Wildland Fire Incident Records: Fill & Download for Free

We must acknowledge that wildfires are Mother Nature’s forest medicine.Fire, the primary change agent in the boreal zone, is as crucial to forest renewal as the sun and rain. ... They open the forest canopy to sunlight, which stimulates new growth. They allow some tree species, like lodgepole and jack pine, to reproduce, opening their cones and freeing their seeds.Aug 10, 2020Why forests need fires, insects and diseasesSpend money managing the forest undergrowth is the most urgent priority.“Check out who is managing those forests that are burning. Most fires are on public land where “greens” have demanded a hands-off approach. Private forest lands are managed by professional foresters who know how to reduce the fire hazard, mainly by reducing fuel load.” Patrick Moore climate scientistQuit passing the buck.95% of California fires are unnatural caused by arson or human error. They are not evidence of global warming as they are not global. Most of the US is now in record colder weather. You cannot be a little global warming pregnant.CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES ARE NOT CLIMATE CHANGE. Data over a few years is not relevant and the reality is California wildfires are natural and beneficial from time immemorial.Forest fires release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but they also produce cooling that lasts for yearsThe researchers calculated that in North America, forest fires like this can cool the climate by around 6 Watts per square metre.In Eurasia, they found that forest fires will cool the climate by around 1.9 Watts per square metre.The study, led by Dr Brendan Rogers at Woods Hole Research Centre in Massachusetts see below.Canada and Europe are having record fewer wildfires now. Climate change is not a hit and miss system. Canada Wildfires At Lowest Level For Years. “ I guess the global CO2 didn’t make it north this year. Wildfires are caused by lightning, people and meteorological condition, not “climate change.”PATRICK MOORE.By Paul Homewood h/t Ben Vorlich According to the Met Office, global warming is leading to record breaking fires in North America. Canada, of course, is a large part of North America,…WILDFIRES POLITICSBiden’s Climate Plans Deserve To Be MockedBy Dr. Jay Lehr & Tom HarrisFebruary 2nd, 2021Biden: “Last year, wildfires burned more than 5,000 acres in the West… More intense and powerful hurricanes and tropical storms pummeled states across the Gulf Coast and along the East Coast… Historic floods, severe droughts have ravaged the Midwest… And the Defense Department reported that climate change is a direct threat to more than two-thirds of the military’s operational critical installations.”Reality: In his January 29th interview on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, James Taylor, President of the Arlington Heights-based Heartland Institute, explained the problems with blaming these events on global warming:“NASA satellites have been able to measure the amount of land burned by wildfires… what they find is that…over the past 20 to 30 years the area that’s been burned by wildfires has declined by 25%…wildfires have always occurred; they always will occur…[But] objective scientific evidence shows that wildfires are becoming less frequent and severe, as the earth modestly warms.”The real cause of wildfires is described in this article by climatologist Dr. Tim Ball and Tom Harris.Taylor continued:“Tornadoes, the same thing. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…their data show that tornadoes have again become less frequent and less severe…“Regarding hurricanes, we have hurricane data that shows that the [global] accumulated cyclonic energy, total global energy from hurricanes, we’ve been able to measure that for the past 40 – 50 years and what we see is no increase whatsoever… The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change itself reports that they have low confidence in any links between climate change and hurricanes.”Blaming wildfires, floods, and droughts on climate change has been proven false repeatedly. The Biden administration and its allies’ attempt to rule the nation and the world by fear is the real agenda.… next week, part 2 of “Biden’s climate plans deserve to be mocked.”Trending with: SubwayCanada Wildfires At Lowest Level For YearsSEPTEMBER 27, 2020tags: wildfiresBy Paul HomewoodAccording to the Met Office, global warming is leading to record breaking fires in North America.Canada, of course, is a large part of North America, so surely fires should be getting worse there too.In fact wildfires this year are running at just 8% of the 10-year average:National Wildland Fire Situation ReportUnderstanding WildfiresPresentation by Dr. Willie Soon from DDP 38th Annual Meeting, August 15, 2020, Las Vegas, NVSpend money managing the forest undergrowth is the most urgent priority to address and reduce the harm from California wildfires.“Check out who is managing those forests that are burning. Most fires are on public land where “greens” have demanded a hands-off approach. Private forest lands are managed by professional foresters who know how to reduce the fire hazard, mainly by reducing fuel load.” Patrick Moore climate expert.Quit passing the buck.95% of California fires are unnatural caused by arson or human error. They are not evidence of global warming as they are not global. Much of the US interior is now in record early snow and colder weather. You cannot be a little bit global warming pregnant in California and global cooling in the mid-west.Alarmist call this drone dropping arson ‘climate change.’The Left Calls This Drone Dropping Flames “Climate Change”Oh Maybe They Didn’t Want You To See This. #WakeUpPeoplepic.twitter.com/PZ1xef7ksG— SwampNugget (@swamp_nugget) September 12, 2020California wildfires are not due to climate changeIn this video, author and scientist Tony Heller brilliantly debunks ambulance chasing climate scientists who come out of the woodwork every time there is a natural disaster, like wildfires in California. In fact, burn acreage in the US has plummeted over the past 85 years, as CO2 has increased.California wildfires are not due to climate changeby Geoffrey GriderSeptember 12, 2020As of 2018, the number of dead and uncleared trees in California forest lands exceeded 120,000,000, and that amounts to an incredible amount of kindling to accelerate forest fires. They have no money left to maintain forests after spending $23 billion caring for illegal immigrants.Far Left Liberal Progressive governor of California, Gavin Newsom, got in front of the cameras yesterday and made a ‘very serious’ statement about the raging wildfires currently plaguing their state. He said ““The debate is over around climate change. Just come to the state of California, observe it with your own eyes,” a grinning Newsom told reporters while touring the fire-ravaged North Complex near Oroville. “It’s not an intellectual debate, it’s not even debatable.” Absolute rubbish, to say the least. Let’s begin a real debate, shall we?YES, OUR GLOBAL CLIMATE IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, AND NO, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT AND THERE IS NO POWER ON EARTH THAT CAN STOP ITAlways makes me laugh, seeing as most Liberals are either atheist or agnostic, that they are such die-hard, true believers in their own religion of Climate Change. And woe be to the infidel who dares to say the emperor has no clothes, or in this case, the governor of California. Let’s leave aside the Liberal hysterics of the pagan, Gaia religion of climate change and take a peek into where the money is currently spent in sanctuary city California:It’s so much easier to blame the imaginary scapegoat of ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’ for the wild fires in California, instead of looking to the incredible mismanagement of the California forest and park lands. California is a sanctuary state, and as such spends over $23 billion each year on the staggering costs associated with caring for illegal immigrants and their children.California Governor Gavin Newsom Spewing Nonsense:According to the California Policy Center, the Golden State’s total state/county/municipal debt tops a staggering $1.3 trillion.