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Mass die-offs from human impact and planetary response could occur by early 2016

Posts Tagged ‘Texas Drought’

Texas Drought Toll Continues Climbing

Posted by feww on March 18, 2012

Agricultural losses from Texas historic drought still rising

Drought devastated 42.7 percent (12.2 million acres) of principal harvest in Texas and decimated cattle headcount by 1.4 million (10.5%).

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 18

[March 18, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,459 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA.The 2011 historic drought in Texas was also the Lone Star state’s costliest.  Drought devastated 42.7 percent (12.2 million acres) of principal harvest (corn, sorghum, cotton, wheat, rice and soybean)  in Texas and decimated cattle headcount by 1.4 million (10.5%).
    • Total area planted: 21.3 million acres; only 12.2 million acres or 57.3% harvested
    • Wheat: 5.3 million acres planted; only 35.8% harvested
    • Cotton : 7.6 million acres planted; only 40.8% harvested
    • Corn:  2.1 million acres planted; only 81% harvested
    • Cattle count on January 1, 2011: 13.3 million heads;  reduced to 11.9 million on January 1, 2012.
    • In 2010, considered to be a good year for crop production in Texas, about 87% of the planted acreage was harvested.  (Source: Texas AgriLife Extension Service and USDA).
    • Agricultural losses from the historic drought is said to exceed the original $5.2 billion estimate.


Texas Drought 2011: Deepening Cracks. Frame grab from video report by Agrilife Today

  • Oklahoma and New Mexico. Crop harvests in the bordering states of Oklahoma and New Mexico were also hit by the drought.  In Oklahoma, about 68 percent of the planted acreage was harvested.  In New Mexico, it was less than 60 percent.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

Drought

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Texas Drought Causes Urban Forest Die-off

Posted by feww on February 16, 2012

2011 Texas drought kills 5.6 million urban shade trees: TFS

The historic drought has killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed ‘urban forest,’ throughout the cities, towns and communities across the state of Texas since last year, Texas Forest Service (TFS) reported.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 16

[February 16, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,490 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA.  Last year’s unrelenting drought killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed urban forest,’ throughout the communities across the state, Texas Forest Service(TFS) reported.
    • “This estimate is preliminary because trees are continuing to die from the drought,” said Pete Smith, Texas Forest Service staff forester and lead researcher. “This means we may be significantly undercounting the number of trees that ultimately will succumb to the drought. That number may not be known until the end of 2012, if ever.”
    • “All cities and towns in Texas were included in the study with the exception of the Trans Pecos region, where tree mortality was determined to be a result of a February 2011 cold snap; not the drought,” said the report.
    • The loss of economic and environmental benefits provided by the trees is estimated at about $280 million per year, TFS said.
    • To prevent safety hazards posed by falling dead trees, the authorities will have to remove them. The estimated cost of  removing the dead trees is $560 million.


Texas Drought Map (Feb. 2012). Source: US Drought Monitor

Other Global Disasters

  • Madagascar.   Death toll from Cyclone Giovanna, which struck Madagascar on February 14, 2012, has risen to at least 16, officials have reported.
    • Many people were reported missing and about 100 injured.
    • The deadly Cat 4B cyclone slammed the Indian Ocean island with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.
    • The storm has destroyed about 4,000 structures, mostly homes, and dozens of schools, leaving up to 15,000 people homeless.
    • Much of the infrastructure in several cities have also been destroyed, with vast areas submerged under up to 3 feet of water.
  • Honduras.  Death toll has risen to 360 following a massive prison fire that destroyed large parts of the Comayagua complex located about 100km (60 miles) north of the in Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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Disaster declaration renewed in Texas

Posted by feww on January 12, 2012

Texas renews disaster declaration as devastating drought persists

The Lone Star State has renewed a disaster declaration as its devastating drought continues.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – January 12

[January 12, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,525 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA.The Lone Star State has renewed a disaster declaration as its devastating drought continues.
    • The declaration was issued in 2011 and renewed several times, as the drought showed no sign of abating.
      • Texas experienced its driest year on record last year.
      • The state also had its second warmest year with the average temp of 67.2 degrees (19.6ºC).
      • As many as 500 million trees “with a diameter of 5 inches or larger” across the state of Texas have died as a result of unrelenting drought and record-setting temperatures that plagued the Lone Star state, Texas Forest Service reported.
      • The 12-month period between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011 was the driest in Texas history, said the State Climatologist.
      • Also, the months of June, July and August in Texas were the hottest three-month period ever recorded anywhere in America.
      • “In 2011, Texas experienced an exceptional drought, prolonged high winds and record-setting temperatures. Together, those conditions took a severe toll on trees across the state,” said Burl Carraway, Sustainable Forestry department head. “Large numbers of trees in both urban communities and rural forests have died or are struggling to survive. The impacts are numerous and widespread.”
      • The state’s worst ever drought has also led to the largest-ever one-year decline in its cow herd, reports said.
      • The number of cows in Texas has declined by at least 600,000 [several reports quoted 750,000,] a 12 percent drop from the 5 million [several reports quoted 4.5] cows in the state at the beginning of the year[the lowest figure since the 1950s,] said David Anderson of  the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
      • The state’s agricultural losses in 2011 are estimated at more than $5.3 billion. [The previous record was just over $4 billion during the 2006 drought.]
      • Texas AgriLife Extension Service has itemized the losses as follows
        • Livestock: $2.1 billion
        • Cotton: $1.8 billion
        • Hay: $750 million
        • Corn $326 million
        • Wheat $243 million
        • Sorghum $63 million
        • Sub Total: $5.3 billion
        • Losses incurred by related industries: $3.4 billion


