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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Friday that the U.S. Forest Service has identified an additional 36 million dead trees across California since its last aerial survey in May 2016. This brings the total number of dead trees since 2010 to over 102 million on 7.7 million acres of California’s drought-stricken forests.
Drought has killed at least 62 million trees in 2016 alone, representing more than a 100 percent increase in dead trees across the state from 2015. Millions of additional trees are weakened and expected to die in the coming months and years.
Drought kills more than 102 million trees in California, including 62 million this year alone. US Forest Service.
“These dead and dying trees continue to elevate the risk of wildfire, complicate our efforts to respond safely and effectively to fires when they do occur, and pose a host of threats to life and property across California,” said Agriculture Secretary. “USDA has made restoration work and the removal of excess fuels a top priority, but until Congress passes a permanent fix to the fire budget, we can’t break this cycle of diverting funds away from restoration work to fight the immediate threat of the large unpredictable fires caused by the fuel buildups themselves.”
This year, California had a record setting wildfire season, with the Blue Cut fire alone scorching over 30,000 acres and triggering the evacuation of 80,000 people. In the southeastern United States wildfires have burned more than 120,000 acres this fall. The southeast region of the Forest Service is operating at the highest preparedness level, PL 5, reflecting the high level of physical resources and funding devoted to the region. Extreme drought conditions persist, and many areas have not seen rain for as many as 95 days.
Details of Alert are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.
Water-saving order extended as California enters fifth year of drought
Governor Brown has issued yet another executive order calling for additional measures to “build on the state’s ongoing response to record dry conditions and assist recovery efforts from this year’s devastating wildfires.As California enters a fifth year of drought.”
California’s Drought Response
“Governor Brown declared a drought state of emergency in January 2014 and directed state agencies to take all necessary actions to respond to drought conditions. In April, Governor Brown announced the first-ever 25 percent statewide mandatory water reductions and a series of actions to help save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state’s drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. Californians have responded with unprecedented conservation efforts, exceeding the Governor’s water reduction order for a fourth consecutive month,” said a statement posted on the official website.
In October, Brown declared yet another state of emergency following the unprecedented tree die-off across the state and sought federal aid “to help mobilize additional resources for the safe removal of dead and dying trees, building on provisions in the April 2014 executive order to redouble the state’s drought response.” said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board,
Excerpts from Brown’s Latest Executive Order [B-36-15]
“On January 17, 2014, l proclaimed a State of Emergency throughout the State of California due to severe drought conditions, which persist after four years… California is experiencing a range of extreme weather events such that the state must simultaneously prepare for a fifth year of drought … the ongoing drought continues to affect water supplies, agriculture, businesses, and communities, and is further stressing California’s fish and wildlife… wildfires have damaged critical infrastructure, including power plants, and hundreds of thousands of acres are and continue to be vulnerable to debris and mudslides due to scarring from significant wildfires in recent years… the magnitude of the severe drought conditions and wildfires continues to present threats beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions…”
The order also authorizes emergency water conservation measures to continue through October 2016 if the state still faces a drought in January 2016.
“If drought conditions persist through January 2016, the Water Board shall extend until October 31, 2016, restrictions to achieve a statewide reduction in urban potable water usage. The Water Board shall consider modifying its existing restrictions to address uses of potable and non-potable water, as well as to incorporate insights gained from existing restrictions. The California Public Utilities Commission is requested to take similar action with respect to investor-owned utilities providing water services.”
“The problem of this drought is it’s beyond anything in our experience,” said Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board.
California adopts unprecedented mandatory water cuts
The Golden State regulators have adopted unprecedented mandatory water cutbacks by as much as 36 percent, as the region’s catastrophic drought enters its fourth year.
The emergency regulations were approved unanimously late Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board.
“This is a collective issue that we all need to rise to in this time of emergency,” said the chairwoman of the state board during a public hearing Tuesday in Sacramento. “This is a community crisis. The community is California.”
Communities across the state must reduce water use from 8 percent to 36 percent starting May 15 to comply with an order issued by Gov. Brown to reduce state water use by 25 percent amid dwindling water supplies, said a report.
“Individuals face $500 fines per violation. Water retailers that do not meet water conservation targets will be issued a cease and desist order and if they continue to miss the mark, could be fined $10,000 a day,” said the report quoting an environmental scientist with the state water board as saying.
Eureka: Millions of dead trees intensify forest fire danger in the Golden State
The catastrophic drought in California has killed more than 12 million trees across the Golden state’s forests over the past year, according to an aerial survey conducted the U.S. Forest Service last month.
Using a digital mapping system, while flying in a fixed-wing aircraft about 300m above ground, a USFS team visually surveyed the forests.
