I'm having trouble finding good information about this. I'm in a US state currently being affected by pm2.5 that is being blamed on smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
Can someone give me a little background? I'm really wondering if there is a "story behind the story" here. I'm finding that US outlets are at the point of reporting like this is our new normal, and not much is being said in the way of a causal story other than severe drought combined with lightning strikes. I'm very skeptical of things given the climate nonsense, and it just strikes me as very strange that as of last year, spring and summer in Canada just mean 400 raging wildfires sufficient to cover the northern US in smoke and AQI +60 for an entire season of the year.
I'm also noting a conspicuous lack of coverage about this in our news. I don't mean that it isn't being talked about frequently. It's mentioned every day, but never with any journalistic scrutiny. It's just a constant march of planned talking points.
On a serious note, it's more of a magnitude issue. Drought and wildfires have been ordinary since I came into the world, but there is something different about this situation, and I'm wondering if the story is really the one we're being fed. Now, as far as I know, these areas of Canada have always been wooded. Summers have been hot for a long time. Summers have been dry. Is it really the case that we're so(oooo) much drier and hotter that summer just means 400 fires and my state filled with haze? The difference is that never in my life have we had to track smoke plumes and never has there been a consistent smell of burned rubber in the air affecting us statewide.
[ - ] iSnark 1 point 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:00:35 ago (+1/-0)
This seems to be the official line on what's causing the wild fires. Supposedly, 2023 was "record-breaking" year for fires, and the season started early. Not sure if Canada isn't doing any/enough forest management, or what the deal is. Seems like the officials in Canada, just want to file it under "Climate Change".
WHAT'S CAUSING THE FIRES? Drought has been a contributing factor to the number and intensity of this year's fires, officials say, with high temperatures exacerbating the situation. Much of Canada has seen abnormally dry - or worse - conditions.
Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring. Most of the wildfires are believed to have been accidentally caused by human activity.
Well, I can write what my father explained to me, he was a forestry engineer. A few problems come into play. About 100+ years ago, large areas of Canada where clear cut, with no plan for regrowth. Nature just grew back itself, but with trees too close together, making a very dense forest. With a dense forest and thick underbrush, forest fires spread very fast and are very intense. Another problem, causing the thick underbrush is Canada's fire management. For many years, if any fire was detected it was put out as fast as possible. Fires are a natural rejuvenating process in the forest, thinning out the underbrush. With fires put out very fast, the underbrush got so thick, adding so much fuel, that the forest are now in a condition to cause very devastating large forest fires.
[ + ] iSnark
[ - ] iSnark 3 points 1 yearMay 18, 2024 10:36:12 ago (+3/-0)
Dry Leaves > Combustible
LOL... ;-)
[ + ] CHIRO
[ - ] CHIRO [op] 2 points 1 yearMay 18, 2024 10:45:03 ago (+2/-0)
On a serious note, it's more of a magnitude issue. Drought and wildfires have been ordinary since I came into the world, but there is something different about this situation, and I'm wondering if the story is really the one we're being fed. Now, as far as I know, these areas of Canada have always been wooded. Summers have been hot for a long time. Summers have been dry. Is it really the case that we're so(oooo) much drier and hotter that summer just means 400 fires and my state filled with haze? The difference is that never in my life have we had to track smoke plumes and never has there been a consistent smell of burned rubber in the air affecting us statewide.
[ + ] iSnark
[ - ] iSnark 1 point 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:00:35 ago (+1/-0)
WHAT'S CAUSING THE FIRES?
Drought has been a contributing factor to the number and intensity of this year's fires, officials say, with high temperatures exacerbating the situation. Much of Canada has seen abnormally dry - or worse - conditions.
Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring.
Most of the wildfires are believed to have been accidentally caused by human activity.
[ + ] CHIRO
[ - ] CHIRO [op] 1 point 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:15:18 ago (+1/-0)
Uh huh
[ + ] Monica
[ - ] Monica 4 points 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:34:06 ago (+4/-0)
[ + ] iSnark
[ - ] iSnark 2 points 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:37:20 ago (+2/-0)
[ + ] Sector2
[ - ] Sector2 1 point 1 yearMay 18, 2024 13:26:34 ago (+1/-0)
Human activity in Canada has increased.
[ + ] germ22
[ - ] germ22 2 points 1 yearMay 18, 2024 13:55:51 ago (+2/-0)
A few problems come into play.
About 100+ years ago, large areas of Canada where clear cut, with no plan for regrowth. Nature just grew back itself, but with trees too close together, making a very dense forest. With a dense forest and thick underbrush, forest fires spread very fast and are very intense.
Another problem, causing the thick underbrush is Canada's fire management. For many years, if any fire was detected it was put out as fast as possible. Fires are a natural rejuvenating process in the forest, thinning out the underbrush. With fires put out very fast, the underbrush got so thick, adding so much fuel, that the forest are now in a condition to cause very devastating large forest fires.
[ + ] PotatoWhisperer2
[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 1 yearMay 19, 2024 03:51:14 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] boekanier
[ - ] boekanier 1 point 1 yearMay 19, 2024 03:39:23 ago (+1/-0)
[ + ] Peleg
[ - ] Peleg 1 point 1 yearMay 18, 2024 11:48:37 ago (+1/-0)