Texas Drought Map – week of January 10, 2012. Source: US Drought Monitor.

Other Global Disasters

  • North Carolina, USA.   Storms and a possible tornado in western NC have destroyed several structures, damaged about 100 buildings and injured at least 15 people.
    • A cold front moved through the western Carolinas triggering storms that hit Rutherford, Burke and Caldwell counties early Wednesday evening, NWS reported.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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Texas drought kills 500 million trees

Posted by feww on December 21, 2011

Up to 500 million trees across Texas have died due to 2011 drought: Report

The new estimates by Texas Forest Service does NOT include trees killed in wildfires that have consumed about 4 million acres of the Lone Star state since the 2011 fires began.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 21

[December 21, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,547 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA. As many as 500 million trees “with a diameter of 5 inches or larger” across the state of Texas have died as a result of unrelenting drought and record-setting temperatures that plagued the Lone Star state, Texas Forest Service reported.
    • The 12-month period between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011 was the driest in Texas history, said the State Climatologist.
    • Also, the months of June, July and August in Texas were the hottest three-month period ever recorded anywhere in America.
    • “In 2011, Texas experienced an exceptional drought, prolonged high winds and record-setting temperatures. Together, those conditions took a severe toll on trees across the state,” said Burl Carraway, Sustainable Forestry department head. “Large numbers of trees in both urban communities and rural forests have died or are struggling to survive. The impacts are numerous and widespread.”
    • The estimate represents about 10 percent of all the trees in the state, Carraway added.
    • “The preliminary estimates indicate three multi-county areas appear to be the hardest hit. The area including Sutton, Crockett, western Kimble and eastern Pecos counties saw extensive mortality among Ashe junipers.” TFS said.
    • “The area including Harris, Montgomery, Grimes, Madison and Leon counties saw extensive mortality among loblolly pines. Western Bastrop and eastern Caldwell counties, as well as surrounding areas, saw extensive mortality among cedars and post oaks.”
    • Trees need about 30 years to mature.


YTD Texas wildfire stats by TFS as of October 7, 2011. [The acreage  burnt includes about 3.1 million acres of pasture land.]

  • Texas. The state’s worst ever drought has also led to the largest-ever one-year decline in its cow herd, reports said.
    • The number of cows in Texas has declined by at least 600,000, a 12 percent drop from the 5 million cows in the state at the beginning of the year, said David Anderson of  the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
    • Large number of cows were moved out of the state “somewhere there’s grass,” but many were slaughtered. For example, about 200,000 more cattle were slaughtered in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas,  this year, a 20 percent increase over last year, he said.

Other Disasters

  • The Carolinas, USA. A total of 19 counties in the Carolinas have been declared as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive heat that began June 1, 2011, and continues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported.
    • South Carolina disaster designations cover 6 primary areas including Cherokee, Greenville, Laurens, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union counties, and 8 contiguous areas: Abbeville, Anderson, Chester, Fairfield, Greenwood, Newberry, Oconee and York counties
    • Five North Carolina counties also included in the declaration because they’re contiguous disaster areas: Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania.
  • Hong Kong. The government is culling 17,000 chickens after three birds died from the H5N1 bird flu strain last week.
    • Two wild birds including an Oriental magpie and a black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) were found dead  with the virus.
    • An outbreak of the deadly respiratory disease SARS killed 300 people in the territory and 500 more worldwide in 2003.
    • Meantime, a government advisory board in the US has asked scientific journals not to publish details of “certain biomedical experiments, for fear that the information could be used by terrorists to create deadly viruses and touch off epidemics,” a report said.
  • USA. About 41% of young adults and adolescents in the U.S. have been arrested at least once before age 23, not including minor traffic violations. Up to 27% reported being arrested before age 18, according to a study published by the Journal of Pediatrics.
  • USA.  Blizzard conditions across five states have killed at least a dozen people since Monday including
    • Four people traveling in east-central New Mexico were killed in a head-on collision
    • A driver in New Mexico was killed after his SUV overturned
    • A prisoner and a corrections officer in Colorado were killed after their vehicle went out of control.
    • Five people were killed when their plane crashed in Central Texas on Monday. “Weather may have been a contributing factor,” Texas Department of Public Safety said. “There was some rain in this area and some lightning.”
    • A tornado spawned by thunderstorms damaged a hospital in DeQuincy, Louisiana, National Weather Service reported.
    • Emergency services across the Great Plains have received hundreds of rescue calls since Monday, when the blizzard shut down highways.
    • The storm has brought snow from Oklahoma into Kansas, and forced Los Alamos National Laboratory to shut down.