The surveyors tracked about 8.4 million acres in Cleveland, San Bernardino, Angeles and Los Padres National Forests, as well as the Southern Sierra Nevada, and documented a total of more than 12 million dead trees.
The surveyors found substantial pine mortality in San Diego County, especially across the Cleveland National Forest and Mt. Laguna.
A ferocious forest fire that burned for nearly three months late last summer and early fall consumed about quarter-million acres of forest around the Klamath National Forest in Siskiyou County, northern California.
As of last week (April 28, 2015) some 99.86 percent of California was abnormally dry or plagued by drought drought levels D1 – D4.
Drought levels D1 – D4: 98.11 percent of the land area
Drought levels D2 – D4: 93.44 percent
Drought levels D3 – D4: 66.60 percent
Drought levels D4: 46.77 percent
Drought conditions in California are expected to intensify as the dry season begins.
Average snow water equivalent in Calif. drops to 1.1 inch
Current Regional Snowpack from Automated Snow Sensors – Data as of April 17, 2015
NORTHERN SIERRA/ TRINITY Number of Stations Reporting: 30
Average snow water equivalent: 1.0 inch (2.54cm)
Percent of April 1 Average: 3%
Percent of normal for this date: 3%
CENTRAL SIERRA
Number of Stations Reporting: 43
Average snow water equivalent: 1.4in
Percent of April 1 Average: 5%
Percent of normal for this date: 5%
SOUTHERN SIERRA
Number of Stations Reporting: 27
Average snow water equivalent 0.8in
Percent of April 1 Average: 3%
Percent of normal for this date: 3%
STATEWIDE
Number of Stations Reporting: 100
Average snow water equivalent 1.1in
Percent of April 1 Average: 4%
Percent of normal for this date: 4%
Source: The Department of Water Resources – California Data Exchange Center
N. California Farmers Skip Planting to Sell Water To LA at $700 Per Acre Foot
Northern California farmers are leaving their fields fallow this year to cash in on their water rights at $700 per acre foot, said a report.
[An acre-foot is about 1,233.5 cubic meters. —Editor.]
They’re selling their rights to Los Angeles County at a new price that is twice what southern California authorities paid for their water in 2010.
In 2014, rice farmers received $500 per acre foot of water. This year the stakes are even higher because water replaces rice as their cash crop.
“We’re going to make a lot more selling the water than planting the rice,” a farmer north of Sacramento told NBC News. “This is a huge deal.”
Some farmers are concerned that the water may simply be taken away from them.
“In the long term, if we don’t make it available we’re afraid they’ll just take it,” said a fourth generation rice farmer with senior rights to Yuba River water, said the report.
“It’s much more than we ever expected to get. But at the same time, that just shows the desperation of the people that need it,” he said.
He and his fellow farmers are selling 20 percent of their allotment to Los Angeles’s Metropolitan Water District, which provides water from Los Angeles to San Diego County.
California experienced its driest January in recorded history (record-keeping began in 1895), as groundwater and snowpack levels fell to record lows.
A state of emergency proclaimed by Gov. Brown in January remains in effect, as Califonia enters its fourth year of severe drought.
Meantime, the Governor and other senior state officials were expected to announce Emergency Drought Legislation later Thursday, March 19, 2015.
“Taking action to further strengthen water conservation in the state, the State Water Resources Control Board yesterday voted to expand and extend an emergency regulation to prohibit certain water use, such as washing down sidewalks, and create a minimum standard for outdoor irrigation restrictions by urban water suppliers,” said the governor’s office.
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT NEAR ZERO SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT CRITICALLY LOW GROUNDWATER LEVELS WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES SCENARIOS 03, 04, 101 MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY .
Snow Water Equivalent (SWEQ) Nearing Zero in Southern California
The statewide average snow water equivalent in California has dropped to less than 0.6 inch (~ 1.5cm), or just 4% of the average for the date, and only 2% for April 1.
The following is a summary of California Cooperative Snow Surveys as reported on May 20, 2014 .
Impact of Drought on Calif Agriculture
California’s drought could cost farmers about $2billion this year, forcing them to leave fallow up to a million acres of land.
Tens of thousands of full time and seasonal jobs could be lost as a result of the drought, now in its third year, described by officials as catastrophic.
Crop Disasters in Calif
All of the 58 counties in the country’s most populous and 3rd largest state have been declared crop disaster areas at least once this year.
Disaster Applications
The Golden State has made 362 Disaster Applications to USDA, as of May 1, 2014, compared with 157 for the entire 2012, and 331 throughout 2013.