[1] Meanwhile, as the state teeters on the brink of economic collapse, its civic and political leaders relentlessly advance laws and policies that attract and reward illegal immigration. And, all the while, they ignore the simple fact that cooperating with the federal government in its efforts to suppress illegal immigration would decrease the massive cost imposed on taxpaying citizens and legal immigrants living in California. READ MOREWhen you are spending that much money to care for illegal immigrants, guess what you don’t have money for? Taking care of the forest lands that require constant care, and California no longer has the money to do that. As of 2018, the number of dead and uncleared trees in California forest lands exceeded 120,000,000, and that amounts to an incredible amount of kindling to accelerate forest fires.California’s ubiquitous pines and oaks are vulnerable to insect infestation and disease. Those giants crash to the forest floor and, unless they are removed, provide ready fodder for the next voracious fire. The die-off is catastrophic, beyond the reach of state foresters to remedy. In many communities of the central and southern Sierra Nevada mountain range, “80 percent of trees are dead,” said Ken Pimlott, former director of Cal Fire.MEMO TO GAVIN NEWSOM: Stop spending all your money on illegal immigrants, and start taking care of the needs of your state and the American citizens that live there. Most of all, quit your pusillanimous blaming of ‘climate change’ as the cause of the wild fires, when the reality is they are caused largely by the sheer incompetence and neglect of your administration.California Governor Gavin Newsome Says Cause Of Wildfires Is 'Climate Change' But It's Actually Massive Mismanagement Of Forest Lands • Now The End BeginsPhilos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2016 Jun 5; 371(1696): 20150345.doi: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0345PMCID: PMC4874420PMID: 27216515Global trends in wildfire and its impacts: perceptions versus realities in a changing worldStefan H. Doerrand Cristina SantínABSTRACTWildfire has been an important process affecting the Earth's surface and atmosphere for over 350 million years and human societies have coexisted with fire since their emergence. Yet many consider wildfire as an accelerating problem, with widely held perceptions both in the media and scientific papers of increasing fire occurrence, severity and resulting losses. However, important exceptions aside, the quantitative evidence available does not support these perceived overall trends. Instead, global area burned appears to have overall declined over past decades, and there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago. Regarding fire severity, limited data are available. For the western USA, they indicate little change overall, and also that area burned at high severity has overall declined compared to pre-European settlement. Direct fatalities from fire and economic losses also show no clear trends over the past three decades. Trends in indirect impacts, such as health problems from smoke or disruption to social functioning, remain insufficiently quantified to be examined. Global predictions for increased fire under a warming climate highlight the already urgent need for a more sustainable coexistence with fire. The data evaluation presented here aims to contribute to this by reducing misconceptions and facilitating a more informed understanding of the realities of global fire.This article is part of themed issue ‘The interaction of fire and mankind’.Keywords: area burned, fire severity, media, risk, costs, climate changeGo to:1. INTRODUCTIONFire has been an important factor in the dynamics of the Earth's climate and in the development of biomes since its widespread occurrence began 400–350 million years ago (Ma) [1,2]. In fire-prone ecosystems, humans have always coexisted with fire in the landscape, and its use can be seen as the first anthropogenic tool that has affected ecosystem dynamics beyond the very local scale [3]. Whether as open biomass burning or as the relatively recent practice of combusting fossil fuels in engines and power stations, fire has been a key factor in the rise of human societies [4,5]. Yet, over the past couple of centuries the traditional European perception of fire has been implemented in many parts of the world (box 1), and fire in the landscape (commonly termed wildfire, wildland fire or landscape fire) has been typically considered as ‘bad’ and our focus on the whole has been on eliminating or at least containing it [16–18]. The ‘command and control’ attitude of most Western societies neglects the fundamental role that fire has in sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem health [11,19].https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4874420/Climate Alarm Flames Out As Scientists Find Global Fires/Burned Area Has Sharply DECLINED Since 1910sBy Kenneth Richard on13. August 2018The purveyors of climate alarm posit that rising CO2 emissions cause up to 600% increases in burned area due to global warming. Newly published science thoroughly undermines these claims. Observational evidence affirms global-scale fire frequencies and burned area have actually been declining for decades (especially since the early 1900s), with overall biomass burning lower today than during the much colder Little Ice Age.Bottom Graph Source: Ward et al., 2018On a global scale, fire emissions/burned area peaked in the 1910s, but then plummeted to “about 5% below year 1700 levels by 2010” (Ward et al., 2018).The decreasing trend in wildfires has continued unabated in the 21st century, as there has been “a strong statistically significant decline in 2001–2016 active fires globally” (Earl and Simmonds, 2018).On a long-term scale, “global biomass burning during the past century has been lower than at any time in the past 2000 years” (Doerr and Santín, 2016).Even in the Western United States, where wildfires are currently ravaging the landscape, there has been a “decline in burning over the past 3,000 y[ears], with the lowest levels attained during the 20th century and during the Little Ice Age (LIA, ca. 1400–1700 CE)” (Marlon et al., 2012).The perception of increasing fire occurrence vs. the observations of decreasing trendsDoerr and Santín (2016) characterize the association between global warming and increases in wildfires as a “perception” spawned by using selective regional data and short timescales (in other words, by excluding contradictory evidence). The alarming conclusions that wildfires are worsening due to rising anthropogenic CO2 emissions are then promulgated by mainstream media.