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🔥 Collaborative Action to Reduce Wildfire Devastation 🔥 In a powerful piece from the San Diego Union-Tribune, experts call for a unified approach to mitigate the deadly impacts of wildfires. From investing in early warning systems and defensible spaces to restoring forest health and empowering local communities, there are actionable steps we can take to protect lives and property. As climate change intensifies wildfire risks, it’s essential for communities, policymakers, and organizations to work together. Innovation, data, and science-based strategies are our strongest tools to reduce the frequency and severity of wildfires. By prioritizing preparedness, we can create a safer, more resilient California. Read the whole article here: https://lnkd.in/e2WGJ3tA Let’s join forces to fight wildfire destruction! 🌲🔥 #WildfirePrevention #CommunityResilience #ClimateAction #ForestHealth #ScienceForSafety

April 10, 2024 - AP, "Canada’s emergency preparedness minister warned (https://lnkd.in/eNeDD9e4) Wednesday the country’s wildfire season could be more explosive than last year when it led to unprecedented smoke conditions across much of the country and into the United States. Persistent #drought and months of above-average temperatures have raised the risk of a repeat of last year’s record-breaking #wildfires, prompting federal ministers to wave a red warning flag about the desperate need to address #climatechange. “We can expect that the #wildfireseason will start sooner, end later and potentially be more explosive,” #EmergencyPreparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan told a news conference. The Canadian wildfire season runs from May through October. The 2023 fire season was Canada’s worst on record, burning more than 15 million hectares and forcing more than 230,000 people from their homes. Smoke from Canadian wildfires poured into the U.S. East Coast and Midwest last June. A briefing document forecasting the #firerisk for the spring shows conditions are already ripe this year for an early and above-normal fire risk from Quebec all the way to British Columbia in both April and May. The forecast is based on having had a warmer than normal winter with minimal snow and widespread drought, particularly in the Canadian Prairies. There is also a high probability for above normal temperatures in April, May and June. Human activity is typically the main fire risk factor in the spring, said Michael Norton, the director general of the Northern Forestry Centre at Natural Resources Canada. That can include careless burning, campfires, fireworks and the heat from off-road vehicles igniting grass or other debris on the ground. Lightning becomes a primary source of wildfires during the summer. Sajjan said #Canada has been working for months to prepare for the upcoming season, and promised additional funding for #firefighting equipment and training." #firefighters #forests #wildfires #climatecrisis #fires #climaterisk #climateaction

Massive wildfires across the western U.S. have forced thousands to evacuate, with forecasters warning of another potentially record-breaking heat wave that could worsen the situation. Currently, 89 large fires are burning, significantly impacting air quality. Among these is California's fifth-largest blaze on record, the Park Fire, which has rapidly spread tens of thousands of acres in under a week. This trend of larger fires in California is linked to climate change and land management practices that suppressed fires for decades, resulting in a buildup of fuels. Data from California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reveals that only one of the state's 20 biggest wildfires occurred before 2000—the Matilija Fire in 1932. Remarkably, seven of the eight largest fires have happened since 2020. The Park Fire alone has caused mass evacuations and destroyed numerous structures across Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama counties in northern California. In total, 10 large fires are burning in the state, including the Borel Fire, which led Governor Gavin Newsom to declare an emergency for Kern County. Nationwide, 22 wildfires have active evacuation orders. In the Pacific Northwest, excessive heat watches are in place, with Idaho and Washington grappling with 10 and eight large fires, respectively. Meanwhile, Oregon is battling 31 large fires, and Montana, Utah, and Arizona each have six. Colorado has issued evacuation orders for the growing Alexander Mountain Fire, southwest of Fort Collins, with hot and dry conditions exacerbating the fire threat. Elsewhere in the West, large blazes are burning in Wyoming, New Mexico, and Nevada. The wildfire situation is expected to become even more dangerous as extreme heat builds across the region, forecasted to last into next week. Temperatures are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees above average, with many records likely to be broken. These hot, dry conditions not only increase the risk for new fires but also provide opportunities for existing ones to grow rapidly. Additionally, an outbreak of dry thunderstorms in California during the heat wave could further elevate fire risks.

