Category: Earth/Climate science

Why Wildfires Drive Carbon Emissions Through the Roofs

Why Wildfires Drive Carbon Emissions Through the Roofs

Why Wildfires Drive Carbon Emissions Through the Roofs

01/21/20

“Why are wildfires particularly terrible for climate change?”

 

Wildfires are infamous for their disaster potential. However, one of their most lethal side-effects are their ability to drive carbon emissions through the roof. By burning down trees,  large amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere. This can be seen in California where the emissions sent out by the campfire roughly equal the total power-sector emissions for the same year and in Australia where the ongoing bushfires may have doubled the state’s climate emissions. This is Why Wildfires Drive Carbon Emissions Through the Roofs.

How the Wildfire Crisis and the Water Crisis Are Interdependent

How the Wildfire Crisis and the Water Crisis Are Interdependent

How the Wildfire Crisis and the Water Crisis Are Interdependent

01/18/20

“Why is it that the ongoing wildfire and water crises are deeply interrelated?”

 

Although the climate-induced wildfire and water crises appear to be quite divergent, they’re actually are both overlapping issues. An oversupply of rain in one season and undersupply in another cannot only cause flooding and drought respectively but also make an area much riper for wildfires. Furthermore, when wildfires occur a gargantuan amount of water resources need to be used to take it out and the particulate matter released can pollute local water sites. This is How the Wildfire Crisis and the Water Crisis Are Interdependent.

 

Image credit assets.weforum.org

How Ecosystems Will Be Permanently Damage From the Australian Bushfires

How Ecosystems Will Be Permanently Damage From the Australian Bushfires

How Ecosystems Will Be Permanently Damage From the Australian Bushfires

01/17/20

“Why is it that the bushfire might permanently damage Australia’s ecosystems? ”

 

Australia is going through catastrophic damages from the bushfires right now. And one of the most pressing issues will be its ecosystem damage. Just like how a burnt-down town may never recover, a torched landscape will have its residents move out and may no longer be suitable to live in. This is How Ecosystems Will Be Permanently Damage From the Australian Bushfires.

Image credit http://www.abc.net.au

How Rainfall Is Bringing Both Relief and New Problems to Australia

How Rainfall Is Bringing Both Relief and New Problems to Australia

How Rainfall Is Bringing Both Relief and New Problems to Australia

01/16/20

“How is rainfall both a remedy and a hindrance to Australia’s current resilience problems?”

 

Drought and bushfire stricken Australia is breathing a sigh of relief as extreme rainfall is hitting down on the eastern part of the country. But like many things in human infrastructure, the solution to one problem often causes another one to occur.  In particular, the torrential rain create the potential for Mass floods as the soil is less able to hold water do to the longevity of recent droughts. If you’re in Australia, don’t be surprised if you were seeing warnings on the television change from bushfires to flash floods. This is How Rainfall Is Bringing Both Relief and New Problems to Australia.

Image credit static.boredpanda.com

Why Landscape Architects Will Need to Consider How Any Planned Vegetation Will Respond to Future Climate Conditions

Why Landscape Architects Will Need to Consider How Any Planned Vegetation Will Respond to Future Climate Conditions

Why Landscape Architects Will Need to Consider How Any Planned Vegetation Will Respond to Future Climate Conditions

01/15/20

“Why will landscape architects need to think about how the future climate will affect their plans?”

 

Climate change is affecting everything, Even the plants that are used by landscape architects! Although people from this profession tend to think that using native plants is the best for landscape climate adaptation, the fact is that in a few decades climate change will completely change the biomes of the local area. This is Why Landscape Architects Will Need to Consider How Any Planned Vegetation Will Respond to Future Climate Conditions.

Black Saturday Bushfires, Australia

Black Saturday Bushfires, Australia

Black Saturday Bushfires, Australia

01/13/20

“What bushfires changed Australia’s fire-resistance paradigm forever?”

 

On 7 February 2009, an event transpires that would leave shock Australia to its foundation. Early that morning, the state of Victoria had been experiencing extremely high winds in excess of 100 km/h (62 mph), bringing a torrent of dry air from Central Australia. Concurrently, a near record-breaking heatwave had engulfed the state, making conditions perfectly ripe for a disaster. These winds brought down powerlines around the Kinglake/Whittlesea area, birthing a fire. This fire steadily but surely increased in size, and the ember from them spread during the night-time winds, creating more fires. The next day, many of these fires began to merge, uplifting them to a whole new level of carnage. In the ensuing weeks 173 people lost their lives 414 were injured and 7,562 displaced, 450,000 ha (1,100,000 acres) of land burnt, and over a million animals were lost. These events would go on to be named the Black Saturday Bushfires and were the most deadly recorded in Australia up to then. It soon resulted in a range of new policy guidelines and codes to be implemented.

Image credit http://www.abc.net.au

Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds

Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds

Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds

01/09/20

“What are the clouds that form from wildfires?”

 

Wildfires can are immense damage to communities, with the power to bring entire nations to their knees! Not only this, but they can develop their own weather. Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds can form after disasters, causing lightning strikes and dense skies which can make air-based firefighting even harder. 

Image credit dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com

How Bushfires Can Develop Their Own Weather

How Bushfires Can Develop Their Own Weather

How Bushfires Can Develop Their Own Weather

01/08/20

“How is it that Australia’s bushfires can seemingly make their own weather conditions?”

 

Australia is going through unparalleled carnage from bushfires right now. But one of their most devastating effects is from a source that is entirely unexpected. The bush fires Heat up the air around them, causing it to rise. This brings the heated air in contact with cooler air by means of turbulence, making it cooler and spread. run this air becomes high and cool enough low atmospheric pressure makes clouds form. These clouds can mix with the polluted atmosphere to become unstable and eventually form lightning. If this lightning strikes the ground then more fires can occur, creating a positive feedback loop. This is How Bushfires Can Develop Their Own Weather.

Image credit mages.theconversation.com

Why Are Australia’s Current Bushfires so Intense?

Why Are Australia’s Current Bushfires so Intense?

Why Are Australia’s Current Bushfires so Intense?

01/07/20

Why is Australia going through such an intense Bushfire season right now?

 

In the beginning in 2020 one country is all over the news when it comes to climate change, Australia. As of writing, the ongoing Australian bushfire (the Ozzy way of saying wildfire) has already ravaged more than 12.35 million acres of land (larger than the entirety of the Netherlands) and taken the lives of over two dozen humans and half a billion animals! But what exactly is the cause behind such carnage? Well, like California, Much of Australia has a dry and hot climate, creating ample conditions for fires to break out.  With the advent of climate change, Australia has seen its average temperatures grow and droughts and heatwaves become more frequent. This has culminated in a bushfire season starting earlier with greater strength, which is Why Australia’s Current Bushfires are so Intense.

 

Image credit images.theconversation.com