“Numerous reports, ranging from popular media through to peer-reviewed scientific literature, have led to a common perceptionthat fires have increased or worsened in recent years around the world. Where these reports are accompanied by quantitative observations, they are often based on short timescales and regional data for fire incidence or area burned, which do not necessarily reflect broader temporal or spatial realities.”To summarize, there are “widely held perceptions both in the media and scientific papers of increasing fire occurrence, severity and resulting losses“, and yet “the quantitative evidence available does not support these perceived overall trends” (Doerr and Santín, 2016).Ward et al., 2018Trends and Variability of Global Fire EmissionsDue To Historical Anthropogenic Activities“Globally, fires are a major source of carbon from the terrestrial biosphere to the atmosphere, occurring on a seasonal cycle and with substantial interannual variability. To understand past trends and variability in sources and sinks of terrestrial carbon, we need quantitative estimates of global fire distributions. … Global fire emissions of carbon increase by about 10% between 1700 and 1900, reaching a maximum of 3.4 Pg C yr−1 in the 1910s, followed by a decrease to about 5% below year 1700 levels by 2010. The decrease in emissions from the 1910s to the present day is driven mainly by land use change, with a smaller contribution from increased fire suppression due to increased human population and is largest in Sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia. Interannual variability of global fire emissions is similar in the present day as in the early historical period, but present‐day wildfires would be more variable in the absence of land use change.”Earl and Simmonds, 2018Spatial and Temporal Variability andTrends in 2001–2016 Global Fire Activity“We find that there is a strong statistically significant decline in 2001–2016 active fires globally linked to an increase in net primary productivity observed in northern Africa, along with global agricultural expansion and intensification, which generally reduces fire activity.”Doerr and Santín, 2016Global trends in wildfire and its impacts:perceptions versus realities in a changing world“Wildfire has been an important process affecting the Earth’s surface and atmosphere for over 350 million years and human societies have coexisted with fire since their emergence. Yet many consider wildfire as an accelerating problem, with widely held perceptions both in the media and scientific papers of increasing fire occurrence, severity and resulting losses.”“However, important exceptions aside, the quantitative evidence available does not support these perceived overall trends. Instead, global area burned appears to have overall declined over past decades, and there is increasing evidence that there is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago.”“Analysis of charcoal records in sediments [Marlon et al., 2008] and isotope-ratio records in ice cores [Wang et al., 2010] suggest that global biomass burning during the past century has been lower than at any time in the past 2000 years.”“Regarding fire severity, limited data are available. For the western USA, they indicate little change overall, and also that area burned at high severity has overall declined compared to pre-European settlement. Direct fatalities from fire and economic losses also show no clear trends over the past three decades. Trends in indirect impacts, such as health problems from smoke or disruption to social functioning, remain insufficiently quantified to be examined. Global predictions for increased fire under a warming climate highlight the already urgent need for a more sustainable coexistence with fire. The data evaluation presented here aims to contribute to this by reducing misconceptions and facilitating a more informed understanding of the realities of global fire.”Marlon et al., 2012Long-term perspective onwildfires in the western USA“Understanding the causes and consequences of wildfires in forests of the western United States requires integrated information about fire, climate changes, and human activity on multiple temporal scales. We use sedimentary charcoal accumulation rates to construct long-term variations in fire during the past 3,000 y in the American West and compare this record to independent fire-history data from historical records and fire scars. There has been a slight decline in burning over the past 3,000 y, with the lowest levels attained during the 20th century and during the Little Ice Age (LIA, ca. 1400–1700 CE). Prominent peaks in forest fires occurred during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (ca. 950–1250 CE) and during the 1800s.”“Analysis of climate reconstructions beginning from 500 CE and population data show that temperature and drought predict changes in biomass burning up to the late 1800s CE. Since the late 1800s , human activities and the ecological effects of recent high fire activity caused a large, abrupt decline in burning similar to the LIA fire decline. Consequently, there is now a forest “fire deficit” in the western United States attributable to the combined effects of human activities, ecological, and climate changes. Large fires in the late 20th and 21st century fires have begun to address the fire deficit, but it is continuing to grow.”California has a long history wildfires - seePHOTOS: MONDAY’S SNOWFALL BREAKS HISTORICAL RECORD IN CASPERBy Brendan LaChance on September 8, 2020(Dan Cepeda, Oil City)CASPER, Wyo. — The snowstorm that began on Monday, Sept. 7 broke a record in Casper.The Oil City saw its earliest measurable snowfall on record with 2.3 inches accumulating by midnight Monday, according to weather forecaster Ralph Estell, data acquisition program manager with the National Weather Service in Riverton.“This is Wyoming,” he said. “Anything can happen at any time.”PHOTOS: Monday's snowfall breaks historical record in Casper - Casper, WY Oil City NewsSurprise Winter Storm Drops 17 Inches of Snow in Wyoming Just Days After 100-degree WeatherSurprise Winter Storm Drops 17 Inches of Snow in Wyoming Just Days After 100-degree WeatherThe change in weather set the record for the earliest freeze.BY CAILEY RIZZOSEPTEMBER 10, 2020University of Colorado Boulder students play in the snow during an early-season winter storm on September 9, 2020 in Boulder, Colorado.MICHAEL CIAGLO/GETTY IMAGESThe Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains experienced an early dose of winter weather this week as 17 inches of snow covered parts of the country.The quick change in weather, from summer to winter, came seemingly without warning as Rapid City, S.D. set a U.S. record for the fastest switch between 100-degrees, according to NBC News. On Sept. 5, the city reported a temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit, an all-time record high for September weather. Two days later, an inch of snow fell and the city set a new record for the earliest first freeze.The two-day