Two Weeks Ago…
Vital groundwater provides up to 60% of California’s water supply during droughts
California groundwater resources are at historically low levels, and recent groundwater levels are more than 100 feet below previous historic lows in some parts of the state, according to a recent report released by the California Department of Water Resources.
About 30 million Californians, over three quarters of the state’s population, receives at least part of their drinking water from groundwater, said California Water Foundation.
Groundwater is the only supply available for some regions during drought, and it’s critical to the state’s agricultural economy.
Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS EXTREME & EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT CRITICALLY LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT CRITICALLY LOW GROUNDWATER LEVELS WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES SCENARIOS 03, 101 MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY .
California’s Snow Water Equivalent (SWEQ) Drops to 6% of the Average
The statewide average snow water equivalent in California has dropped to 0.6 inch (1.5cm), or only 6% of the average for the date, and 3% for April 1.
The following is a summary of California Cooperative Snow Surveys as reported on May 19, 2014 .
Impact of Drought on Calif Agriculture
California’s drought could cost farmers about $2billion this year, forcing them to leave fallow up to a million acres of land.
Tens of thousands of full time and seasonal jobs could be lost as a result of the drought, now in its third year, described by officials as catastrophic.
Crop Disasters in Calif
All of the 58 counties in the country’s most populous and 3rd largest state have been declared crop disaster areas at least once this year.
Disaster Applications
The Golden State has made 362 Disaster Applications to USDA, as of May 1, 2014, compared with 157 for the entire 2012, and 331 throughout 2013.
Drought and Freeze Cause Crop Disasters across Dozens of Counties in 11 States
Crop Disasters Caused by DROUGHT
The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated dozens of counties across 10 states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah—as crop disaster areas due to the drought.
Those areas are
California. Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.
Nebraska. Arthur, Chase (2 designations), Custer, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy (2 designations), Furnas (2 designations), Garden, Gosper, Harlan, Hayes (2 designations), Keith (2 designations), Franklin, Frontier (2 designations), Hitchcock (3 designations), Lincoln (2 designations), Red Willow (3 designations), Logan, McPherson and Perkins (2 designations) counties.
Nevada. Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Nye and White Pine counties.
Oklahoma. Beaver, Cimarron and Texas counties.
Texas. Crockett, Menard, Schleicher, Irion, Reagan, Sutton, Concho, Glasscock, Mason, Sterling, Upton, Crane, Kimble, Midland, Terrell, Val Verde, Edwards, McCulloch, Pecos and Tom Green counties.
Utah. Box Elder and Tooele counties.
Crop Disasters Caused by FREEZE
USDA has also designated 20 counties in New York as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by freeze and excessive snow that occurred Dec. 1, 2013, and continues.
Those counties are Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Wyoming, Allegany, Cortland, Madison, Tompkins, Cattaraugus, Erie, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Genesee, Oswego, Yates, Chemung, Livingston and Steuben.
Drought Disasters 2014
Since January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 1,010 counties across 16 states as crop disaster areas.
Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.
Crop disasters have been declared in an additional 42 counties in the states of New York and Pennsylvania due to Freeze.
Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.
ii. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.
iii. A number of counties may have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.
iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.
v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on April 2, 2014.
EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS WORSENING DROUGHT V. LOW SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS STATE OF EMERGENCY .
Snowpack provides third of California water
Snowpack provides about a third of the water used by California’s cities and farms. As of April 1, 2014, the California statewide water content of snowpack stood at only 32% of the average historical April 1 amount. The date is crucial because this is when the snowpack is at its peak and begins to melt into streams and reservoirs, said USGS
Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.
Trinity Lake is a major California reservoir with water storage capacity of 2,448,000 acre-feet. It is located about 60 miles northwest of Redding. Photo by: Tim Reed, USGS California Water Science Center Supervisory Hydrologist; taken February 4, 2014.
State of Emergency
Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27 amid the worsening statewide drought. He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”
Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California
Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.
EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY .
Extreme Drought spreads in California
Extreme Drought spreads to 49.41 percent of California, up from 43.53 percent last week, according to the US Drought Monitor.
The area covered by Exceptional Drought remains unchanged at 22.37 percent.
California Drought Weekly Comparison Map. Sourced from US Drought Monitor. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.
State of Emergency
Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27 amid the worsening statewide drought. He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”
Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California
Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.
EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WARMEST WINTER ON RECORD DROUGHT WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY .
California had its warmest winter (and driest year to March)
The warmest winter on record has worsened the persistent drought across the Golden State, according to the latest data released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).
The most overpopulated state in the U.S. experienced an average temperature of 8.9ºC (48 degrees) between December and February, more than 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.4ºF) hotter than the 20th-century average, exceeding the previous record, set in 1980/81, by 0.4ºC (0.8ºF).
