Earth is fighting to stay alive. Mass dieoffs, triggered by anthropogenic assault and fallout of planetary defense systems offsetting the impact, could begin anytime!
Emergency Bulletins are now available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.
-------------------------------
We do NOT use Twitter or Facebook accounts. Our user names including "FEWW" have been hijacked by trolls.
-------------------------------
WARNING: WordPress Digitally Tracking Visitors!
Injury Claims Against Google: Fire-Earth posts important news & unique analysis that could help save you from harm, but Google [Alphabet Inc] filters the blog to protect their vast business interest. If you incur any injury or loss due to the denial of information, you may sue the Internet Mafia for damages.
STOP CENSORING THE REAL NEWS
WordPress is HACKING this blog!
WordPress continues to hack FIRE-EARTH & affiliated blogs at the behest of its corporate clients.
Blog Moderators condemn in the strongest terms the blatant removal and manipulation of content.
Starting January 29, 2013, Google & WordPress have restricted access to FIRE-EARTH reducing blog traffic by up to 95 percent, enabling their affiliated sites and commercial partners to hijack (and twist) the news, analysis and core ideas presented here.
Blocking information, hacking websites and twisting the facts concerning harm inflicted to Earth by humans are major crimes against nature, punishable by drought, famine, disease...
Caution
Technical information and scientific data from the US Government agencies (NASA, EPA…) are subject to variation due to political expediency.
This caution also extends to the UN organizations (e.g., FAO, WHO…).
As of August 2011, FIRE-EARTH will no longer reprint photos from NASA, due to the agency's wanton crimes against nature.
March 2023
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
ORIGINAL CONTENT POSTED ON THIS BLOG ARE COPYRIGHTS OF THE BLOG AUTHORS.
Content MAY BE REPRODUCED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY PRIOR PERMISSION ONLY.
REPRINTING FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OR POSTING ON BLOGS THAT CARRY COMMERCIAL ADS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
YOU may NOT copy, re-blog or otherwise reproduce any part of this blog on Facebook or Twitter.
Number of new large fires: 12
Number of active large fires: 30
Total number includes full suppression and resource managed fires. Total does not include individual fires within complexes.
14 States Currently Reporting Large Fires
Alaska (1)
Arizona (7)
California (4)
Colorado (3)
Idaho (1)
Louisiana (1)
Montana (1)
Nevada (3)
New Mexico (1)
Oregon (1)
South Dakota (1)
Utah (3)
Washington (2)
Wyoming (1)
As many as 1,000 people have been evacuated from homes, and tourist accommodations in southern Spain as major forest fires continued to spread.
Much of Spain is on high alert for wildfires due to a major heatwave. A massive blaze was reported near the municipality of Moguer in the province of Huelva, Andalusia [pop: 500,000,] in southern Spain on Saturday night, authorities said.
Up to 70 people were killed in an apocalyptic forest fire in neighboring Portugal last week.
Forest fires have also been reported on several Greek islands, including the island of Chios.
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.
Fort McMurray wildfire is almost the size of Delaware
The massive forest fire that devastated Fort McMurray, Alta., has now crossed the border into Saskatchewan, said Canadian officials.
The ferocious fire had devoured 505,645 hectares of forest as of Thursday morning local time, and expanded east of the border, burning 771 hectares in Saskatchewan, according to fire officials.
The fire is said to be about 30km from the nearest village, La Loche.
The latest Canadian Wildland Fire Information System map indicates the Fort McMurray fire has entered Saskatchewan at two points. However, the Saskatchewan government insists the southern part is actually a brand new, 40-hectare fire, said a report.
“One of the new fires, which covers 40 hectares, started close to the Fort McMurray fire on the Saskatchewan-Alberta border sometime during the evening on May 18.”
Pyroclastic surge from Popocatépetl volcano sets forest alight
Violent eruption at Mexico’s Popocatépetl produced a Pyroclastic surge climbing 2km above the crater and setting the nearby forest alight, said Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENPRED ).
The explosion also caused ashfall in the towns of Juan C. Bonilla and Coronango, in the state of Puebla.
