. It can be a simple accident or a lack of taking the proper precautions when they are camping or just cooking out in a park or other outdoor area. There are even certain individuals who enjoy setting forest fires deliberately. There is no understandable reason why anyone would do this other than some emotional disturbance.

The forest fires that are started innocently can usually be avoided if people remember to use certain safety measures before they start a fire:

1. If there is a lot of wind, try not to build a fire if it can be avoided.

2. Be sure the area is cleared so the fire can be contained. There should be no bushes, brush, or any flammable liquid or other materials near the spot.

3. Keep some water nearby to extinguish the fire with. A rake or shovel can also help to get a fire out quickly if it is small enough.

4. Do not leave a fire unattended at any time whether you are in a forest setting or burning brush at home.

5. When there has been extremely dry weather, it is not a good idea to build a fire out doors unless it is absolutely necessary.

6. Always make sure a fire is completely out with no coals or embers still burning before you leave the area.

If you try your best to follow these rules when you build a fire out doors, you should not have any problems. We should realize how destructive an out of control forest fire can become. Forest fires are not always started by humans because Mother Nature plays her part sometimes too, but would you not **** to know that you inadvertently caused a forest fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to the forest and the property of other people.



JARROD

Anil Tandon asked:


Forests are one of the most valuable eco-systems in the world, containing over 60 per cent of the world’s biodiversity. This biodiversity has multiple social and economic values, apart from its intrinsic value, varying from the important ecological functions of forests in terms of soil and watershed protection to the economic value of the numerous products which can be extracted from the forest. For many indigenous and other forest-dependent peoples, forests are their livelihood. They provide them with edible and medicinal plants, bushmeat, fruits, honey, shelter, firewood and many other goods, as well as with cultural and spiritual values. On a global scale, all forests play a crucial role in climate regulation and constitute one of the major carbon sinks on earth, their survival thus preventing an increase in the greenhouse effect

Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest land use such as

arable land, urban use, logged area or wasteland. Historically, this meant conversion to grassland or to its artificial counterpart, grainfields; however, the Industrial Revolution added urbanization. Generally this removal or destruction of significant areas of for forest cover has resulted in a degraded environment with reduced biodiversity. In developing countries, massive deforestation is ongoing & is shaping climate and geography.

Deforestation results from removal of trees without sufficient reforestation; however, even with reforestation, significant biodiversity loss may occur. There are many causes, ranging from slow forest degradation to sudden and catastrophic wildfires. Deforestation can be the result of the deliberate removal of forest cover for agriculture or urban development, or it can be an unintentional consequence of uncontrolled grazing (which can prevent the natural regeneration of young trees). The combined effect of grazing and fires can be a major cause of deforestation in dry areas. In addition to the direct effects brought about by forest removal, indirect effects caused by edge effects and habitat fragmentation can greatly magnify the effects of deforestation.

The most important direct causes of deforestation include logging, the conversion of forested lands for agriculture and cattle-raising, urbanization, mining and oil exploitation, acid rain and fire. However, there has been a tendency of highlighting small-scale migratory farmers or “poverty” as the major cause of forest loss. Such farmers tend to settle along roads through the forest, to clear a patch of land and to use it for growing subsistence or cash crops. In tropical forests, such practices tend to lead to rapid soil degradation as most soils are too poor to sustain agriculture

Growing worldwide demand for wood to be used for fire wood or in construction, paper and furniture - as well as clearing land for commercial and industrial development (including road construction) have combined with growing local populations and their demands for agricultural expansion and wood fuel to endanger ever larger forest areas. Deforestation of all forms must be curbed by the developed and developing nations of the world on a war footing. The forests are the Earth’s lungs and we need to keep breathing.



ELI

Eva Torriente Diaz asked:


?         About Global Warming

 

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and its oceans, a change that WILL permanently upset the Earth’s CLIMATE FOREVER,-unless we all start working toghether, and immediately to avoid this.-  

While many view the effects of global warming to be more substantial and more rapidly occurring than others do, the scientific consensus on climatic changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100 years. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are believed to be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past 50 years.

Scientists from many parts of the world,-carrying out global warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100.

Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and severity of storms and other severe weather events.

Earth is naturally insulated by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or “greenhouse”) gases in the atmosphere. When the sun shines on the Earth, some of that heat is absorbed, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.

The problem is that over the last century, we humans have been releasing more and more carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere when we burn fuels and cut down forests. These additional gases have upset the natural balance of our atmosphere, trapping more heat than is healthy for the Earth.