California also experienced its driest year to winter by March on record, with the average precipitation 4.5 inches which was 38% of last winter’s 11.7 inches.
In comparison, the winter precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. reached 5.69 inches, 1.10 inches below long-term average, making the it the ninth driest winter on record.
Much of the West and Great Plains were much drier than average. Arizona (fourth warmest winter), California (warmest winter, and driest bu March), New Mexico, and Texas (lowest reservoir levels in 25 years) each had a top ten dry winter season, said NCDC.
Below-average precipitation was prevalent in parts of the Southeast, the Northern and Southern Plains, and the Southwest. Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma had February precipitation totals that were top ten dry, said NCDC.
California Drought Conditions
As of March 11, 2014, at least (!) 99.99 percent of California was covered by drought conditions, including 22.37 percent in Exceptional Drought, 43.53 percent in Extreme Drought and 24.91 percent in Severe Drought.
California Drought Map as of March 11, 2014. Source: US Drought Monitor. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.
State of Emergency
Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27 amid the worsening statewide drought. He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”
Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California
Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.
EXTREME CLIMATE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY .
Lake of the Woods could turn into a ghost town
Lake of the Woods, a small town north of Los Angeles, is running dry amid California drought and the residents are worried about the future.
The following video was prepared by the New York Times
State of Emergency
Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27 amid the worsening statewide drought. He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”
Drought Information – Water Resources – State of California
Water years 2012 and 2013 were dry statewide, especially in parts of the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. Water year 2014, which began on October 1st, continues this trend. Precipitation in some areas of the state is tracking at about the driest year of record.
EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
WATER EMERGENCY .
Extreme Drought Conditions Plaguing California Threaten 17 Communities with Water Famine
The state of California, currently experiencing its worst drought on record, has identified 17 rural drinking water systems most at risk. They serve communities ranging from about 40 to 11,000 throughout the Golden State.
Some 3,000 community water systems with at least 15 service connections each provide water in California.
“As the severe drought continues, we’re working with impacted communities to identify alternative water sources and additional resources,” said California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
The announcement follows the Governor’s drought state of emergency proclaimed last week.
CDPH has identified the following communities whose drinking water systems are at greatest risk:
Shaver Lake Heights Mutual Water Company (Fresno County)
Sierra Cedars Community Services District (Fresno County)
Bass Lake Water Company (Madera County)
Whispering Pines Apts (Mariposa County)
Boulder Canyon Water Association (Kern County)
Cypress Canyon Water System (Kern County)
Lake Of The Woods Mutual Water Company (Kern County)
Camp Condor (Kern County)
Jackson Valley Irrigation District (Amador County)
City of Willits (Mendocino County)
Redwood Valley Community Water District (Mendocino County)
Brooktrail Township Community Services District (Mendocino County)
Washington Ridge Conservation Camp (Nevada County)
Ophir Gardens (Placer County)
Lompico County Water District (Santa Cruz County)
City of Cloverdale (Sonoma County)
Healdsburg (Sonoma County)
Gov. Brown Declared Drought State of Emergency earlier this month amid worst dry conditions in 119 years
Brown had earlier described the drought as being “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”
California Drought
2013 was California’s driest year since records began 119 years ago.
Many California reservoirs are at their lowest levels in years.
The snow cover is less than 20 percent of the normal at this time of year.
Lake Shasta, the state’s largest reservoir is holding just over a third of its full capacity, down from the normal of more than a half at this time of year, according to officials.
Sacramento City Council has voted to enact severe water rationing as the region is faced with historically low water levels on the American River with a long-range forecast showing little, if any, rain.
California Drought Monitor Map. Source: The U.S. Drought Monitor, The National Drought Mitigation Center. The above map remained unchanged as of January 21, 2014 according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The ferocious wildfire in California’s Stanislaus National Forest has grown to 213,414 acres (333.5mi², or 864km²), with 35% containment.
Smoke, in addition to the fire, is becoming a major concern throughout the Yosemite National Park and the surrounding areas.
Rim FIRE Wildfire. Photo Credit: USFS/ Stanislaus National Forest
Analyzed Fires and Smoke from Satellite on this ArcIMS server were updated on Sat Aug 31 03:21:43 2013 UTC
Smoke from wildfires in the Americas. Source: NOAA/ NESDIS
Evacuations
A Mandatory Evacuation has been issued for residences north of Old Yosemite Road (Forest Road 2S01). Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows has been evacuated. Evacuation centers are at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora and at the Greeley Hill Community Center.