Popocatépetl Volcano (“smoking mountain” in Aztec) is North America’s 2nd-highest volcano. The massive stratovolcano stands 5,450m high and lies about 65 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Mexico City (19.023°N, 98.622°W ) in the eastern segment of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt.
Popocatépetl explodes (image #8). Credit: CENPRED
The following is latest report posted at CENPRED official website:
As of posting, the volcano exhibited “continuous emission of steam and gas” in easterly direction (image 9), said the report.
April 05 at 11:15 (16:15 GMT)
During the last 24 hours, 96 long period events were registered and five explosions yesterday at 16:44 h (image no. 1) and 20:31 h the latter generated a ash column of 2 km height above the crater, which moved towards the northeast. Likewise, the fall of incandescent fragments were observed, mainly on the east and southeast slopes of the volcano at a distance of 3.5 km, because of this some fires were generated in the upper part of the forest (image 2), (image 3), (image 4), (video 1), (video 2), (video 3). This explosion caused ash fall in the towns of Juan C. Bonilla and Coronango, both in the state of Puebla. The remaining three explosions were recorded today at 06:54, 7:14 and 07:49 h (image 5), (image 6), (image 7), (image 8).
CENAPRED emphasizes that people SHOULD NOT go near the volcano, especially near the crater, due to the hazard caused by ballistic fragments (image 13).
This type of activity is included within the scenarios Volcanic Traffic Light Yellow Phase 2.
The scenarios forecast for this phase are:
1. Explosive activity of low to intermediate level.
2. Ash fall in nearby towns.
3. Possibility of short range pyroclastic flows and mudflows .
Special emphasis is placed on the following recommendations: Continue the safety radius of 12 km, so staying in that area is not allowed.
Smoke from land and forest fires worsens again in Pekanbaru, Riau —BMKG
Indonesia’s president has asked for international help to put out land and forest fires in Sumatra that have blanketed most of the region, leaving tens of thousands of people with respiratory illnesses.
“Smoke shrouding Pekanbaru this morning was mixed with fog, reducing the visibility to only around 50 meters after it improved to around 1,000 meters on Wednesday morning,” said The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
The smog has deteriorated the air quality to hazardous levels across parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand, forcing school closures and flight cancellations.
Pekanbaru (population: ~ 1.2 million) is the capital of Riau province, located in the central eastern coast of Sumatra along the Strait of Malacca.
BMKG Pekanbaru reported 202 hot spots, detected by satellites, across Sumatra, Bangka Belitung and Lampung as of 5.00 am local time on Thursday, said the report quoting BMKG.
The annual fires are caused by companies clearing rainforest for palm oil plantations.
Extreme heat continues to scorch much of Europe, killing hundreds and igniting forest fires in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain…
Health authorities in Italy have issued a level-3 “red alert” for at least 22 cities, while the fire authorities in Liguria placed the entire region under a forest fire alert as the elevated temperatures brought by the latest heatwave dubbed “Caronte,” and dry conditions posed significant risks.
Record temperatures in northwestern Italy have killed at least 140 senior citizens during the first ten days of July, according to data from the environmental agency, Arpa Piedmont, said a report.
“July 2015 has everything it takes to be among the hottest ever,” says a meteorologist with 3bmeteo. “[We are experiencing] the most intense heat wave in 70 years.”
The extreme heat has caused a fall in production across Italian farms. Milk production in Italy fell by more than 50 million in the first two weeks of July due to the heat stressing the dairy cows, said a report.
Temperatures in many parts of Europe have been persistently above average by as much as 6ºC for more than three weeks.
Some 60,000 residents of Troyes, a town in the Champagne region of France, woke up in a sweat as the temperature climbed from 24ºC to 33°C, an increase of 9ºC (or 16.2 degrees F), in just one hour (between midnight and 1.00 am), in a phenomena called a heat burst, said a report.
An earlier heatwave that hit France between June 29 and July 5 left 700 dead and thousands more hospitalized, said a report quoting the country’s Ministry of Health.
Heatwave, danger of forest fire, hazardous levels of ozone pollution plague Switzerland
All of Switzerland’s 26 cantons are under alerts for at least two of the following hazards: “heatwave,” “danger of forest fire,” and “hazardous levels of ozone pollution, as of posting.