difference broke the record for the shortest amount of time between those two weather patterns (the previous record was three days, set by Ardmore, South Dakota in September 1929).The top snowfall this week was set by Casper, Wyoming — which recorded a total of 17 inches of snowfall. Red Lodge, Montana reported 15.5 inches of snow and Terry Peak, South Dakota reported 15 inches.Surprise Winter Storm Drops 17 Inches of Snow in Wyoming Just Days After 100-degree WeatherExtreme Weather GSMJUST COUNT THE COLD-RECORDS THAT FELL OVER THE PAST 24HRSSEPTEMBER 10, 2020 CAP ALLONNOAA won’t want to hear it –I doubt they’ll even properly log it– but HUNDREDS of low temperature records have tumbled across the United States over the past 24 hours as brutal Arctic air sank anomalously-far south on the back of weak and wavy meridional jet stream flow.According to the ‘unofficial’ data compiled by coolwx.com, a plague of new all-time cold records spread across the U.S. over the past 24 hours — an embarrassment of riches for the cold hunters, almost as embarrassing as that paltry handful of heat records tumbling in the far northwest:Only cities having an NCDC GSOD recorded history of at least 35 years are shown here. The records are defined here using GMT, with the day resetting at 00GMT (7PM EST;8PM EDT).In addition to the cold, many regions also received their most-ever snowfall this early in the season: seventeen inches of global warming goodness fell in Wyoming, New Mexico saw its earliest flakes on record, and parts of Colorado suffered their earliest snowfall in decades—these are just a few of the astonishing weather reports coming out of a record-setting September week.Rapid City, SD, set a U.S. record for the fastest turnaround between 100 degree temperatures and measurable snow, after it hit 102 degrees on Saturday, only to then see an inch of snow on Monday. This two-day gap broke the record for shortest amount of time between those two weather observations — the previous record being Ardmore, SD, in Sept 1929 when a similar event took place over the course of approximately three days. And it stands: if proponents of a CO2-induced Apocalypse want to blame human activity for every flip-flopping weather phenomenon, then they also have to acknowledge the natural factors that caused 1929’s swing-between-extremes:Why does early snowfall matter to the weather and climate?Ans. The snow albedo causes declining temperatures and there is an Earth albedo that will change global warming to global cooling. Even the very politically biased UN IPCC recognized that snowfall had a unique impact on the climate and they predicted the end of snow or at least very moderate winters which have been the opposite.False prediction that undercuts fears of global warming.2014 : the global warming theory-obsessed New York Times touted “The End of Snow?”…“The truth is, it is too late for all of that. Greening the ski industry is commendable, but it isn’t nearly enough. Nothing besides a national policy shift on how we create and consume energy will keep our mountains white in the winter — and slow global warming to a safe level.This is no longer a scientific debate. It is scientific fact. The greatest fear of most climate scientists is continued complacency that leads to a series of natural climatic feedbacks…”(Climatism bolds)The End of Snow? – The New York Times2017 : The Age’s resident global warming catastrophist Peter Hannam signalled the end of snow…Snowy retreat: Climate change puts Australia’s ski industry on a downhill slope | The AGEAustralia’s ski resorts face the prospect of a long downhill run as a warming climate reduces snow depth, cover and duration. The industry’s ability to create artificial snow will also be challenged, scientists say.Snowy retreat: Climate change puts Australia’s ski industry on a downhill slope | The AGE***THE SNOW THEY TOLD YOU WOULD “DISAPPEAR” KEEPS ON FALLINGCONTRARY to dire ‘expert’ prognostications and climate models to the contrary, global snowfall continues to fall in abundance, aided by ‘record-breaking cold temperatures’…Crop Loss Extreme Weather GSMNEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR FARMERS SERIOUSLY HAMPERED BY HISTORICALLY HARSH WINTER (AND IT AIN’T OVER YET)MARCH 19, 2020 CAP ALLONWinter 2019/20 has been one of persistent Arctic cold for much of Canada, particularly for Newfoundland and Labrador. The province has been battered by sub-zero temperatures, heavy snow and high winds during the past few months, making life utterly miserable for NL farmers.The worst storm of the season so far was the “historic” blizzard of January 17 and 18, which buried the greater St. John’s region under a record-breaking 76+ cm (2.5+ ft) of snow.Extreme Weather GSMMONSTER SUMMER SNOWDRIFTS BURY THE SOUTHERN-RUSSIAN VILLAGE OF KURUSHAUGUST 26, 2020 CAP ALLONRare and heavy summer snow has settled in the Russian village of Kurush as the air temperature plummeted to just a few notches above freezing.As reported by pogoda.mail.ru, and picked-up by iceagenow.info, out-of-season snowfall has buried Kurush: a southern Russian village situated in the Dagestan Republic, famed for being the highest continuously inhabited settlement in both transcontinental Russia as well as Europe.Despite the village’s high altitude (2480–2560m, depending on the source), its locals were still shocked at the sheer depth of the summer snowdrifts — so much so that they took to social media to share the rare event:What happens when snowfall increases world wide?If Earth was completely covered in ice, its albedo would be about 0.84, meaning it would reflect most (84 percent) of the sunlight that hit it. On the other hand, if Earth was covered by a dark green forest canopy, the albedo would be about 0.14 (most of the sunlight would get absorbed). Changes in ice cover, cloudiness, airborne pollution, or land cover (from forest to farmland, for instance) all have subtle effects on global albedo. Using satellite measurements accumulated since the late 1970s, scientists estimate Earth’s average albedo is about about 0.30.The maps above show how the reflectivity of Earth—the amount of sunlight reflected back into space—changed between March 1, 2000, and December 31, 2011. This global picture of reflectivity (also called albedo) appears to be a muddle, with different areas reflecting more or less sunlight over the 12-year record. Shades of blue mark areas that reflected more sunlight over time (increasing albedo), and orange areas denote less reflection (lower albedo).Taken across the planet, no significant global trend appears. As noted in the anomaly plot below, global albedo rose and fell in different years, but did not necessarily head in either direction for long.March 1, 2000 - December 31, 2011NASA PHOTO OF THE EARTH’S ALBEDOIn the early 2000s, after the first few years of Terra-CERES measurements, it appeared that Earth’s albedo was declining, a phenomenon that was widely reported in scientific journals and on NASA Earth Observatory. But as more years of data accumulated, and as scientists began to better understand the data, they found that albedo was neither increasing nor declining over time. It was fluctuating a lot by year, though.