An Evacuation Warning has been issued for all residences north of Bull Creek Road (Forest Road 2S02), Bondurant Mine Road, Texas Hill Road, and Wampum Hill.
The evacuation advisory remains in effect for Ponderosa Hills and areas east, along the south side of Highway 108 up to Pinecrest.
Fire Behavior
Very active fire behavior on the east side of the fire today with running surface fire, torching and passive and sustained crown fire runs with considerable amounts of spotting. Moderate fire behavior with backing fire observed where fire was burning from ridgetops downslope.
Rim Fire Prompts Emergency Proclamation for Mariposa County
California’s acting governor has issued an Emergency Proclamation for Mariposa County due to the effects of the Rim Fire.
A state of emergency was declared because the RIM FIRE wildfire is “damaging public and district facilities, including roads and structures… and threatening residences in Mariposa County, necessitating the evacuation of residents, and the opening of emergency shelters… the circumstances of this wildfire, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat … I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist within Mariposa County due to these events,” according to the Proclamation.
On August 27, 2013, Mariposa County declared a local emergency and requested that the Governor proclaim a state of emergency.
Meantime, the monster fire continued to grow despite cooler temperatures and lighter winds.
Since erupting on August 17, Rim Fire has devoured nearly 202,000 acres, or more than 315 square miles, mostly in the Stanislaus National Forest west of the Yosemite National Park. The ferocious fire is now the 5th largest in California history.
At least 4,931 personnel are struggling to stop the massive fire from further encroaching into the park, where it has already burned at least 45,000 acres.
Rim Fire Wildfire – Fire Runs Upslope on South Flank, 8/29. Credit: USFS – Mike McMillan
Nightfire Along Road 20. Credit: USFS – Mike McMillan
Rim Fire Incident Information:
Last Updated: August 30, 2013 @ 06:30 PDT
Date/Time Started: August 17, 2013 3:25 pm
Administrative Unit: Stanislaus National Forest / CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit
Fire is expected to continue its eastward spread farther into the west side of Yosemite National Park, east of Aspen Valley. Several residents remain under mandatory evacuation in the Scotts Ridge area south of HWY 120.
Evacuations:
A Mandatory Evacuation has been issued for residences north of Old Yosemite Road (Forest Road 2S01). Highway 120 at the Yosemite National Park boundary west to Buck Meadows has been evacuated. [Evacuation centers are at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora and at the Greeley Hill Community Center.]
An Evacuation Warning has been issued for all residences north of Bull Creek Road (Forest Road 2S02), Bondurant Mine Road, Texas Hill Road, and Wampum Hill.
The evacuation advisory remains in effect for Ponderosa Hills and areas east, along the south side of Highway 108 up to Pinecrest.
The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department has lifted the evacuation advisory for Tuolumne City, Soulsbyville and Willow Springs.
Road Closures :
Highway 120 remains closed from Buck Meadows to 1 ½ miles east of White Wolf.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park has closed Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds, both located along the Tioga Road. White Wolf Campground and White Wolf Lodge remain closed. I
The Stanislaus National Forest has issued an area closure for the entire Groveland Ranger District and for the Mi-Wok Ranger District east of Highway 108.
The Strawberry Music Festival, an annual bluegrass jamboree held at Camp Mather, has been cancelled because the site has been closed, according to reports.
Fast moving fire destroys homes, forces dozens of evacuations
The fire started on a grassy hillside jumped into trees and burned several homes in the city of Fairfield, about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, prompting officials to evacuated dozens of homes, reported AP.
The fire also destroyed several cars in a parking lot along I-80, said the report.
The 126,000-acre (470 km²) fire continues to grow explosively
RIM FIRE continues to grow explosively burning east and has crossed the Yosemite National Park (YNP) boundary, consuming at least 11,000 acres at the edge of the park by Friday afternoon. The fire also continues burning west toward the community of Pine Mountain Lake.
The blaze is actively growing to the north of the Duckwall area and up Kibbie Ridge, southeast, and east. The fire burned actively throughout the night, said Inciweb.
In the next 24 hours the fire is expected to continue up the Tuolumne River canyon, and continue its spread to the north and east.
The fire continues to increase in size and actively through the day and night. It continues to exhibit very large fire growth due to extremely dry fuels and inaccessible terrain.
Fire behavior was very active today with very rapid rates of spread, running surface fire, torching, passive crowning and long range spotting occurring in most all areas of the fire.
California Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency in Tuolumne County on Thursday due to Rim Fire, one of about 20 fires burning in California. Some 5 dozen major fires are currently burning across the western U.S.