The result is human-caused global warming, which brings serious threats from increased flooding to the spread of disease to the disruption of agriculture in many parts of the world.

Scientists tell us that stopping global warming is urgent — we have just a few years to turn around the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst effects. The good news is that we can achieve these emissions reductions with effective national policies and international treaties. We must insist that businesses and governments join individuals around the world to greatly increase energy efficiency, widely adopt renewable energy, and commit to stopping climate change. Success is possible, but we need your help.

No human challenge is so potentially uniting as the climate crisis. Our human drive to invent and build has led to extraordinary advances and great technological promise. It’s also had grave, unintended consequences. And unless we face the climate crisis with ingenuity, resolve, and a sense of urgency, much of the world as we know it will begin to unravel before our eyes.

The warning signs are plain to see. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Mountain glaciers are fading on every continent and the sea ice is melting. The seas have begun a slow but menacing rise.

The science behind global warming is often portrayed as enormously complex, but some of it is quite simple. It begins with a ray of light, shot through space from the staggering inferno of our sun. That sunbeam delivers energy to earth, giving us light and warmth and life.

As some of this energy radiates back toward space as heat, a portion is absorbed by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or “greenhouse”) gases in the atmosphere that create an insulating layer. Without the temperature control of this greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be 0°F (-18°C), a temperature so low that the Earth would be frozen and could not sustain human life as we know it.

The most abundant of the greenhouse gases is water vapor. In addition, there are other powerful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide. Each of these is a natural part of the never-ending cycle of life, death, and decomposition on Earth.

But since the onset of the Industrial Revolution humans have been pumping out more and more of these and other greenhouse gases. Scientists are clear: human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases.

Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air. The second most important addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is related to deforestation, mainly in the tropics, as well as other land-use changes.

 But we can look back even further. By drilling into the deepest glacial ice we can measure CO2 deep into time. And this ice library shows more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than at any time in last 650,000 years.

As a result of the build up of gases, the temperature is beginning to rise. Adults today have already felt the average global temperature rise more than a full degree Fahrenheit (0.8°C) during our lifetimes.

For a global system that is delicately balanced, the rise in temperatures will pose serious threats:



Rising sea levels, leading to more coastal erosion, flooding during storms, and permanent inundation

Increased drought and increased incidence of wildfires

Severe stress on many forests, wetlands, alpine regions, and other natural ecosystems

Impacts on human health as mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects and rodents spread diseases over larger geographical regions

Disruption of agriculture in some parts of the world due to increased temperature, water stress, and sea-level rise in low-lying areas such as Bangladesh or the Mississippi River delta



Other projected impacts include increased intensity of hurricanes;

 The long-term destabilization of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, leading to much greater sea level rise; the acidification of the world’s oceans; and a vastly increased rate of species extinction.

Wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon could collapse under the weight of just a few more degrees. And hundreds of millions of people may be forced from their homelands as the climate shifts, creating increased political and economic instability.

According to a study led by a distinguished British economist, Sir Nicholas Stern, suggests that under business-as-usual scenarios climate change could reduce overall economic activity in the range of 5 to 20%-more likely on the high side of this range. Think Great Depression, or world war.

We can - and must - act urgently if we are to limit and eventually halt the impacts of global warming on human communities and natural ecosystems. The greater the magnitude and rate of warming, the greater the chances are for truly devastating - and potentially irreversible - changes in the Earth’s climate system. Even by acting today to reduce our emissions from cars, power plants, land use, and other sources, we will see some degree of continued warming for a period of time because past emissions will stay in the atmosphere for decades or more.

 But, the window for effective action is closing fast and responding to the climate crisis will take commitment and ingenuity. The actions we take in the next several years will determine the kind of world that will survive.-

WE MUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY DOING THIS FOR US, BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.-

We have lacked full global leadership and political will to implement these solutions,- even if our future depends on it. But now we need to insist that businesses and governments all over the world join individuals in taking the steps needed to get the job done. We need to help citizens everywhere understand how the choices they make in their daily lives can make a real difference, and we need to provide incentives for all of us to make better choices.

The climate forces we have set loose are great indeed. But the world we build as we move forward to meet this challenge will be a sight to behold. This is our opportunity to come together and make a real difference,- “BUT WE MOST START TO ACT NOW”   !!!!

