Temperatures contribute to increase of fires

Letters to the Editor

 

Last updated 8/7/2014 at 5:11pm



Paul Delaney (Cheney Free Press, 7/31/14) takes exception to the contention that “climate change is the culprit for longer, bigger and more intense wildfires.”

According to Delaney, it’s all about forest management. Well, Washington isn’t the only state fighting longer, bigger and more intense wildfires. Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah are all fighting wildfires in triple-digit temperatures, in drought-stricken areas.

According to the NIFC, we are experiencing an unusual wildfire season, with 32 large active fires going on, most in the Pacific Northwest; over 30,000 blazes nationwide. Governor Inslee said, “I know people have seen fires before. This is a different beast. This is a fire storm.”

According to the Oregon Climate Research Institute, drought-fueled wildfires, exacerbated by an increase in forest morbidity due to pest infestation, is projected as a major impact of global warming in the Pacific Northwest — a forecast supported by the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington.

It’s past time for us to tackle global warming head on. The first priority is to price carbon so that it reflects the costs of carbon pollution.

Costs for which we taxpayers end up footing the bill, whether it’s for crop loss due to drought, or declining shellfish harvest due to ocean acidification, or for fighting longer, bigger, more intense wildfires.

Richard Badalamente

Kennewick, Wash.

 

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