“What the results show is that even at global scales, Earth’s albedo fluctuates markedly over short time periods due to natural variations in the climate system,” said Norman Loeb, CERES principal investigator at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Ice cover, cloud cover, and the amount of airborne particles—aerosols from pollution, volcanoes, and dust storms—can change reflectivity on scales from days to years. “We should not get fooled by short-term fluctuations in the data, as a longer record may reverse any short-term trend.”“The results also suggest that in order to confidently detect changes in Earth’s albedo above natural variability, a much longer record is needed,” Loeb added. “It is paramount that we continue the CERES Terra, Aqua, and Suomi-NPP observations as long as possible, and launch follow-on Earth radiation budget instruments to ensure continued coverage of this fundamental property of the climate system.”Measuring Earth’s Albedo.This photo shows a lightly colored planet which is natural because we continue in the Quaternary Ice Age. The earth albedo is very relevant to climate trends, particularly temperature, but poorly researched by the alarmist crowd. Why? Perhaps the do not like the results.Are wildfires COOLING Earth? Forest blazes make the landscape reflect sunlight to reduce global warming, study findsResearchers at Woods Hole Research Centre looked at the impact of firesForest fires removes vegetation from the landscape changing its colourThis change increases the amount of sunlight reflected back into spaceThe scientists found that forest fires in North America cooled the mostForests in Siberia and northern Europe are more fire resistant, they sayThey say their results will require climate change models to be revisedBy RICHARD GRAY FOR MAILONLINEPUBLISHED: 05:53 EDT, 17 February 2015 | UPDATED: 05:54 EDT, 17 February 2015e-mail55shares91View commentsThey can burn with intense heat that destroys swathes of habitat in just a few hours and throws out huge clouds of thick black smoke.But it seems that despite this pollution, forest fires may actually be helping to cool the planet.Scientists have found that the destruction caused by wildfires in the huge boreal forests of north America and Eurasia can lower temperatures.Forest fires like above can destroy huge areas of vegetation so the landscape reflects more of the sun's heatThis is because fires transform the landscape, allowing snow and ice to cover the ground and changing the amount of sunlight it reflects.Dark green foliage of trees tends to absorb heat from the sun while the snow covered ground is more reflective.The study, led by Dr Brendan Rogers at Woods Hole Research Centre in Massachusetts, found that in areas where the destruction is greatest the cooling affect is also bigger.In total it could account for twice as much cooling as other natural cooling, such as aerosols release from volcanoes, put together.The findings could alter predictions for how the climate is likely to change as carbon dioxide emissions increase.Dr Rogers said that climate scientists may need to factor in the affect of forest fires on global warming in their models.He said: 'Current global fire models neglect the influence of these species-level traits and misrepresent boreal fire feedbacks to climate warming.'We need to move beyond generic representations of trees, and use this information to make informed decisions on how to manage forest fires for climate mitigation.'It has been commonly assumed that forest fires might contribute to global warming by releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.The black soot produced from these fires can also cover the surrounding landscape and absorb heat from the sun.+6The graph above shows the amount of sunlight reflected by the landscape after a forest fire in North America (NA), Eurasia (EU), north east Eurasia (NEEU), southern Eurasia (SEU) and northwest Eurasia (NWEU)+6Spruce forests in North America, like this one above in Yosemite National Park, are particularly flammable+6Black spruce, like above in British Columbia, Canada, can absorb a lot of heat from the sun even in winter but after a forest fire the snow can lie on the ground and reflect much more of the sunlight than beforeHowever, the researchers found that the long-term 'albedo' effect - where the colour of the landscape changes and reflects sunlight - caused by the destruction of the forest by fire has an overall cooling impact, particularly in the cold winter months.The researchers, whose work is published in the journal Nature Geoscience, found that the forests in Alaska and Canada are dominated by black spruce trees that burn ferociously.It is here that the forest fires also seem to cool the climate the most.In northern Europe and Siberia, where the forests are dominated by Scots Pine and larch, their impact on the climate is 69 per cent weaker.This, say the researchers, is because more of the vegetation that covers the ground is destroyed by the fire in the black spruce forests, opening up more of the land to snow cover.+6The diagram above shows how natural and man-made influences can cause 'radiative forcing' of the climate+6Forest fires release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but they also produce cooling that lasts for yearsThe researchers calculated that in North America, forest fires like this can cool the climate by around 6 Watts per square metre.In Eurasia, they found that forest fires will cool the climate by around 1.9 Watts per square metre.Known as 'radiative forcing' this suggests that forest fires can make a significant contribution to balance global warming from carbon dioxide emissions.Writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, Dr Rogers and his colleagues, said: 'Our results provide evidence that fire-related climate feedbacks from the two continents are decidedly different.'It has been shown that fires in North American boreal forests may have an overall cooling effect because of the dominant surface short-wave forcing5.'Although highly dependent on severity, this can be twice as strong as the other combined biogeochemical and aerosol forcing terms, which are generally positive and scale with carbon emissions.'In contrast, fires in boreal Eurasia may be close to climate-neutral or have a warming effect.'We found that current-generation global fire models do not capture the continental differences described above.'Are wildfires COOLING the Earth?