Record-setting heat could hit southern Ticino this week, according to several models. The temperature in Villa Luganese rose to 33.6ºC on Tuesday.
A lightning-sparked fire grew to more than 700 acres burning close to the Yukon River village of Nulato, prompting evacuations from the Athabascan community of 250 late Monday, said a report.
State Disaster
Gov. Walker declared a state disaster on June 19 in response to damages caused by multiple wild land fires on the Kenai Peninsula, including the Card Street Fire near Sterling.
“As of Friday, the Kenai Peninsula Borough evacuated hundreds of homes and established emergency shelters for residents displaced by the Card Street Fire. While winds have now shifted away from populated areas, the Card Street Fire has claimed more than 7,500 acres and is now burning in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.”
Walker also declared a state disaster in response to widespread damages caused by the Sockeye Fire in Willow and the surrounding region on June 16.
Fire Ban
Extremely dry conditions in the Kenai Peninsula, Municipality of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough have prompted Alaska Division of Forestry and the State Forester to prohibit the use of all open fires and activities, said Alaska DONR in a statement.
Alaska Fire Stats
Total no. of fires so far this year: >500
No. of fires in June: 310 [57 new fires ignited Monday]
Currently burning: 239 fires, burning on 320,000 acres
No. of Major fires currently active: 10
Total no. of structures destroyed or damaged: >100
The Sockeye wildfire in Willow has destroyed at least 55 homes (45 other properties have sustained major damage to outbuildings.)
The fire has displaced more than 800 people.
Largest fire: 34,000-acre Chisana River 2 fire in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve and the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge.
Wildfires burning in 10 states
Wildfires also continue to burn in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, in addition to Alaska.
State of California
Some 1,922 fire crews are trying to control a 17,500-acre Lake Fire in n the Barton Flats area and in the northern portion of the San Gorgonio Wilderness (San Bernardino National Forest) east of Los Angeles.
Two other fires, near San Luis Obispo, and the other outside Fresno, have destroyed more than two dozen structures.
State of Oregon
In Oregon, Gov. Brown has declared drought emergencies for 20 out of Oregon’s 36 counties so far, said spokesman for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.
Large forest fire are burning in Siskiyou National Forest and Whitman National Forest.
State of Washington
Gov. Inslee declared a statewide drought emergency for Washington in May due to the snowpack being at historic lows, dwindling rivers and irrigation districts being forced to cut off water to farmers.
Wildfires force suspension of tenth of Alberta’s oil sands output
Statoil Canada, MEG Energy and Cenovus Energy have evacuated hundreds of oil sands staff from three projects—Christina Lake, Narrows Lake and Leismer—in NE Alberta, as raging wildfires threaten the major oil-producing region.
“At least 233,000 barrels per day of oil sands production, nine per cent of Alberta’s total oil sands output, has been suspended in Alberta’s northeast because of the fire risk, said a report.
At least 19 out-of-control wildfires and 50 other forest fires are raging across the province, as of update, A total of 55 wildfires were sparked on Monday, most by lightning.
States of Emergency have been declared for several towns due to the fires.
A 200-hectare wildfire forced evacuation of approximately 5,000 residents of Wabasca.
Forest Service: “Above Normal” Wildland Fire Potential in the West, “Active Fire” Year for North Central U.S.
U.S. Forest Service has forecast an “above normal” wildland fire Potential in the West, and an “active fire” year for North Central U.S. in the upcoming 2015 fire season in testimony today before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
“Forest Service researchers expect 2015 to continue the trend of above average fire activity,” said Forest Service Chief in his testimony before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Teusday.
“Above normal wildland fire potential exists across the north central United States and above normal wildland fire potential will threaten many parts of the West this summer,” said USFS Chief Tidwell. “We anticipate another active fire year, underscoring the need to reform our wildfire funding.”
The forecast indicates there is a 90 percent chance that this year’s Forest Service fire suppression costs will be between $794 million and $1.657 billion, with a median estimate of $1.225 billion, potentially forcing the diversion of funding from other vital programs to support suppression operations. Any costs above the median is greater than the “10 year average” and would force the Forest Service to leverage funding from other land management programs. Diverting funds to cover the cost of wildfire suppression affects other critical Forest Service programs and services, said Tidwell, including efforts to reduce wildfire risk through mechanical thinning, prescribed fires, and other means.”