Continuing southern Plains blizzard snarls pre-holiday travel with heavy snow, high winds

Storm forces massive school closures impacts numerous highways in four states

Kansas City, Mo. – Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011 – The winter storm that began developing Monday in New Mexico made its presence known by wreaking havoc on pre-holiday travel. Blizzard conditions closed numerous roads, schools and businesses today; stranded motorists and kept transportation and emergency management agencies busy trying to keep roads clear. National Guard troops were assigned to rescue people from stranded vehicles in several locations.

Blizzard Warnings remained in effect until around noon today in central, southwestern and west-central Kansas, the Oklahoma Panhandle and the northern and western Texas Panhandle.

A Winter Storm Warning was in effect for the same period in central and North-central Kansas. Winter Weather Advisories were in effect for southeastern Colorado; northern, central and south-central Kansas; northeast Missouri, northwest Oklahoma and the southern Texas Panhandle.

As of early this morning, the heaviest snowfall reported from the storm was 15 inches that fell on Springfield and La Junta in southeast Colorado. High winds have created drifts up to 10 feet deep in that area. Other overnight snow reports from Colorado included 12 inches at Beulah in Pueblo County, 10 inches at Las Animas and 8-12 inches in Huerfano County.

Winds around 25-35 mph with gusts to 50 mph are also producing considerable blowing snow and white out conditions throughout the blizzard area. Observers have reported 3-5-foot drifts across roads in much of southwest Kansas with-5-9 inches of snow on the ground overnight. Drifts are reaching 8 feet deep in parts of Hamilton County, Kan. The heaviest snow observed in Kansas so far was 12 inches at Scott City. – Source: NWS-CRH

Global Disaster Links

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Worsening Texas Drought May Stay Many Years

Posted by feww on September 30, 2011

Texas has experienced the driest one-year period on record 

99.16 percent of Texas now plagued by severe to exceptional drought levels

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Disaster Calendar 2011 – September 29

[September 29, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,630 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History


Texas Drought Map. Drought progression comparison maps for Sept 20 and Sept 27, 2011. Source US Drought Monitor. 

  • Texas, USA. The Lone Star State has now experienced its driest one-year period on record in the past 12 months.
    • Entire Texas is now plagued by drought, with 99.16 percent of the state listed as being in severe, extreme or exceptional drought levels (D2 – D4).
    • “It is possible that we could be looking at another of these multiyear droughts like we saw in the 1950s, and like the tree rings have shown that the state has experienced over the last several centuries,” State Climatologist John Nielson-Gammon told Reuters.
    • Gammon said the current drought began in  in 2005, but was mitigated in 2007 and 2010. However, it could linger on for another 9 years, if the pattern holds.
    • “We’ve had five of the last seven years in drought, and it looks like it is going to be six out of eight,” he said.
    • “We’re very lucky that we had 2007 and 2010, which were years of plentiful rain,” he said. “2010 was the wettest year in record. Were it not for last year, we would be in much worse shape even than we are today.”
    • Texas is currently up to 20 inches of rainfall behind the month’s average, September usually being one of the state’s wettest months, Gammon said.
    • Wildfires. Wildfires in Texas have consumed 3,764,123 acres and 6,919 homes and other structures.
    • YTD Data provided by Texas Forest Service, (TFS) on September 29, 2011
      • Wildfires: 21,546
      • Acres Burned: 3,764,123


YTD Texas wildfire stats by TFS as of September 29, 2011.  Friday September 30, 2011 is forecast to be another extremely hazardous day for wildfires in Texas, TFS said.

  • East Texas Weather Forecast: “Hotter, Drier and More Unstable Today……Winds increasing from the North Tonight with poor humidity recovery…A critical fire weather situation will be developing later today and persist into Friday.” TFS said.