Emergency Response PlanThe actions taken in the initial minutes of an emergency are critical. A prompt warning to employees to evacuate, shelter or lockdown can save lives. A call for help to public emergency services that provides full and accurate information will help the dispatcher send the right responders and equipment. An employee trained to administer first aid or perform CPR can be lifesaving. Action by employees with knowledge of building and process systems can help control a leak and minimize damage to the facility and the environment.The first step when developing an emergency response plan is to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential emergency scenarios. An understanding of what can happen will enable you to determine resource requirements and to develop plans and procedures to prepare your business. The emergency plan should be consistent with your performance objectives.At the very least, every facility should develop and implement an emergency plan for protecting employees, visitors, contractors and anyone else in the facility. This part of the emergency plan is called “protective actions for life safety” and includes building evacuation (“fire drills”), sheltering from severe weather such as tornadoes, “shelter-in-place” from an exterior airborne hazard such as a chemical release and lockdown. Lockdown is protective action when faced with an act of violence.When an emergency occurs, the first priority is always life safety. The second priority is the stabilization of the incident. There are many actions that can be taken to stabilize an incident and minimize potential damage. First aid and CPR by trained employees can save lives. Use of fire extinguishers by trained employees can extinguish a small fire. Containment of a small chemical spill and supervision of building utilities and systems can minimize damage to a building and help prevent environmental damage.Some severe weather events can be forecast hours before they arrive, providing valuable time to protect a facility. A plan should be established and resources should be on hand, or quickly, available to prepare a facility. The plan should also include a process for damage assessment, salvage, protection of undamaged property and cleanup following an incident. These actions to minimize further damage and business disruption are examples of property conservation.Guidance for the development of an emergency response plan can be found in this step.Protective Actions for Life SafetyWhen there is a hazard within a building such as a fire or chemical spill, occupants within the building should be evacuated or relocated to safety. Other incidents such as a bomb threat or receipt of a suspicious package may also require evacuation. If a tornado warning is broadcast, everyone should be moved to the strongest part of the building and away from exterior glass. If a transportation accident on a nearby highway results in the release of a chemical cloud, the fire department may warn to “shelter-in-place.” To protect employees from an act of violence, “lockdown” should be broadcast and everyone should hide or barricade themselves from the perpetrator.Protective actions for life safety include:EvacuationShelteringShelter-In-PlaceLockdownYour emergency plan should include these protective actions. If you are a tenant in multi-tenanted building, coordinate planning with the building manager.EvacuationPrompt evacuation of employees requires a warning system that can be heard throughout the building. Test your fire alarm system to determine if it can be heard by all employees. If there is no fire alarm system, use a public address system, air horns or other means to warn everyone to evacuate. Sound the evacuation signal during planned drills so employees are familiar with the sound.Make sure that there are sufficient exits available at all times.Check to see that there are at least two exits from hazardous areas on every floor of every building. Building or fire codes may require more exits for larger buildings.Walk around the building and verify that exits are marked with exit signs and there is sufficient lighting so people can safely travel to an exit. If you find anything that blocks an exit, have it removed.Enter every stairwell, walk down the stairs, and open the exit door to the outside. Continue walking until you reach a safe place away from the building. Consider using this safe area as an assembly area for evacuees.Appoint an evacuation team leader and assign employees to direct evacuation of the building. Assign at least one person to each floor to act as a “floor warden” to direct employees to the nearest safe exit. Assign a backup in case the floor warden is not available or if the size of the floor is very large. Ask employees if they would need any special assistance evacuating or moving to shelter. Assign a “buddy” or aide to assist persons with disabilities during an emergency. Contact the fire department to develop a plan to evacuate persons with disabilities.Have a list of employees and maintain a visitor log at the front desk, reception area or main office area. Assign someone to take the lists to the assembly area when the building is evacuated. Use the lists to account for everyone and inform the fire department whether everyone has been accounted for. When employees are evacuated from a building, OSHA regulations require an accounting to ensure that everyone has gotten out safely. A fire, chemical spill or other hazard may block an exit, so make sure the evacuation team can direct employees to an alternate safe exit.ShelteringIf a tornado warning is broadcast, a distinct warning signal should be sounded and everyone should move to shelter in the strongest part of the building. Shelters may include basements or interior rooms with reinforced masonry construction. Evaluate potential shelters and conduct a drill to see whether shelter space can hold all employees. Since there may be little time to shelter when a tornado is approaching, early warning is important. If there is a severe thunderstorm, monitor news sources in case a tornado warning is broadcast. Consider purchasing an Emergency Alert System radio - available at many electronic stores. Tune in to weather warnings broadcast by local radio and television stations. Subscribe to free text and email warnings, which are available from multiple news and weather resources on the Internet.Shelter-In-PlaceA tanker truck crashes on a nearby highway releasing a chemical cloud. A large column of black smoke billows into the air from a fire in a nearby manufacturing plant. If, as part of this event, an explosion, or act of terrorism has occurred, public emergency officials may order people in the vicinity to “shelter-in-place.” You should develop a shelter-in-place plan. The plan should include a means to warn everyone to move away from windows and move to the core of the building. Warn anyone working outside to enter the building immediately. Move everyone to the second and higher floors in a multistory building. Avoid occupying the basement. Close exterior doors and windows and shut down the building’s air handling system. Have everyone remain sheltered until public officials broadcast that it is safe to evacuate the building.LockdownAn act of violence in the workplace could occur without warning. If loud “pops” are heard and gunfire is suspected, every employee should know to hide and remain silent. They should seek refuge in a room, close and lock the door, and barricade the door if it can be done quickly. They should be trained to hide under a desk, in the corner of a room and away from the door or windows. Multiple people should be trained to broadcast a lockdown warning from a safe location.Resources for Protective Actions for Life SafetyIn addition to the following resources available on the Internet, seek guidance from your local fire department, police department, and emergency management agency.Exit Routes and Emergency Planning – U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910 Subpart ENFPA 101: Life Safety Code® – National Fire Protection AssociationEmployee Alarm Systems – OSHA 29 CFR 1910.165Evacuation Planning Matrix – OSHAEvacuation Plans and Procedures eTool - OSHADesign Guidance for Shelters and Safe Rooms ­– Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA 453)Incident