Evacuation Advisory for The City of Tuolumne and Ponderosa Hills
Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation advisory for the City of Tuolumne and Ponderosa Hills.
The blaze started Saturday August 17, 2013 and as of early Saturday it had consumed at least 125,620 acres, with about 5% containment and 2,672 personnel deployed.
The fire is now threatening at least 4,500 homes, up from 2,500 two days ago, and additional undisclosed number of homes were under mandatory evacuations, as of posting.
Officials have closed Highway 120, one of four access routes to YNP, located about 320 km south of San Francisco. More than 4 million people visit the park annually.
The blaze near Yosemite National Park had grown to about 100 square miles Thursday and was only 1 percent contained. The fire has so far destroyed at least two homes and seven outbuildings and threatens several thousand homes, hotels and camp buildings.
Gov. Brown Declares a State of emergency in Tuolumne County due to Rim Fire
California Gov. Brown has declared a state of emergency in Tuolumne County due to Rim Fire, one of 5 dozen major fires burning across the western U.S., including about 20 in California.
The emergency proclamation for Tuolumne County states that the massive fire has “damaged homes, and is threatening 2,500 other residences, necessitating the evacuation of residents, and the opening of emergency shelters.”
The fire has also forced thousands of tourists to leave the area during peak season.
Evacuations
The Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office has issued an evacuation order for residents north of Ferretti Road to Elderberry Road. An Evacuation Order is issued when there is an immediate threat to life and/or property. Inciweb reported.
The fire started on Saturday August 17th, 2013, in Groveland Range District, Stanislaus National Forest, west of Yosemite. Some 1,849 personnel have been assigned to the blaze.
At least five other wildfires in Yellowstone National Park have consumed about 18 square miles.
“U.S. wildfire managers facing increasingly strained resources have opened talks with Pentagon commanders and Canadian officials about possible reinforcements of personnel and aircraft to battle dozens of blazes raging across the drought-parched American West,” said a report.
Wesern U-S: Red Flag Warnings as dangerous fires burn more homes, force more evacuations
Fire crews are tackling several large wildfires in the West as weather conditions continue to remain dangerous through the week, reported NWS. “Strong thunderstorms in this region will create gusty winds that could spread fires, and lightning from these storms could start new fires. The greatest fire danger exists from northern California across the Great Basin to the Northern Rockies.”
Red Flag Warnings in the West, other Warnings, Watches and Advisories for August 21, 2013. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.
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California Fire forces evacuation of campgrounds, threatens 2,500 homes
Hundreds of people at three Sierra camp–Camp Towanga, Spinning Wheel and Sawmill campgrounds–along Highway 120 were evacuated Tuesday as a fast-moving wildfire raged out of control west of Yosemite National Park, said a report.
The 10,170-acre Rim Fire, which began Saturday August 17, is burning in the Stanislaus National Forest east of Groveland, Tuolumne County. The blaze has destroyed at least two homes and threatens another 2,500, said the USFS.
The communities along Ferretti Road are being evacuated. The Ferretti Road is also closed at Highway 120. Evacuation centers have been opened at Sonora Fairgrounds and Greely Hill Community Center. The evacuation center at Tiago High School has been closed. [Inciweb]
Rim Fire is one of at least 20 major fires burning in California, as of posting. Fire officials say this year’s wildfire season is particularly dangerous due to the lack of snow, dry weather and drought.
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Beaver Creek Fire: About 1,200 people still evacuated
The 106,323-acre Beaver Creek Fire is now 30 percent contained and is burning near Hailey and Ketchum. At least 1,750 personnel are trying to bring the flames under control.
About 1,200 people are currently evacuated due to the Beaver Creek Fire, said Blaine County officials. Most of the evacuation orders remain in effect.
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Leavenworth fire grows to 500 acres; dozens of homes evacuated
An uncontained wildfire burning near Leavenworth in Chelan County, WA, grew to 500 acres late Tuesday, prompting authorities order 27 homes evacuated, with another 40 put under evacuation notice, said a report.
“Another fire burning outside The Dalles, Ore., in the Columbia River Gorge is believed to have burned a third home there (five other structures have also burned), but fire crews also reported progress Tuesday in fighting the blaze that threatens several dozen other homes, a spokesman said.”
Drought Disaster Declared for 10 Counties in California and Arizona
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated eight counties in California as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the ongoing drought.
The disaster declaration lists Imperial, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as primary disaster areas, and Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and San Luis Obispo as contiguous disaster areas.
Additionally two counties in Arizona—La Paz and Yuma—have also been designated as contiguous disaster areas.
Georgia Disaster Areas
In a separate disaster declaration, USDA has designated a total of 13 counties in Georgia as primary or contiguous natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain, high winds and hail that occurred from Feb. 24 – March 24, 2013.