Related Links

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Texas Wildfires Destroy 1,626 Homes, as Drought Worsens

Posted by feww on September 8, 2011

Extreme and exceptional drought levels plague nearly 96 percent of Texas

Wildfires have consumed more than 3.62 million acres of Texas since January

READ THIS FIRST

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“Oppressive heat and fires were the story in the country’s mid-section and southern Plains as no relief was seen there this past week. In a bit of cruel irony, it was the strong and persistent winds of Lee, which just missed the mark of the drought’s epicenter in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, that fanned the large number of fire outbreaks in Texas.” Drought Monitor

Disaster Calendar 2011 – September 8

[September 8, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,651 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA. The total number of homes destroyed by Bastrop fire is now confirmed at 1,386. At least 240 additional homes have been lost on other fires since Sunday, for a total of about 1,626, TFS reported.
    • The worst fires in Central Texas for at least a century are fulled by a year-long intense drought, low humidity and strong winds generated by the remnants of weather system that had earlier spawned Tropical Storm Lee.
    • Texas has been plagued by its worst drought in at least 6 decades.
    • Drought is expected to continue in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
    • Fire Management Details(Texas Forest Service, TFS)
      • Date: Thursday, September 8, 2011
      • National Preparedness Level: 3
      • Southern Area Preparedness Level: 4
      • TFS Preparedness Level: 5
    • Fire Stats
      • Total Number of Fires YTD: ~ 18,776
      • Acres burned: ~ 3,621,589 ["That's roughly the size of Connecticut." Rick Perry said.]
      • Structures Destroyed by Fire: 4,155 units [FEWW Estimate: ~5,200]
      • Fires in the past 7 days: TFS has responded to 176 fires for 126,844 acres.
      • Since Sunday about 1,626  homes and other structures have been destroyed in various fires.
      • At least 5,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.
      • About 700 people are in emergency shelters.
      • The 34,000-acre Bastrop Complex Fire near Austin is reportedly 30 percent contained.
      • BEAR CREEK (#536), Cass County. 25,000 acres, unknown containment. The fire is burning very actively in heavy timber and is threatening numerous houses. Eight homes have been destroyed.
      • PEDERNALES BEND (Spicewood), Travis County. 6,500 acres, 80 percent contained. Sixty-seven homes were destroyed.
      • RILEY ROAD, Grimes/Montgomery/Waller counties. 11,000 acres, 60 percent contained. Seventy-five homes have been destroyed just west of Magnolia.
      • TAMINA ROAD, Montgomery County. 150 acres, unknown containment. Hundreds of homes were evacuated Monday, but none was reported lost.
      • UNION CHAPEL, Bastrop County. 912 acres, 90 percent contained. Twenty-five homes were destroyed just west of Bastrop.
      • PETERS CHAPEL, Harrison County. 650 acres, 80 percent contained. The fire is burning actively in pine plantation. Numerous homes have been evacuated. Two homes were destroyed.
      • STEINER RANCH, Travis County. 125 acres, 50 percent contained.  More than 1,000 homes were evacuated. Thirty-five homes were destroyed.
      • #491, Limestone County. 3,000 acres, 95 percent contained. One was lost 20 miles east of Waco.
      • DELHI, Caldwell County. 6,000 acres. Six homes were lost on this fire east of Lockhart.
      • BAILEY, Colorado County. 2,300 acres, 90 percent contained. This fast-moving fire threatened 40 homes near Columbus. Ten homes were destroyed.
      • DIANA (#545), Upshur County. 2,500 acres, 70 percent contained. Twenty homes are threatened.
      • LUTHERHILL, Fayette County. 2,700 acres, 95 percent contained. The community of Ruttersville was evacuated. Fourteen homes were destroyed.
      • MOORE, Smith County. 1,500 acres, 90 percent contained. Ten homes were evacuated and five were lost on this fire burning on the Smith/Gregg County line. Two civilian fatalities were reported.
      • Wildfires in East Texas have consumed at least 2,000 acres, killing a woman and her baby and destroying more than a dozen homes, a report said.
      • BOOT WALKER (#553), Marion County. 1,000 acres, unknown containment. Thirty homes are threatened.
      • TOAD ROAD (#552), Upshur County. 350 acres, unknown containment. Three homes were lost and dozens remain threatened.
      • HOPEWELL (#854), Walker County. 1,035 acres, 90 percent contained. Thirty homes have been evacuated, five homes were destroyed.
      • HALSBRO COMPLEX, Red River County. 958 acres, unknown containment. Fifteen homes are threatened, but none reported lost.
      • #502, Nacogdoches County. 4,000 acres, unknown containment. More than a dozen homes have been evacuated, but none lost.
      • ARBOR, Houston County. 3,000 acres, 90 percent contained. Up to 15 homes are reported lost.
      • OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 1,000 acres, 80 percent contained. Several structures and a gas plant are threatened. Two fuel tanks exploded.
      • #839, Leon County (Concord Robbins). 4,689 acres, 90 percent contained. Twenty homes are reported lost and more than 300 were evacuated.
      • 101 RANCH, Palo Pinto County. 6,555 acres, 85 percent contained. The fire is burning on the south side of Possum Kingdom Lake near the town of Brad. Thirty-nine homes and nine RV’s have been reported destroyed.
      • Death toll from the fire outbreak has climbed to at least 4, a report said.
      • Yesterday (September 7, 2011) TFS responded to 20 new fires for 1,422 acres, including new large fires in Red River, Smith, and Cherokee/Rusk counties.
      • TFS has responded to 176 fires for 126,844 acres in the past seven days.
      • Texas drought-related losses YTD: At least $10 billion

  • Oklahoma, USA. D3 and D4 (extreme and exceptional) drought levels now plague nearly 85.5 percent of the state.
  • New Mexico, USA. D3 and D4 drought levels have intensified across NM, currently gripping about 72.2 percent of the state, a rise of more than 11 percent since last week.