Wildfire suppression costs have increased as fire seasons have grown longer and the frequency, size, and severity of wildfires has increased due to changing climatic conditions, drought, hazardous fuel buildups, insect and disease infestations, nonnative invasive species, and other factors. Funding has not kept pace with the cost of fighting fire. Over the last 10 years, adjusting for inflation, the Forest Service has spent an average of almost $1.13 billion on suppression operations annually.
However, the fire season has already started in parts of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming and has seen several ferocious fires since March.
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.
Drought, High Winds Fan Destructive Chilean Forest Fires
Abnormally hot weather and high winds in southern Chile are fueling out-of-control wildfires that have been consuming large national forests and reserves parched by a lingering drought.
The fires have destroyed more than 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) in three protected areas: Conguillio National Park, China Muerta National Reserve and Nalca Lolco National Reserve.
[Conguillio National Park, known for its forests of thousand-year-old Araucarias [Chilean pine, or monkey puzzle trees,] was declared a national park in 1950. In 1983, the park, together with Alto Bío Bío National Reserve, was designated as a Biosphere Reserve, known as Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, by UNESCO.]
“Faced with this critical situation, there is no choice but to assume that the lack of water resources is a reality that is here to stay and that puts at risk the development of important regions of our country” said Chilean President Bachelet, blaming the fires on the country’s prolonged drought.
Forest fires have charred more than 91,327 hectares (225,670 acres) so far this season, some 59,300 hectares (65%) above the annual average over previous five years, said the country’s national forestry agency CONAF.
Authorities have declared a ‘red alert’ nationwide.
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS RISING TEMPERATURES DROUGHT DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 797, 777, 555, 444, 311, 111, 101, 100, 070, 04, 02 .
Massive forest fire sweeping central Sweden, spreading north
A deadly forest-fire, said to be largest forest fires in Sweden in modern times, has consumed more than 15,000 hectares and continues to spread uncontrollably.
The fire has forced at least 1,000 Swedes out of their homes, and put the entire 4,500 population of the town Norberg on standby for evacuation, said a report.
The fire has claimed at least one life so far. The body of a 30-year-old man, who had died from burns, was found on a road north of Stabäck, Västmanland on Tuesday, said the report.
The fire is now spreading north, and the authorities say it could burn for weeks, even months.
“The fire risks heading north to the lower reaches of Norberg,” Fredrik Eriksson of the emergency services told reporters.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this. Evacuation? That’s what happens in wartime,” said a Norberg resident.
“Forest fires are a risk we tend to associate primarily with southern Europe, but we are seeing that no country is immune,” said Sweden’s EU Commissioner, as she thanked Italy and France for providing support.
Record Lightning Strikes
Some 47,901 lightning strikes were recorded in Sweden Sunday night beating a previous record of 45,000 strikes set earlier this year, said the report.
Record Heat
The mercury rose to at 34°C in the town of Härsnäs in Östergötland on Sunday, setting a new record for August. The town of Visby in Gotland set a new temperature record for the warmest August day at 32.9°C.
EXTREME CLIMATE HAZARDS INTENSE DROUGHT HIGH TEMPERATURES MAJOR LIGHTNING STORMS DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES MASS EVACUATIONS STATE OF EMERGENCY SCENARIOS 797, 111, 101, 03 .
Multiple Wildfires Raging in Western US
A state of emergency has been declared in the state of Washington for 20 eastern counties after wildfires burned tens of thousands of acres and dozens of homes and other structures, threatening about 1,000 more homes and forcing mass evacuations.
“Extreme fire weather conditions and a lack of available firefighting resources in the Pacific Northwest could hamper future firefighting efforts in the state,” said Washington’s Emergency Management Division.
Oregon
In southern Oregon, the Moccasin Hill fire near the town of Sprague River, has consumed about 10km², destroying two dozen homes and other structures since last week.
About a dozen wildfires have been sparked by massive lightning storms. An estimated 15,000 lightning strikes were recorded in Oregon over the weekend.
Idaho
A major wildfire in Idaho has consumed about 130km² near the city of Carey. The blaze was sparked by a lightning strike.