Those counties are Evans, Montgomery, Tattnall, Treutlen, Appling, Candler, Johnson, Long, Bryan, Emanuel, Laurens, Toombs, Bulloch, Jeff Davis, Liberty, Wayne and Wheeler.
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Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events
Singapore smog from Indonesia fires continued to choke the city-state
Haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia enveloped Singapore, pushing the pollution standards index to 371 on Thursday.
Parts of Malaysia have also been shrouded in “hazardous” pollution levels, prompting the authorities to close hundreds of schools in the south.
Air Quality Index for Singapore, June 20, 2013 @ 12:00UTC. Sources: Meteorological Service Singapore; http://aqicn.org Composite image by FEWW.
Prelude to more serious events?
Our colleagues at EDRO believe that the collapse of Singapore may occur as a result of volcanic activity on the island of Sumatra. However, they have not disclosed any further detail.
Map of Singapore smog. Source: ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center/ Meteorological Service Singapore via BBC
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Bolivia declares a state of emergency amid nationwide drought
The Bolivian government has declared a state of national emergency due to drought in the departments of Chuquisaca, Santa Cruz, Tarija and Cochabamba.
The drought has so far destroyed 84,000 hectares of crops and affected 16,000 families.
“To date, we have 16,000 families affected in the Bolivian Chaco region in Chuquisaca, Tarijo and Santa Cruz, and 226,000 head of cattle as well as 806,000 hectares of crops are at risk,” Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Oscar Cabrera told reporters.
Meantime, cold weather has affected six departments in the south and west. Frost has caused crop losses in the departments of Oruro, Potosi and La Paz located on the high plateau, as well as the valley regions Tarija, Chuquisaca and Cochabamba, added Cabera.
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Beijing’s Air Pollution Again Rises to “Very Unhealthy”
“Death Penalty” for China’s Polluters
Meantime, China’s “supreme court and procuratorate jointly issued the new judicial explanation on Tuesday that imposes harsher punishments on polluters. In the most serious cases the death penalty could be handed down,” said a report.
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DISASTER CALENDAR – June 20, 2013— SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN:
996 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 996 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
Half of the U.S. remains abnormally dry or in drought condition
More drought and above-average temperatures forecast for the Southern U.S. in 2012: NWS
U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook: Drought Tendency During January 5, 2012 – March 31, 2012
Weekly US Drought Map. Source: US Drought Monitor.
Disaster Calendar 2012 – January 8
[January 8, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,529 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History
United States. Nearly 50 percent of Contiguous US remains abnormally dry or in drought condition.
Texas. The Lone Star State experienced its driest year on record in 2011.
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, 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.
Texas Drought Map. Source: US Drought Monitor.
New Mexico. Some 91.37 percent of New Mexico is currently abnormally dry (D0) or in drought condition (D1 to D4), with 72.13 percent of the state experiencing ‘severe,’ ‘extreme’ or ‘exceptional’ levels of drought.
Louisiana.
D0 to D4: 94.43%
D1 to D4: 83.40%
D2 to D4: 58.92%
D3 to D4: 26.55%
D4: 4.10%
Georgia. 87.93 percent of Georgia is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 81.00 percent of the state experiencing severe or extreme levels of drought.
Oklahoma. 85.17 percent of Oklahoma is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 50.55 percent of the state experiencing severe (D2) to exceptional (D4) levels of drought.
South Carolina.
D0 to D4: 97.63%
D1 to D4: 85.50%
D2 to D4: 41.61%
D3: 23.30%
Kansas. 57.52 percent of Kansas is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 23.20 percent of the state experiencing severe to exceptional levels of drought.
Arizona. 83.30 percent of Arizona is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 36.56 percent of the state experiencing severe to extreme levels of drought.
Florida.
D0 to D4: 91.09%
D1 to D4: 27.41%
D2 to D4: 12.84%
D3: 2.61%
Alabama. 60.68 percent of Alabama is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 27.97 percent of the state experiencing severe to extreme levels of drought.
Minnesota. 99.21 percent of Minnesota is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 24.08 percent of the state experiencing severe drought.
Hawaii.
D0 to D4: 56.45%
D1 to D4: 47.37%
D2 to D4: 28.72%
D3: 1.66%
North Dakota. 99.62 percent of North Dakota is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 8.67 percent of the state experiencing moderate (D1) drought.
California.
D0 to D4: 70.09%
D1: 46.34%
Iowa. 39.01 percent of Iowa is currently abnormally dry or in drought condition, with 24.15 percent of the state experiencing severe drought.