WHAT WE CAN DO:

===============

MOST PEOPLE don’t realize that solid waste reduction and recycling help address global climate change. How? The manufacture, distribution and use of products – as well as management of the resulting waste – all result in greenhouse gas emissions. Waste prevention and recycling reduce greenhouse gases associated with these activities by reducing methane emissions, saving energy, and increasing forest carbon sequestration.

THEREFORE, YOU CAN HELP IN MANY WAYS:

===================================

1) Seal and Insulate your house.-

2) Heat and cool “Smartly”

3) Reduce, Reuse, and Recicle (the 3 R’s)

4) Have more plants and trees in your yard.

5) Use water efficiently.- Save on the use of water.

6) Use fuel economy vehicles, to eliminate air pollution

7) Avoid using your car when ever possible.

Avoid using plastic or paper bags when grocery shopping.- Bring your  own shopping bags,- like ones used to go the beach.

9) MOST OF ALL - SPREAD THE WORD !!!!  

 ”lLets just hope that it is not too late, and we still have a chance to SAVE OUR PLANET !!!!

 Eva de la Torriente Diaz

JULY 22, 2008



NICKOLAS

Aydan Corkern asked:


Although Australia had been discovered and inhabited long before 1770 when the British Government laid claim to the eastern half of it, it was not until this time that is became somewhat civilized. Even then it was a penal colony where many criminals were sent to work off their sentences and this particular civilization began about 1788 in the colony of New South Wales. It was a wild and untamed land that drew many people to it to live and help turn into the magnificent continent it is today.

Many areas known as the outback are still wild and are very treacherous to cross. These remote regions that are densely populated with wildlife also have other indigenous people know as the Aborigines. They have inhabited this land for thousands and thousands of years. Australia, like the North American continent, is now a much more populated place that has for a large part become what we refer to as civilized.

In recent years there has been growing concern about the numbers of wildfires that have been occurring and among them is Australia. The wildfires that have been burning in the northern region of Australia have been able to be monitored by satellite. These sorts of raging fires are common in many countries and are usually considered a natural phenomenon and a natural way for land to burn itself off and become renewed.

The thing that has so many environmentalists concerned is the fact that these fires seem to be occurring more and more frequently in more places nor just in Australia, but all over the world. The northwestern region of the United States has been seeing more than their normal share of wildfires in recent years too. The question is how many of these fires are just a natural occurrence and how many more of them are being caused because of the changes in our climate that some believe to be man made?

The climate change is a topic that is being heavily debated all over the world. Some people absolutely refuse to believe that all of the carbon emissions that we create and dispel into our atmosphere have anything to do with the droughts and fires we are suffering in so many places. Further research will have to be done to reach any specific conclusions, but how much more time could we actually have before things reach the point of no return? By the time we figure for sure whether or not we humans are the cause of the changes in our climate, will it already be too late to make a difference and make things right again?

Ra



EFRAIN

Rachel Yoshida asked:


Severe droughts have been plaguing many parts of our country in recent years. There simply has not been enough rainfall in so many places. Although droughts are common from place to place at almost any given time, it is not that often that they cover so many states at the same time. It has caused real water shortages in states like Georgia and those who live there have had to limit their use of water to only the things that have been absolutely necessary.

During 2007, Southern California suffered greatly when wildfires started and spread throughout several counties leaving behind charred homes and other buildings. It is especially devastating when urban areas experience these fires because they disrupt so many lives. Firefighters struggled to contain the blazes before they reached homes that were in the path of the fire, but unfortunately they were not able to keep it from many of them.

Firefighters had to try and stop the fires from spreading, but with the bone dry weather and the strong Santa Ana winds to help push the fire along, it was such a daunting task to make any headway at all. Hundreds of families had to be evacuated because the fires were inching ever closer to their homes and it seemed that nothing that was tried could stop its progression. Many of these families ended up in shelters and some were even transported to the San Diego Qualcomm Stadium, similar to those that were sheltered in a Louisiana stadium after hurricane Katrina.

It is shocking when residents like those in a town the size of San Diego have to evacuate because of a natural disaster like this. They have a difficult time believing that it is happening to them. At least seven counties in California were declared federal emergency zones and some families that lost everything only had government aid and disaster relief to help them out. Some of these families did not even have emergency supplies for themselves because they never thought they would have need of them.