Global Climate

The forecasters at Climate Prediction Center (CPC) have upgraded last month’s La Niña Watch to a La Niña Advisory. “La Niña, which contributed to extreme weather around the globe during the first half of 2011, has re-emerged in the tropical Pacific Ocean and is forecast to gradually strengthen and continue into winter.”

This means drought is likely to continue in the drought-stricken states of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of the CPC. “La Niña also often brings colder winters to the Pacific Northwest and the northern Plains, and warmer temperatures to the southern states.”

Other Global Incidents

  • Wellington, New Zealand. A mystery virus with flu-like symptoms has forced at least one Wellington school to shut  down, as a third of of the students and half the staff were sickened, a report said.
    • “Some students were also suffering ear and chest infections.”

Related Links

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Texas Wildfires Torch 1,100 Homes

Posted by feww on September 6, 2011

Wildfires Continue to Consume Texas

181 fires consume 118,413 acres and about 1,100 homes in 7 days

Texas wildfires have burned about  3.6 million acres and 4,400 structures [FEWW Estimate] so far this year.

READ THIS FIRST

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Disaster Calendar 2011 – September 6

[September 6, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,653 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA. Some 181 fires have consumed 118,413 acres and destroyed about 1,100 homes in the past 7 days. Texas wildfires have burned at least 3.6 million acres and 4,400 structures [FEWW Estimate] so far this year.
    • The worst fires in Central Texas for at least a century are fulled by a year-long intense drought, low humidity and strong winds generated by the remnants of weather system that had earlier spawned Tropical Storm Lee.
    • Texas has been plagued by its worst drought in at least 6 decades.
    • Fire Management Details(Texas Forest Service, TFS)
      • Date: Tuesday, September 6, 2011
      • National Preparedness Level: 3
      • Southern Area Preparedness Level: 3
      • TFS Preparedness Level: 5
    • Fire Stats
      • Total Number of Fires YTD: ~ 18,741
      • Acres burned: ~ 3,600,000 ["That's roughly the size of Connecticut." Rick Perry said.]
      • Structures Destroyed by Fire: 4,400 units [FEWW Estimate]
      • Fires in the past 7 days: TFS has responded to 201  fires for 118,413
      • About 1,100  homes have been destroyed in various fires.
      • At least 5,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.
      • About 700 people are in emergency shelters.
      • The 30,000-acre Bastrop Complex Fire near Austin is still zero-percent contained.
      • At least 13 of the blazes are larger than 1,000 acres (including 7 that have torched more than 3,000 acres).
      • Wildfires in East Texas have consumed at least 2,000 acres, killing a woman and her baby and destroying more than a dozen homes, a report said.
      • Death toll from the fire outbreak has climbed to at least 4, a report said.
      • Yesterday (September 5, 2011) TFS responded to 22 new fires for 7,544 acres, including 10 new large fires.
      • Texas drought-related losses YTD: At least $10 billion

Other Disasters

  • Japan. Death toll from Typhoon TALAS has climbed to at least 48 with 54 others reported missing.
    • About 3,000 people are still in evacuation centers.
    • Dozens of villages and tens of thousands of people in central Japan are still cut off.
    • TALAS was the worst storm to hit Japan in 3 decades.
  • Connecticut , USA. The White House has  declared Connecticut a major disaster area because of the damage  caused by Tropical Storm Irene beginning on August 27, 2011.
  • Virginia, USA. The White House has  declared Virginia a major disaster area due to the damage caused Hurricane Irene during the period of August 26-28, 2011.
  • New Hampshire, USA. The White House has  declared a major disaster exists in the State of New Hampshire due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene beginning on August 26, 2011.
  • Pennsylvania, USA. The White House has  declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to the damage caused by Hurricane Irene during the period of August 26-30, 2011.
  • Rhode Island, USA. The White House has  declared a major disaster exists in the State of Rhode Island due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene during the period of August 27-29, 2011.
  • Massachusetts, USA. The White House has  declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene during the period of August 27-29, 2011.
  • Pakistan. Death toll from flooding in Pakistan has climbed to at least 123, reports said.
    • Floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in southern Sindh province have destroyed about half a million mud huts.
    • At least 100,000 heads of cattle are dead or missing.
    • Floods have destroyed about half million acres of cropland, and 80 percent of harvest-ready crops in the region.
    • At least third of a million people have been displaced.
    • More than 2.2 million others have been severely affected.