Federal Government tells California to cut water use to save fish
Californians are ‘mining’ water and have pushed salmon and other fish to the brink of extinction, the National Marine Fisheries Service, a federal agency, said, as it directed officials to cut water supplies to cities and farms to save a dozen or so marine species.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, finds that “the water pumping operations in California’s Central Valley by the federal Bureau of Reclamation jeopardize the continued existence of several threatened and endangered species under the jurisdiction of NOAA’s Fisheries Service.”
NOAAs biologists and hydrologists have concluded that current water pumping operations in the Federal Central Valley Project and the California State Water Project must “be changed to ensure survival of winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, the southern population of North American green sturgeon and Southern Resident killer whales, which rely on Chinook salmon runs for food.”
California’s rivers used to brim with trout, salmon, sturgeon and more, but the federal, state and local governments built a monumental system of dams and pipelines in the most populous state that turned a desert into productive farmland and left some rivers dry.
California, now in its third year of drought faces a major water crisis and an uncertain future. The impact of climate change and an ever-growing population dictates doom to the fate of Chinook salmon and other species.
“Changing water operations will impact an estimated five to seven percent of the available annual water on average moved by the federal and state pumps, or about 330,000 acre feet per year. Agricultural water use in California is roughly 30 million acre feet per year. Water operations will not be affected by the opinion immediately and will be tiered to water year type. The opinion includes exception procedures for drought and health and safety issues.” The report said.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday declared a state of emergency because of three consecutive years of drought.
He urged Calif residents to cut their water consumption by 20 percent or risk mandatory cuts.
Layers of sun-baked earth are exposed in an area of the San Luis Reservoir near Gustine that was previously underwater but was dried out in January because of drought conditions. (Patrick Tehan / Mercury News). Image may be subject to copyright.
The governor said drought conditions were having “a devastating impact” on people, causing enormous financial harm to California’s economy, with losses to the farmers approaching $3 billion in 2009.
Schwarzenegger reportedly said the water crisis was “self-inflicted, it’s not mother nature’s fault.”
“This drought is having a devastating impact… making today’s action absolutely necessary,” Schwarzenegger said.
“We have a water system that is for 18 million people [but] now we are 38 million. We’ve got to go and redo our water system [to] bring it up to date.”
“The Santa Clara Valley Water District board is expected to consider recommending mandatory reductions of 10 to 20 percent for customers, which include more than a dozen towns and cities, including San Jose.” Mercury News reported.
“Our board was already considering calling for mandatory conservation, and the governor’s proclamation will give them another reason to move ahead with it,” said Susan Siravo, a spokeswoman for the district.
Moderators have previously warned the readers about the real possibility of California being “Mojavefied,” i.e, undergoing a rapid process of desertification, with the critical phase occurring by as early as 2011.
The following facts, including the new snow survey, supports our analysis:
California faces historic drought, snow survey says
California Facts:
California is facing one of the worst droughts in its history! Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
The ‘Golden State’ produces about 53 percent of the United States’ vegetables and fruit
California is now in its third year of drought; its main system which supplies water to cities and farms may only be able to fulfill 15 percent of requests, Reuters reported scientists as saying.
The Sierra snowpack this year is carrying just over one half of California’s water supply.
The Sierra has only received about one third of its anticipated annual snowfall during its wettest period.
“California is headed toward one of the worst water crises in its history, underscoring the need to upgrade our water infrastructure by increasing water storage, improving conveyance, protecting the (Sacramento) Delta’s ecosystem and promoting greater water conservation,” Schwarzenegger said.
“We may be at the start of the worst California drought in modern history,” said Water Resources Director Lester Snow.
The period December through January is normally the wettest in California, however, the Sierra has only received about one third of its anticipated annual snowfall.
“A third of normal is devastating,” said Elissa Lynn, a state meteorologist. “January is the biggest month for precipitation in the Sierra.”
“Climate change does indicate the possibility of more frequent droughts,” said Lynn, “but it’s hard to tell over a short time span.”
A La Nina has pushed down the ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, which has meant less precipitation in Northern California. The precipitation didn’t slow down until about early April last year, which was also a La Nina year.
“This could be a crisis situation,” said Lynn. “In addition to conservation and rationing we could be paying higher prices for produce.” Lynn said that some farmers have left fields unplanted based on expected lack of water.
“Twenty-five local water agencies are already mandating rationing. The state Department of Water Resources is arranging water transfers through its Drought Water Bank program and expects to release a full snowpack runoff forecast in two weeks.” Reuters said.
Next on EDRO : How Climate Change and Food Shortages Will Lead to Large Scale Riots in the United States
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