The fires in the drought stricken West are fueled by high winds, soaring temperatures and very low humidity.
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS EXTREME RAIN EVENTS SEVERE FLOODING FOREST FIRE
STATES OF EMERGENCY SCENARIOS 900, 444, 111, 101, 023 .
Mechanicville Declares State Of Emergency
A state of emergency has been declared in Mechanicville City, NY, due to severe flooding.
No traffic is being allowed in or out of the city, and residents are told to stay indoors until further notice. “A boil water advisory is in effect for the city,” said a report.
“Thunderstorms have dropped one to two inches of rain in parts of Washington, Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties and more rain is in the forecast.”
Forest fires cause state of emergency in Krasnoyarsk region
The authorities in central Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region have declared a state of emergency due to forest fires, most of which are burning in hard-to-reach terrain, the region’s acting Natural Resources and Ecology Minister told reporters, said a report.
Aided by hot, dry weather, more than 50 forest fires have consumed at least 2,000 hectares.
State Of Emergency Declared In St. Paul, Minn. due to Flooding
St. Paul Mayor has declared a state of emergency as the Mississippi River continues to rise there causing severe flooding, said a report. “It’s the same situation in Ramsey County, and Harriet Island is under water.”
St-Colomban, Que. Canada
The town of St-Colomban, Que., has declared a state of emergency after heavy rain flooded roads, triggered landslides and inundated sewers, said a report.
‘APOCALYPTIC’ FIRE CATASTROPHE ZONE MASS EVACUATIONS STATE OF EMERGENCY .
Chile declares a State of Emergency as deadly fire destroys thousands of homes
A massive fire described as “Apocalyptic” devastated large tracts of forest and residential neighborhoods in the Chilean city of Valparaiso, destroying at least 2,000 houses and killing about two dozen people.
Up to 50,000 people were evacuated, as the fire raged over the weekend.
The Chilean President declared a state of emergency and sent the military to maintain order in the disaster area.
Scores of residents were treated for smoke inhalations and other injuries.
Photo dated February 15, 2014 shows a forest fire raging out of control on a mountain in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Source: Xinhua/Cheng Xueli
“Red Alert” declared in Santiago metropolitan region as Massive wildfires burn out of control
At least six major fires have destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of forest in Melipilla, 60 kilometers (37 miles) southwest of the Chilean capital Santiago, officials said.
National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry (ONEMI) has declared a red alert in the Santiago metropolitan region (population: 6.7 million) due to the raging fires and other incidents that have impacted the mountainous regions near the capital.
Fanned by strong winds and high temperatures, the fires were burning out of control for a third day on Wednesday.
More than 2,000 fire crews have been deployed to the fire zones. Evacuations were underway as of posting.
Hundreds of wildfires erupt across Portugal, again
Deadly forest fires in Portugal have resumed after a brief respite. Authorities have mobilized thousands of fire crews in the north and central parts of the country, reports said.
“A brush fire close to Gondomar, in the district of Poto, was fought by 254 firefighters, planes and two helicopters from the Portuguese army.” AFP reported.
The fires have so far claimed five lives, after a young female fire crew fighter was killed on Thursday, left five missing and nine others injured, officials said.
Blazing fires, fueled by drought and high temperatures and fanned by high winds, have forced the authorities to evacuate dozens of villages and communities in the heart of the country.
“If the police hadn’t got me out of the house, I would have died in the flames,” said a villager from Bracal in the Caramulo mountains north of Lisbon where the 21-year-old firefighter died, reports said.
“The wind blows with such an intensity that it constitutes the main obstacle to firefighters,” said commander of the firefighters in Aveiro.
As more fires erupted in the south, ” a forest fire near Sever do Vouga led to the mobilization of 100 Portuguese firefighters who were helped by Croatian planes, which had arrived on Saturday.”
“We thought we were in a war zone,” a young villager in Caramulo, told AFP.
“The firefighters who came to save the house of my parents told me it was like a firestorm.”
Forest fires have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares throughout the country, so far this year.
“All the natural wealth has been destroyed,” said Humberto Cerqueira, mayor of Mondim de Basto, a town near the national park of Alvao, where the blazes have consumed 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of pine. The scenes were “something out of Dante,” he told AFP.