StabilizationStabilizing an emergency may involve many different actions including: firefighting, administering medical treatment, rescue, containing a spill of hazardous chemicals or handling a threat or act of violence. When you dial 9-1-1 you expect professionals to respond to your facility. Depending upon the response time and capabilities of public emergency services and the hazards and resources within your facility, you may choose to do more to prepare for these incidents. Regulations may require you to take action before emergency services arrive.If you choose to do nothing more than call for help and evacuate, you should still prepare an emergency plan that includes prompt notification of emergency services, protective actions for life safety and accounting of all employees.Developing the Emergency PlanDeveloping an emergency plan begins with an understanding of what can happen. Review your risk assessment. Consider the performance objectives that you established for your program and decide how much you want to invest in planning beyond what is required by regulations.Assess what resources are available for incident stabilization. Consider internal resources and external resources including public emergency services and contractors. Public emergency services include fire departments that may also provide rescue, hazardous materials and emergency medical services. If not provided by your local fire department, these services may be provided by another department, agency or even a private contractor. Reach out to local law enforcement to coordinate planning for security related threats.Document available resources. Determine whether external resources have the information they would need to handle an emergency. If not, determine what information is required and be sure to document that information in your plan.Prepare emergency procedures for foreseeable hazards and threats. Review the list of hazards presented at the bottom of the page. Develop hazard and threat specific procedures using guidance from the resource links at the bottom of this page.Warning, Notifications, and CommunicationsPlans should define the most appropriate protective action for each hazard to ensure the safety of employees and others within the building. Determine how you will warn building occupants to take protective action. Develop protocols and procedures to alert first responders including public emergency services, trained employees and management. Identify how you will communicate with management and employees during and following an emergency.Roles and Responsibilities for Building Owners and Facility ManagersAssign personnel the responsibility of controlling access to the emergency scene and for keeping people away from unsafe areas. Others should be familiar with the locations and functions of controls for building utility, life safety and protection systems. These systems include ventilation, electrical, water and sanitary systems; emergency power supplies; detection, alarm, communication and warning systems; fire suppression systems; pollution control and containment systems; and security and surveillance systems. Personnel should be assigned to operate or supervise these systems as directed by public emergency services if they are on-site.Site and Facility Plans and InformationPublic emergency services have limited knowledge about your facility and its hazards. Therefore, it is important to document information about your facility. That information is vital to ensure emergency responders can safely stabilize an incident that may occur. Documentation of building systems may also prove valuable when a utility system fails—such as when a water pipe breaks and no one knows how to shut off the water.Compile a site-plan and plans for each floor of each building. Plans should show the layout of access roads, parking areas, buildings on the property, building entrances, the locations of emergency equipment and the locations of controls for building utility and protection systems. Instructions for operating all systems and equipment should be accessible to emergency responders.Provide a copy of the plan to the public emergency services that would respond to your facility and others with responsibility for building management and security. Store the plan with other emergency planning information such as chemical Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), which are required by Hazard Communication or “right to know” regulations.Training and ExercisesTrain personnel so they are familiar with detection, alarm, communications, warning and protection systems. Review plans with staff to ensure they are familiar with their role and can carry out assigned responsibilities. Conduct evacuation, sheltering, sheltering-in-place and lockdown drills so employees will recognize the sound used to warn them and they will know what to do. Facilitate exercises to practice the plan, familiarize personnel with the plan and identify any gaps or deficiencies in the plan.10 Steps for Developing the Emergency Response PlanReview performance objectives for the program.Review hazard or threat scenarios identified during the risk assessment.Assess the availability and capabilities of resources for incident stabilization including people, systems and equipment available within your business and from external sources.Talk with public emergency services (e.g., fire, police and emergency medical services) to determine their response time to your facility, knowledge of your facility and its hazards and their capabilities to stabilize an emergency at your facility.Determine if there are any regulations pertaining to emergency planning at your facility; address applicable regulations in the plan.Develop protective actions for life safety (evacuation, shelter, shelter-in-place, lockdown).Develop hazard and threat-specific emergency procedures using the Emergency Response Plan Template for Businesses.Coordinate emergency planning with public emergency services to stabilize incidents involving the hazards at your facility.Train personnel so they can fulfill their roles and responsibilities.Facilitate exercises to practice your plan.Links to Emergency Planning InformationPre-Incident Planning (Site and Building Information for First Responders)Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems - U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Publication 3256-07NStandard on Pre-Incident Planning - National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1620Protective Actions for Life SafetyEvacuation Planning Matrix – OSHAEvacuation Plans and Procedures eTool - OSHADesign Guidance for Shelters and Safe RoomsMedicalCPR and ECC Guidelines - American Heart AssociationAutomated External Defibrillators (AEDs) – OSHABloodborne pathogens – OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030Model Plans and Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standards – OSHA Publication 3186FirefightingFire Protection – OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart LFire Brigades - OSHA 29 CFR 1910.156Standard on Industrial Fire Brigades - NFPA 600Hazardous materialsHazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide (NRT-1) - U.S. National Response TeamNatural hazardsNatural Disasters and Weather Emergencies - U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyNational