Thread: The World Is On Fire

Shouldn't this be in the Climate change thread with an obligatory graph?

Originally Posted by thailazer

AQI today where I am at is just under 200,

Damn. 29 here in Roi Et.

State the place and it actually means something.

Yesterday in Seattle the AQI was around 150 just checked, and it is 75. Normally it would be like 0-20. Wildfire smoke is lingering over the city. Hopefully we get some ocean wind to blow it out of the area soon.

It was as high as 210 in some parts of Vancouver yesterday.

Originally Posted by bsnub

Hopefully we get some ocean wind to blow it out of the area soon.

The key for sure. Brother lives near Northern CA coast with off shore wind so AQI remains low even with all the fires in the area.

Originally Posted by Norton

Brother lives near Northern CA coast with off shore wind so AQI remains low even with all the fires in the area.

That's how it would normally be here in Seattle, but we are in the middle of our second damn heatwave of the summer, so the air is stagnant. Summer in Washington used to be pleasant, and going camping and fishing in the mountains was a regular part of summer. Now it is a lot less enjoyable, the forests are all smoked out and the rivers are so low that all the fish are dying.

Originally Posted by Norton

The key for sure. Brother lives near Northern CA coast with off shore wind so AQI remains low even with all the fires in the area.

While Chiang Mai City is at the base of a bowl.

Originally Posted by pickel

It was as high as 210 in some parts of Vancouver yesterday.

UPDATED:

If you can see the mountains it is going to rain
If you can't see the mountains the interior is on fire

Currently there are some large fires north of where I am in Saint Helena . When I jog in AM you can see the haze hanging around the mountains. Not sure AQI.

As many know, last few years in the Napa California area it got torched and the mountains are lined with dead fir, scrub oak and Redwood trees. All rivers are bone dry, lakes are empty. Water rationing already in place.

It is the new summer reality for the West. Growing up as a kid as mentioned in a previous post, I loved summers in the mountains now I dread summers. Another thing is that the buildings and houses in the Pacific North West were not built for this kind of heat. Old buildings and most houses old and new do not have central air. So for many, these heat waves are pure misery. I am one of the lucky ones because my house has central air conditioning.

Oh yeah Snubs. AC in the west is important now. My parents place has it and it's on nearly every day. Unfortunately central AC systems are not very efficient. I personally prefer the specific room ACs like we have in Thailand. No need to cool an entire house when sitting in one room most of the day. Also along with fires California has regular power outages and they always occur at the hottest times of day and that's what really creates issues for older folks and young children. We have experienced a few since being here. One lasted 4 hrs. My dad has a generator now and we can run fans and keep the refer going.

It is the New Pacific Northwest reality. Like you, we used to go to rivers and lakes and camp, fish, inner tube etc. No water anymore.

Current map of the major fires in western USA. These are major fires, and I notice several around 5000 acres in my local area that are not listed. Was going to try to go for a mountain bike ride today but the smoke is in the unhealthy range and you can taste it when you go outside. This is indeed the new reality out here. (From www.weatherfireavalance.org)

A fire about 45 miles northwest went from 5,000 to 15,000 acres overnight due to winds. Social media is filled with photos like these. Getting a bit of rain right now and hoping it makes a difference. There are several fires within 100 miles.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

Also along with fires California has regular power outages and they always occur at the hottest times of day and that's what really creates issues for older folks and young children. We have experienced a few since being here. One lasted 4 hrs.

Fortunately, that is not happening up here.

Originally Posted by JPPR2

It is the New Pacific Northwest reality. Like you, we used to go to rivers and lakes and camp, fish, inner tube etc. No water anymore.

It is the new reality and it is heartbreaking. To think that the activities we took for granted as kids look to be no more, or at the very least not nearly as enjoyable.

Horrifying....

Seeing all the unusual flooding in Tennessee, I can't help think that all the soot from forest fires has allowed a much higher concentration of condensation nuclei which is required for rain. Rainfall amounts around the world are currently breaking records.

I knew this was a problem of course but...a problem affecting the USA?

*shocked*