South Australia on Fire

Catastrophic bushfire burning in South Australia kills three, thousands of animals

Thousands of animals burned alive by monster fire that has also killed up to three people, said a report.

Locals on social media estimate that as many as 9,000 pigs may have been burned alive in the Wasleys Piggery, one of the state’s largest pig farms.

• The massive fire has a 40km front and is burning uncontrollably.
• It’s burning north of Adelaide, and has a 211km perimeter, said the local fire chief, adding that there was a continuous fire line from Adelaide to Port Pirie.
• “We also know that there are many homes, sheds, crops and livestock losses due to the active fire front, I can’t give you exact figures at this point,” said South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill.
• Properties in Tarlee, Freeling and Kapunda have been affected by the blaze, which had burned more than 85,700 hectares on Wednesday.
• About 1,000 people are working to fight the blaze including 70 appliances on the ground along with 340 volunteer firefighters.
• The blaze has destroyed homes and buildings and was headed toward the wine-growing region of the Barossa Valley, said a report.

A Tsunami of Fire

The front of a massive bushfire nears a house at Mallala, north of Adelaide, November 25 2015. Credit: ABS News (Aus)

Hay bales catch alight during the catastrophic Mallala fire in South Australia. Image credit: ABC News/Tony Hill

A big fire burns in crops in the Mallala area, north of Adelaide, November 25 2015. Image credit: Supplied by Walco Seed Cleaning/ via ABC News (Aus)

More images posted at Bushfire burns north of Adelaide

More information at www.cfs.sa.gov.au

2015 Likely Warmest on Record, 2011-2015 Warmest Five Year Period: WMO

Extreme Weather Triggered as Climate Change Breaches Symbolic Thresholds

2015 is on track to be the warmest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The global average surface temperature in 2015 would likely reach “the symbolic and significant milestone” of 1°C above the pre-industrial era, said WMO.

Also, the last five years (2011-2015) have been the warmest five-year period on record, with many extreme weather events – especially heatwaves – influenced by climate change, according to a WMO five-year analysis.

Bad News for the Planet

“The state of the global climate in 2015 will make history as for a number of reasons,” said WMO Secretary-General. “Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached new highs and in the Northern hemisphere spring 2015 the three-month global average concentration of CO2 crossed the 400 parts per million barrier for the first time. 2015 is likely to be the hottest year on record, with ocean surface temperatures at the highest level since measurements began.  It is probable that the 1°C Celsius threshold will be crossed,” he said. “This is all bad news for the planet.”

Based on data from January to October, the global average surface temperature for 2015 so far was about 0.73 °C above the 1961-1990 average of 14.0°C and approximately 1°C above the pre-industrial 1880-1899 period, said WMO.

Ocean heat and sea level rise

The oceans have been absorbing more than 90% of the energy that has accumulated in the climate system from human emissions of greenhouse gases, resulting in higher temperatures and sea levels. In the first nine months of 2015, global ocean heat content through both the upper 700 meters and 2000 meters of the oceans reached record high levels. The latest estimates of global sea level indicate that the global average sea level in the first half of 2015 was the highest since satellite observations became available in 1993.

Significant warmth was recorded across large areas of the oceans. The Tropical Pacific was much warmer than average, exceeding 1°C over much of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. The northeast Pacific, much of the Indian Ocean and areas in the north and south Atlantic were significantly warmer than average. Areas to the south of Greenland and in the far southwest Atlantic were significantly colder than average.

Ocean heat content down to a depth of 700m (top) and 2000m (bottom). Three-month (red), annual (black) and 5-year (blue) averages are shown. Source: NOAA/NCEI

Related Links

• The WMO Bulletin on Greenhouse Gas Concentrations is posted here
• October Temperature Breaks Global Record November 19, 2015
• De Facto 2°C Global Climate Target = 2 Inch Hole in the Head  October 9, 2015

Powerful Earthquake Doublet Strike Peru-Brazil Border

Two M7.6 Earthquakes Strike SE Peru

The deep-focus earthquake doublet struck at a depth of about 600 km, approximately 1,000km east of the Peru-Chile Trench within the subducted oceanic lithosphere of the Nazca plate, where the Nazca plate subducts to the east under the South America plate at a velocity of about 69 mm/y, reported USGS/EHP.

The doublet occurred 5 minutes apart; separated about 50 km horizontally, and just over 6km vertically. The second earthquake was most probably triggered by the first event, said the report.

EQ Details

M7.6 located 10.047°S, 71.023°W about 210km S of Tarauaca, Brazil 2015-11-24 22:50:53 UTC depth of 611.7km

Distances:

• 269km (167mi) WNW of Cobija, Bolivia
• 271km (168mi) WNW of Brasileia, Brazil
• 692km (430mi) ENE of Lima, Peru

M7.6 located 10.548°S, 70.904°W about 169km WNW of Iberia, Peru 2015-11-24 22:45:38 UTC depth of 600.6km

Distances:

• 239km (149mi) WNW of Cobija, Bolivia
• 241km (150mi) WNW of Brasileia, Brazil
• 688km (428mi) ENE of Lima, Peru

Other Significant Events

• M6.0 located 18.791°N, 145.311°E about 37km W of Agrihan, Northern Mariana Islands 2015-11-24 13:21:35 UTC depth of 586.2km