Hurricane Center, Publications, Tropical Cyclone Advisory Mailing Lists, Hurricane Preparedness, The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (Experimental) - National Weather Service (NWS)Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning, Nature's Most Violent Storms: A Preparedness Guide, Including Tornado Safety Information for Schools - NOAA, National Weather ServiceTornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Area in Buildings - FEMA 431RescuePermit-Required Confined Spaces - OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications - NFPA 1006Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents - NFPA 1670Workplace ViolenceActive Shooter: How to Respond -U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)Dealing with Workplace Violence: A Guide for Agency Planners - United States Office of Personnel ManagementWorkplace Violence—Issues in Response - Federal Bureau of InvestigationTerrorism, Bomb Threats, and Suspicious PackagesEnsuring Building Security – DHSSafe Rooms and Shelters - Protecting People Against Terrorist Attacks - FEMA 453Guidance for Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Publication No. 2002-139, 2002Hazards to Consider When Developing the Emergency PlanNatural hazardsGeological hazardsEarthquakeTsunamiVolcanoLandslide, mudslide, subsidenceMeteorological HazardsFlood, flash flood, tidal surgeWater control structure/dam/levee failureDroughtSnow, ice, hail, sleet, arctic freezeWindstorm, tropical cyclone, hurricane, tornado, dust stormExtreme temperatures (heat, cold)Lightning strikes (wildland fire following)Biological hazardsFoodborne illnessesPandemic/Infectious/communicable disease (Avian flu, H1N1, etc.)Human-caused eventsAccidentalHazardous material spill or releaseNuclear power plant incident (if located in proximity to a nuclear power plant)Explosion/FireTransportation accidentBuilding/structure collapseEntrapment and or rescue (machinery, confined space, high angle, water)Transportation Incidents (motor vehicle, railroad, watercraft, aircraft, pipeline)IntentionalRobberyLost person, child abduction, kidnap, extortion, hostage incident, workplace violenceDemonstrations, civil disturbanceBomb threat, suspicious packageTerrorismTechnology caused eventsUtility interruption or failure (telecommunications, electrical power, water, gas, steam, HVAC, pollution control system, sewerage system, other critical infrastructure)Cyber security (data corruption/theft, loss of electronic data interchange or ecommerce, loss of domain name server, spyware/malware, vulnerability exploitation/botnets/hacking, denial of service)Property ConservationTaking action before a forecast event, such as a severe storm, can prevent damage. Prompt damage assessment and cleanup activities following the storm can minimize further damage and business disruption. These actions are considered “property conservation”—an important part of the emergency response plan. Much of the following guidance is directed to building owners and facility managers. However, tenants should also develop a plan in coordination with building owners and managers as well as public authorities.Preparing a Facility for a Forecast EventBody copy: Actions to prepare a facility for a forecast event depend upon the potential impacts from the hazards associated with the event. Conduct a risk assessment to identify severe weather hazards including winter storms, arctic freeze, tropical storm, hurricane, flooding, storm surge, severe thunderstorm, tornado and high winds. Also consider non-traditional hazards, such as a planned event involving a large crowd.Property conservation actions should focus on protection of the building and valuable machinery, equipment and materials inside. Potential damage may be prevented or mitigated by inspecting the following building features, systems and equipment:Windows and doorsRoof flashing, covering and drainageExterior signsMechanical equipment, antennas and satellite dishes on rooftopsOutside storage, tanks and equipmentAir intakesHigh value machinerySensitive electronic equipment including information technology and process controllersThe review of building components may also identify opportunities for longer-term mitigation strategies.Property conservation activities for specific forecast events include the following:Winter storm - Keep building entrances and emergency exits clear; ensure there is adequate fuel for heating and emergency power supplies; monitor building heat, doors and windows to prevent localized freezing; monitor snow loading and clear roof drains.Tropical storms and hurricanes - Stockpile and pre-cut plywood to board up windows and doors (or install hurricane shutters); ensure there is sufficient labor, tools and fasteners available; inspect roof coverings and flashing; clear roof and storm drains; check sump and portable pumps; backup electronic data and vital records off-site; relocate valuable inventory to a protected location away from the path of the storm.Flooding - Identify the potential for flooding and plan to relocate goods, materials and equipment to a higher floor or higher ground. Clear storm drains and check sump and portable pumps. Raise stock and machinery off the floor. Prepare a plan to use sandbags to prevent water entry from doors and secure floor drains.Salvage and Actions to Prevent Further Damage Following an IncidentSeparating undamaged goods from water-soaked goods is an example of salvage. Covering holes in a roof or cleaning up water and ventilating a building are also part of property conservation. The property conservation plan should identify the resources needed to salvage undamaged good and materials; make temporary repairs to a building; clean up water, smoke and humidity; and prepare critical equipment for restart.Resources for property conservation include the following:water vacuums and tools to remove waterfans to remove smoke and humiditytarpaulins or plywood to cover damaged roofs or broken windowsplastic sheeting to cover sensitive equipmentCompile an inventory of available equipment, tools and supplies and include it with the emergency response plan. Identify precautions for equipment exposed to water or high humidity and procedures for restarting machinery and equipment.Identify contractors that may be called to assist with clean up and property conservation efforts. Keep in mind that competition for contractors, labor, materials and supplies prior to a forecast storm or following a regional disaster may be intense. Plan ahead and secure contractors and other resources in advance.Resources for Property ConservationProtect Your Property from High Winds - Federal Emergency Management AgencyNatural Disasters - U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyEmergency Drying Procedures for Water Damaged Collections - Library of CongressLast Updated: 09/11/2020Disasters and EmergenciesMake a PlanGet InvolvedReady BusinessBusinessLeaders in Business Community ResilienceProgram AdministrationPlanningImplementationEmergency Response PlanResource ManagementCrisis Communications PlanBusiness Continuity PlanBusiness Continuity Planning SuiteIT Disaster Recovery PlanEmployee Assistance & SupportIncident ManagementTrainingTesting & ExercisesTestingExercisesProgram ImprovementProgram ReviewsCorrective ActionBusiness TestimonialsReady Kids