⚠️ Weather Alert: Dry Lightning Expected ⚠️ #CritialFireWeather conditions exist across much of California with dry lightning expected to be most concentrated at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in eastern Southern California. Lightning strikes are responsible for four of California's most destructive fires wildfires. • Stay Informed: Monitor local weather updates and wildfires statewide at: fire.ca.gov. • Prepare Your Home: Clear flammable materials from roofs, gutters, and around your property. • Avoid Outdoor Activities: Don't use equipment that could spark a fire. Postpone outdoor activities in forested areas. • Report Fires: If you see smoke or flames, call 911 immediately. • Be Ready to Evacuate: Have an emergency kit ready, know your evacuation routes, and sign up for emergency alerts in your area here: https://lnkd.in/geBrngz3 Stay safe and help protect our communities. Together, we can reduce wildfire risks. #CALFIRE #DryLightning #FireSafety #WildfirePreparedness California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Joe Tyler Anale Burlew Daniel Berlant Christine McMorrow Nate Armstrong, Brent Pascua Phil Farrar Phillip SeLegue

Sweltering conditions and power shutoffs may overlap with errant fireworks or badly tended campfires. #wildfires #wildfire #forestprotection #sustainableforests #ragingfires #amplicam #firedetection

An investigation found gaps in US Forest Service prescribed fire practices, stressing the need for safety improvements to prevent escapes like the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon Fire https://lnkd.in/eaQi_38T #USForestService #PrescribedFires #WildfireSafety #GAOReport #FireManagement #ClimateChange

Our AccuWeather expert forecasters show U.S. wildfire season is pacing 2022 and 2018 where 7.6 million and 8.6 million acres burned respectively. Historical data shows that the extent of area burned by wildfires each year appears to have increased since the 1980s. Acreage is an important measure, but we also need to consider the social and economic impact of these fires and smoke.

Despite ample precipitation and most of California escaping drought, #wildfire risk is still high for much of the state, according to a new report from FEMA. Check if your area is at risk: https://loom.ly/vtg5t1A And, to see our wildfire Prevention & Protection solutions, visit: https://loom.ly/TdEbuR0

IMO San Francisco Chronicle keeps coming up with wildfire articles that are (a) important and (b) not the same stories we keep seeing. This one covers a study by Univ of Colorado, UC Merced & UCLA focusing on "fast fires": wildfires that burn more than 4,003 acres/day. Highlights: - Fast fires account for nearly 90% of all structures damaged or destroyed by wildfires - Fires are moving more quickly in CA vs. other regions in the West - CA had a 398% increase in wildfire growth rates from 2001-2020 - 16 of the 20 fastest fires were in grassland-dominated ecosystems My wildfire gurus Dave Winnacker and Frank Frievalt have emphasized that a focus on fire speed instead of intensity, acting to slow fire before it gets into a community to give firefighters a chance, and widespread mitigation within the community to keep houses from becoming fuel, are key to changing outcomes. (See guys, I was listening) https://lnkd.in/eGqV8Psw

"By May 7, 2023, Alberta had declared a state of emergency as a result of wildfires in the province. More than 29,000 people had been forced out of their homes and 108 active wildfires were burning with 31 fires burning out of control. Flash forward exactly one year. There are 38 active wildfires burning in the wildfire protection area of Alberta. Twenty-five of those fires are carryovers from 2023. None of the fires are classified as out of control. There are no evacuations or emergency alerts in place, and many parts of the province are experiencing rainy conditions. While it seems like a stark comparison, experts are urging Albertans not to become complacent. "The precipitation definitely provides short term relief for us. But we did experience drought-like conditions for months, and it is going to take continued and significant rain in order to overcome those conditions and lower the fire danger," Kai Bowering of Alberta Wildfire told CTV News on Tuesday. "When there is rain, the fire danger is lower, which means that it's much less likely for a wildfire to start."" https://lnkd.in/gv3vmhin #forestry #forests #ABforests #wildfireseason #abwildfire #wildfire #regeneration #futureforests #forestryjobs #nature #foresters #winter #trees #mountains #forest #tree #forestgreen #nativespecies #wildlifehabitat #ourforests #pine #spruce #fir #popular #wildlife #biodiversity #forestcycle