Related Links

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Drought Intensifies in Southern U.S.

Posted by feww on September 1, 2011

Drought is also intensifying in the southeast, especially Georgia, eastern Alabama: Report

The drought could extend into next year and beyond, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported.

“In Texas and southern Oklahoma, another week of above-normal temperatures (up to 14°F above normal, with highs eclipsing 110°F) and sunny skies further offset the benefits of early month rainfall.   Consequently, drought intensified over many of the remaining D2 and D3 areas (Severe to Extreme Drought), with the vast majority of Texas and Oklahoma under Exceptional Drought (D4).  As of August 29, pasture and range condition was rated 98 and 92 percent poor to very poor in Texas and Oklahoma, respectively.  Further illustrating the heat and drought’s devastating impacts, cotton – a crop that generally thrives in hot, dry weather – was rated 60 percent poor to very poor in Texas and an astounding 92 percent poor to very poor in Oklahoma.  180-day rainfall deficits exceeded 14 inches in southwestern Oklahoma and north-central Texas, and were locally in excess of 20 inches near Houston.”

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Disaster Calendar 2011 – September 1

[September 1, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,658 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • U.S. South. Drought conditions (D0 – D4) now engulf 97.56 percent of the South, up from 93.62 percent a week earlier, the US Drought Monitor reported.
  • U.S. Southeast. Extreme drought level (D3) in the Southeast now covers 22.8 percent of the region, compared with 12.94 percent last week.
  • Texas, USA. Extreme and exceptional levels of drought (D3 and D4) in Texas have climbed to 95.04 percent of the state, up from 94.42 percent last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported.
    • Childress, Texas has  recorded 94 days of triple digit temperatures (50 consecutive days, ending on August 10) so far this year.
    • The summer of 2011 was the hottest on record across the Southern Plains region by a significant margin (up to 3.4ºF), NWS reported.
    • Temperatures climbed above 90 degrees EVERY DAY during meteorological summer (June 1-August 31) at both Lubbock and Childress monitoring sites, the first time ever on record.

  • Oklahoma, USA. Extreme and exceptional levels of drought now cover 85.37 percent of the state.
  • Louisiana, USA. Extreme and exceptional drought plague 59.50 percent of the state, an increase of about 4 percent since last week.
  • Kansas, USA. D3 and D4 drought conditions engulf about 32 percent of state of Kansas.

Other Disasters

  • Vermont, USA. The White House today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Vermont due to the severe impact of Tropical Storm Irene beginning on August 29, 2011, and continuing.
  • Oklahoma, USA. A wildfire in a wooded area of Oklahoma city has consumed at least 25 homes.
  • Texas, USA. A Texas wildfire near Possum Kingdom Lake, about 75 miles west of Fort Worth, has consumed at least 6,500 acres, destroying 40 homes, a report said.

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Drought-Related Losses Cost Texas $10billion

Posted by feww on August 21, 2011

Damage from Drought and Drought-Fueled Wildfires in Texas Exceeds $10billion and Mounting

In comparison, drought cost Texas agriculture $13.1 billion in the previous 13 years, an average of about $1 billion per year (peaking at a record annual loss of $4.1 billion in 2006 season.)


Dust Bowl Texas. Frame grab from video report by Agrilife Today

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 20 Entry

[August 20, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,670 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA.  Field surveys show livestock losses of $2.1 billion and crop losses of $3.1 billion in Texas from November 2010 to August 1, according to Texas A&M University’s Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
    • “The drought of 2011 will have a lasting impact on Texas agriculture,” said Dr. Travis Miller, AgriLife Extension agronomist and a member of the Governor’s Drought Preparedness Council. 
    • “This drought is ongoing,” said Dr. David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock economist. “Further losses will continue if rainfall does not come soon to establish this year’s winter wheat crop and wheat grazing.”
    • “Wheat yields were down from a five-year average of 30 bushels to 26 bushels per acre and abandonment was up,” he said. “Given this year’s plantings of 5.7 million acres, we would have harvested 2.8 million in a normal year. In 2011, harvested acreage is estimated at only 2 million acres, down 800,000 acres. The combination of yield losses on harvested acres and higher abandonment put Texas wheat-for-grain losses at $243 million.”
    • Texas corn production is down by about 30 percent in 2011.
    • “The drought began for much of the state in September 2010,” Miller said.