Deadly flooding and landslides triggered by extreme rains wreak havoc across northern India
Earliest ever monsoon rains has covered the entire India, according to the country’s Met Office, triggering sever flooding that have inundated hundreds of towns and villages, sweeping away homes, businesses and public infrastructure.
At least 50 people are known to have died, as of posting, and many more are missing.
Footage shows apartment blocks in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand surrounded by flood waters, before one is swept away.
Mumbai has been crippled by torrential rains and high winds, with many low-lying areas in the city and suburbs flooded.
“The situation is very grim. The meteorological office has predicted that the rain will continue for another three days at least,” said a government spokesman.
-oOo-
Singapore, Malaysia suffocate as Indonesia forest fires intensify
The air quality index in Malaysia and Singapore fell to unhealthy levels on Monday, as smoke from illegal forest clearing in Indonesia blanketed the region.
Singapore government has advised people to stay indoors, as the pollutant standards index climbed to its highest level in seven years, said a report.
“Given the current hazy conditions, it is advised that children, the elderly and those with heart or lung diseases reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor activities… Everyone else should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor activities,” said Singapore’s National Environment Agency.
-oOo-
Black Forest Fire: Initial Home Assessment
Updated: June 16, 2013 at approximately 7:30 p.m. (DST) – El Paso County Sheriff’s office
The extent of damage caused by the Black Forest Fire to homes in the region is as follows:
Total Loss: 483
Partial Damage: 17
Note: This is a preliminary home assessment. Due to continuous and dynamic fire activity the information could change.
The blaze was reportedly 65 percent contained, as of posting.
NWS has issued for most of Alaska, as several fires rage across the states, including a lightning-caused fire near Lime Village in the central Kuskokwim River, which grew rapidly Sunday evening. “It had more than doubled, to 12,260 acres, in 48 hours, according to a news release issued at 7:45 p.m. Sunday,” said a report.
Fire danger is expected to be extreme over the next 5 days, forecasters said.
-oOo-
High and Low Temperature for the Contiguous U.S.
High Temperature for Sunday, June 16, 2013 (as received by 8 am EDT June 17)
114 degrees (45.6ºC) recorded at Ocotillo Wells, CA
Low Temperature for Monday, June 17, 2013 (as received by 8 am EDT June 17)
30 degrees (-1.1ºC) recorded at Stanley, ID
World’s High and Low Temperature
Max Temp. June 17, 2013 at 15:00 UTC
126.5 degrees (52.5ºC) recorded at Socotra, Yemen
Min Temp. June 17, 2013 at 15:00 UTC
-101.4 degrees (-74.1ºC) recorded at Concordia, Antarctica
Ice storm damage estimated at $26 million in 5 Minnesota counties
Gov. Dayton has asked for a presidential disaster declaration for five counties in SW Minnesota after an ice storm earlier this month caused damages estimated at $26 million, said a report.
The three-day ice storm destroyed 3,000 power poles and damaged more than 800 miles of electric lines. “Thousands of damaged trees will likely have to be cut down,” said the report.
“We have to hope that we get a disaster declaration because there are no communities in Nobles County—and Worthington included—that have reserves in their budgets to handle the amount of cleanup effort that is going to be involved in getting the town back to the way it was prior to the ice event,” Worthington Mayor was quoted as saying.
0O0
Other Disasters/ Significant Events
Kansas Declared Presidential Disaster Area
The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Kansas in 23 counties affected by a snowstorm during the period of February 20-23, 2013.
The disaster areas are the counties of Barber, Barton, Dickinson, Ellis, Franklin, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Kingman, Marion, McPherson, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rice, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Smith, and Stafford.
0O0
Persistent Drought in SW China’s Yunnan Province affects at least 12 million people
A villager looks at the dried-up pond in Qingshan Village of Qujing City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, April 8, 2013. Over 12 million people have been affected by the lingering drought in the province. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou). More images …
Where there is drought…
Photo taken on April 27, 2013 shows the site of a forest fire in Qinfeng Township of Lufeng County, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xu Tao) More images…
.
DISASTER CALENDAR – April 27, 2013— SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,050 Days Left
Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,050 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human History
Fire Earth 