This only goes to show that none of us can ever be certain when and where a natural disaster will strike. Whether it is from flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, or fires, it is so important for families to have a survival kit prepared for any of these emergencies. When you are forced to evacuate your home, there can be no telling how long you and your family will have to take refuge somewhere and you at least need to have enough supplies to last a few days unless you want to have to completely rely on the goodness of strangers.



BRETT

Aydan Corkern asked:


If you have ever seen a wild fire, you will know how bad it can be and how it can get out f control fast. If your city is under a drought and it is very hot outside, it can cause the dry weeds to catch on fire. When there is no rain to give the plants and the weeds flourish, it will make them turn brown and get very dry. It is like a torch that is ready to be set on fire.

Wild fires will burn down trees, homes, and burn up the land. It is a living thing that burns everything that it wants because it is a destroyer. That is all it does. It kills whatever it wants whenever it wants to. When air gets to it, it will spread into a bigger fire.

Firefighters are really good at what they do, but sometimes it can get out of control and can harm one of them. Sometimes, it won’t hurt them at all. It all depends on how they handle it and how bad the fire is. The firefighter will try to get it out with water before it gets really bad, but sometimes they have to get a helicopter that will carry a good amount of water to pour over it to stop it.

A lot of times, they have to use a lot of them to take care of it. Wild fires are very dangerous so get away from them and get out of the area as fast as possible. It can burn you bad and scar you for life. It also will send toxic smoke into the air and can get into your lungs. It will give you breathing problems, and you will be sent to the hospital.

If the wind is high, it will move the fire in the way that the wind is blowing, causing massive damage. It is as if it has a mind of its own, and it will grow as big as it wants. It will be very hard for the firefighters to get it out, so they have to get the police and anyone else to help put out the fire so no one will get hurt. It is a really scary thing to see or go through. Animals can be killed or hurt. Their home will be gone, and some of them will leave to find a new place to live and find food so they can survive.



ROYAL

Lou Angeli asked:


Big Sur, CA (July 8, 2008) — With dry winds and low humidity in store, the day doesn’t seem to be a promising one for firefighters working fires on California’s central coast. Basin Complex in the Los Padres National Forest has currently destroyed 74,985 acres and is only 11 percent contained. The complex is burning away at one of the nation’s most beautiful destinations, Big Sur. Highway 1 remains closed and the towns of Big Sur and Carmel are threatened and evacuations are in place.

Not far south in the Los Padres, the Gap Fire and taken 9,924 acres and although it is 30 percent contained, today heat and low humidity may reverse their progress. The Gap fire is located six miles northwest of Santa Barbara and is endangering communities, cultural and historical resources, like J. Paul Getty’s home. Evacuations are in order there as well.

The US Forest Service believes that both the Basin and Gap fires were intentionally set and has asked the general public for its help in investigating those blazes.

“The information the public provides could be crucial to our investigation into who is responsible,” said Forest Service Special Agent Heather Campbell.

The high-profile fires at each end of Los Padres National Forest — in Monterey and Santa Barbara counties — were among 330 state blazes burning out of control. So far, about 1,800 fires have burned over 600,000 acres of forests and woodlands and there is no relief in sight. Fires continue to burn statewide in what many predict will be California’s most damaging wildfire season in decades.

The nation’s fire preparedness level on Sunday remained at Level 5, indicating firefighting resources are at their most strained.The idea of fighting so many fires simultaneously is mind-boggling, especially when you consider that stats for national, state and local agencies are released separately. So how many firefighters, engine and helicopters are working?

 At the state level, CalFire (CDF) reports 20,000 plus firefighters operating aboard 1420 engines and in 420 hand crews. The state also has 300 bulldozers, over 400 water tankers and nearly 100 helicopters operating on the frontlines.

National Interagency Fire Command, which coordinates the activities of federal firefighting resources, from its headquarters in Boise, Idaho, reports another 10,000 federal firefighters working in California, with 400 plus engines, 50 helicopters and National Guard C-130’s from Sacramento, Charlotte, Cheyenne, and Colorado Springs.

There are so many fast-moving fires, that they often travel through local fire districts in just a day – sometimes hours. Factor in crews and apparatus from city and county departments that protect areas along the coast, including Carmel, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara City and County, and dozens of volunteer agencies, and the total number of firefighters easily reaches 50,000.

It’s been some time since the nation has stood at Level 5 Firefighting Preparedness, and firefighters and resources from as far away as Delaware and Puerto Rico are serving on the frontlines.

One firefighter safety watchdog group claims that the Federal firefighting system is understaffed. At the start of the season, only 2/3s of the USFS 275 engines were staffed.