Texas Drought: Cracks are deepening. Frame grab from video report by Agrilife Today

  • The Losses by Commodity:-
      • Livestock: $2.06 billion (includes $1.2 billion previously reported in May);
      • Lost hay production value: $750 million;
      • Cotton: $1.8 billion;
      • Corn: $327 million;
      • Wheat: $243 million;
      • Sorghum: $63 million.
  • A list of economic drought losses from 1998 through 2010 - compiled by AgriLife Extension:
      • 2011– $5.2 billion [losses caused by drought-fueled wildfires NOT included]
      • 2009 – $3.6 billion
      • 2008 – $1.4 billion
      • 2006 – $4.1 billion
      • 2002 – $316 million
      • 2000 – $1.1 billion
      • 1999 – $223 million
      • 1998 – $2.4 billion
        • [Total of $18.34billion excluding 2011 losses from drought-fueled wildfires;  14-year average annual loss: $1.31billion, calculated between 1998 and August 1, 2011]
  • FIRE-EARTH estimates that the additional losses caused by drought-fueled wildfires in Texas, which have consumed 5,400 square miles [3,456,000 acres] of grazing land and destroyed thousands of structures in the past 10 months, amount to about $5 billion, making a tally of about $10billion.

Other Global Disasters

  • Thailand. The govt has declared 28 of Thailand’s 76 provinces disaster areas because of flooding. The deluge has so far affected about a million people, a report said.
  • Arizona, USA. USDA has declared five Arizona counties as natural disaster areas due to the  ongoing drought. The disaster areas are Apache, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties, reports said.

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Texas Wheat Harvest Falls 60 Percent

Posted by feww on August 17, 2011

The “worst wheat harvest” in living memory!

Drought Decimates Harvest in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas

[August 16, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,674 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 16 Entry

  • USA. Texas harvested only 52 million bushels of wheat, compared with 127.5 million in 2010. Oklahoma’s harvest was down to 74.8 million bushels, from 129 million last year. Kansas could only harvest 273 million bushels, down from 360 million, USDA reported.
    • “We’re always saying next year it will be better, but it doesn’t look very hopeful at this point,” said veteran Kansas wheat farmer Larry Kepley.
    • It’s “the worst wheat harvest” he has ever known. “We’re always saying next year it will be better, but it doesn’t look very hopeful at this point,” added Kepley.

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U.S. back-to-back disasters phase has begun

Posted by feww on August 15, 2011

40 percent of the entire U.S. cowherd severely impacted by killer drought: Report

Deadly drought in the South, compounded by unrelenting heat, is forecast to linger, even intensify in coming months.

[August 15, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,675 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 15 Entry

  • USA. Killer drought in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and parts of Kansas and Colorado is compounded by unrelenting heat. Some 40 percent of the entire cowherd in the U.S. is now severely impacted by “exceptional” and “extreme” levels of drought, according to Northwest Oklahoma livestock specialist Greg Highfill.
  • New Jersey, USA. A State of Emergency has been declared for Salem and Cumberland counties following widespread flooding caused by torrential rain.
    • Pittsgrove in Salem County, New Jersey, has received about 12 inches of rain since the storm began on Sunday.
    • Flood watches have been issued for Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and most parts of New Jersey, NWS said.

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Drought and Deluge Continue to Wreak Havoc Across the World

Posted by feww on August 15, 2011

Flooding in Sindh Province, Pakistan inundates 1,500 villages

Pakistani city of Badin received 475mm (187 inches) of rain in about 36 hours.

[August 14, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,676 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 14 Entry

  • Sindh Province, Pakistan. The authorities have declared Badin district in Sindh Province, Pakistan a disaster area after torrential rains inundated at least 1,500 villages, destroying homes and crops and displacing more than 40,000 people, reports said.
    • City of Badin reportedly received 475mm (187 inches) of rain in about 36 hours.
    • Flooding has also killed an undisclosed number of people and livestock.
  • Ohio, USA. Port Clinton has  declared a  state of emergency after wide spread flooding inundated the city.
  • Texas, USA. Crop and livestock losses in Texas may have already exceeded $10 billion dollars, FIRE-EARTH estimates. State’s previous record losses were  $4.1 billion set in 2006.
  • Guizhou Province, China. At least 2.15 million people in 84 province’s cities and counties of SW Guizhou Province are short of drinking water, according to an official statement.
    • “The drought has also affected 1.05 million hectares of crops and left 760,000 livestock short of drinking water, causing direct economic losses of more than 6 billion yuan (923 million U.S. dollars).”
  • Hunan Province, China. Deepening drought in the city of Huaihua, central China’s Hunan Province, has left about 400,000 people and 110,000 livestock short of drinking water, a report said.
    • “The dry weather, due to lack of rainfall, had withered up 140,000 hectares of crops and dried up more than 1,200 wells, said a spokesman with the Huaihua Municipal Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Friday.”
    • Drought has caused major problems for boats that use the Xiangjiang River in Hunan Province. Almost 170 vessels have been held up at the Zhuzhou section in the river’s upper reaches. Authorities are dredging a channel to allow river traffic to resume. Water levels have dropped to under 30 meters this year, eight meters lower than previous highs.

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Drought Deepens in the South

Posted by feww on August 11, 2011

Deadly Drought Spreads through the Great Plains and the Midwest

Deepening drought and triple-digit temperatures in southern Plains and Mississippi Valley broil crops and livestock causing tens of billions of dollars in damage.

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 11 Entry

[August 11, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,679 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

  • Texas, USA. “Extreme” and “exceptional” levels of drought in Texas grew to 94.27 percent of the state from 91.73 percent last week, Drought Monitor reported.
  • Oklahoma, USA. Levels of extreme and exceptional drought in Oklahoma grew by nearly 5 percent gripping 92.88 percent of the state, up from 88.10 percent a week earlier.
  • The Corn Belt States, USA. Drought is rapidly developing in the corn-growing region of the U.S., with the drought level   intensifying to “moderate” (from “abnormally dry”) in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota.


Current U.S. Drought Monitor. Click image to enlarge.

  • USA. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 913 U.S. counties as disaster areas, since January.
    • “There is no question the United States has been hit with a number of unique and rather significant disasters over the last several months,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press conference on August 8. “Historic wildfires in the Southwest, historic numbers of tornadoes in the South and Southeast, extraordinary drought, and flooding conditions in the Midwest have really challenged us.”
    • “Just this year, 913 counties have been declared disaster areas.”
    • “We’ve begun to pay indemnities on crop insurance. We anticipate the numbers will grow significantly but, as of today, (the Risk Management Agency) has already paid out $693 million.” Vilsack added.

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Texas Drought Worst Ever

Posted by feww on August 9, 2011

Texas drought is the worst ever one-year drought recorded

Texas received only 0.72 inches of rain in July, making the month the warmest ever on record (since 1895).  

[August 9, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,681 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 9 Entry

  • Texas, USA. The state of Texas has broken the record for the driest 12 months on record as of July 2011. Only 0.72 inches of rain fell in the state during the entire month of July.
    • Texas State Climatologist Nielsen-Gammon: “These statistics rank the current drought as the most severe one-year drought ever for Texas.”
    • “Never before has so little rain been recorded prior to and during the primary growing season for crops, plants and warm-season grasses.” He added.
    • Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples: “The extreme heat and unprecedented dry weather are crippling agricultural operations in Texas upon which all Americans rely for food, fuel, clothing and other daily necessities.”
    • “This historic drought has depleted water resources, leaving our state’s farmers and ranchers in a state of dire need. The damage to our economy is already measured in billions of dollars and continues to mount.” He added.
    • The small town of Kemp (Pop: 1,500) ran out of water on Sunday, the town mayor said. Kemp is located on the shore of Cedar Creek Reservoir in Kaufman County about 40 miles southeast of Dallas.
    • Dallas experienced triple digit temperatures for the 39th consecutive day.

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Disaster Calendar 2011: Deaths Mount in U.S. Heatwave

Posted by feww on August 5, 2011

Record-Breaking Grid Loads in Texas, South as Heatwave Persists

[August 5, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,685 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

READ THIS FIRST

Continued hacking and content censorship

In view of the continued hacking and censorship of this blog by the Internet Mafia, the Moderators have decided to maintain only a minimum presence at this site, until further notice.

FIRE-EARTH will continue to update the 2011 Disaster Calendar for the benefit of its readers.

WordPress Continues to Hack Fire-Earth, Affiliated Blogs

WordPress is HACKING this blog!

The Blog Moderators Condemn in the Strongest Possible Terms the Continued Removal of Content and Hacking of FIRE-EARTH and Affiliated Blogs by WordPress!

Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 5 Entry

Oklahoma, USA. The official death toll from Oklahoma heatwave has climbed to 15, reports said.

Texas, USA. As temperatures topped 100F (38C) in parts Texas for the 39th straight day, a “power emergency” was declared for the fourth consecutive day. Heat records across the U.S. were broken at least 2,600 times during last month.

Texas’ power grid was still at Level 1 emergency Friday afternoon, as reserves dropped below 2,300 megawatts, ERCOT reported.

Thursday’s peak demand was 66,815 megawatts between 4 pm and 5 pm local time, when ERCOT was forced to pull 1,033 megawatts from several neighboring grids, including Mexico.

Friday’s peak is expected to rise to 67,794 megawatts.

Meantime, the rising water temperatures in Tennessee River, which climbed over 90 degrees on Wednesday, forced Tennessee Valley Authority to cut down electricity generation by 50 percent at Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in Decatur, Alabama.

Water from Tennessee River is used to cool down the nuclear reactors at the plant.

U.S. Drought Outlook. The drought in Texas, Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico is forecast to  persist or intensify until the end of October, NWS  reported.

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