“The federal fire system is imploding in California. They are crossing their fingers and just hoping they get through the season without a disaster,” said Casey Judd, who represents government firefighters from five agencies through the Federal Wildland Fire Service Association.

In an interview with the Monterey County Herald, Judd notes that the US Forest Service is 500 firefighters short of its 5,000-member allotment for the Central California region. He argues that Federal firefighters are working alongside CalFire and Municipal colleagues for less money, therefore many seasonal employees don’t return.

With Level 5 staffing already in place – compared to last season’s 2 or 2 –both federal and state government will need to consider additional outsourcing, and red-card training of out-of-state municipal crews. Such needs become extremely critical when you consider that wildfires in populated areas of southern California have not yet begun to burn.

—



JEREMIAH

Janice Henker asked:


It’s not front-page national news.  And the story is probably not the hot topic around the water cooler.  But for the people living in Hawaii, vog has become an absolute nightmare.  Vog, or volcanic smog, is a mix of noxious sulfur dioxide (S02) gas and other pollutants that are being emitted by the ton from Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawaii. 

Air pollution caused by SO2 and other gases emitted from Kilauea became a frequent problem on the Island of Hawaii in 1986.  Before that time, the volcano’s ongoing eruption, which began in 1983, consisted of short periods of lava spurting about once every 3 weeks.  Since then, the flow of magma to the surface has been more pronounced, creating a quiet but constant outflow of poisonous gases.

But in March of 2008, Hawaii’s vog situation worsened.  Three distinct explosions marked the first explosive eruption in the Halema crater since 1924, when a 20–30 metre (65–100 foot) diameter hole was blown in its side.   Sulfur dioxide gas emissions increased rapidly.  On March 13, the Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a rate of 2,000 tons of sulfur dioxide emitted per day— the highest rate since measurements began in 1979.

The effects have been paralyzing.  Residents have been reporting physical complaints such as headaches, breathing difficulties, respiratory difficulties, watery eyes, sore throat and other flu-like symptoms.  Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory ailments have been those hardest hit. 

Residents experiencing respiratory difficulties, who have lived on the island for generations, are being told by doctors to leave.  The financial loss for farmers is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Hospitals are scrambling to provide patients with safe hospital air, with one in Pahala estimating it would cost the hospital $4.7 million for proper air filtration. 

The pressure is on, and while a special vog committee has been created to debate the situation, no immediate solution has been found.  And unlike the tsunamis that effected South East Asia, the floods in New Orleans and the wildfires in California, Hawaii’s natural disaster is relatively… quiet news.  Except, of course, to those living on the Big Island, Oahu, Pahala and other affected areas. 

As Hawaiians search for a solution, many are turning to air purifiers to purify their indoor air.  But in the haste to eliminate the S02 that is created when volcanic gases mix with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight, many are simply grasping for the wrong ones. 

Indoor Air Quality Expert and biochemical engineer, Karen Hand says that while taking proactive measures to ensure one’s own health is critical, choosing the right tool for the job is also essential. 

“When you’re dealing with vog, the composition is primarily of sulfuric acid and other sulfate compounds, but you’re also dealing with small amounts of toxic metals, including selenium, mercury, arsenic and iridium,” said Hand.  “The fact that people are having serious health reactions to this is not surprising—it’s a deadly combination.” 

Hand says only air purifiers combing a HEPA filter and large amounts (at least 18 pounds) of activated, granular carbon will be effective in adsorbing the the noxious sulfur dioxide and other pollutants emitted from Kilauea Volcano. 

“The worst part about these natural disasters is when you see people taking the appropriate steps to protect themselves and their families, but a lack of information and resources leads them to make the wrong decision,” Hand said.  “Not only are people wasting money on purchasing the wrong type of air cleaners, but the cleaners are also ineffective in providing a healthy and safe environment.  It’s a lose-lose situation.” 

Hand works with a team of Indoor Quality Experts at AllerAir Industries, an air purifying company that has been designing air cleaners for close to 20 years.  “Crisis management is our forte,” she said.  “We’ve delivered solutions to mold victims in New Orleans, wildfire victims in California—even air quality solutions to athletes participating in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.  Chemical and gas remediation is what we do.” 

Vog victims are invited to contact one of AllerAir Indoor Air Quality Experts at 888-852-8247 or visit their www.allerair.com website for more information of the dangers of vog, and finding the right air purifying solution. 



IRA