Climate Change Hits Home: California

Learn more at http://www.linktv.org/climatechange
This week's climate change factoid illustrates the devastation of Southern California's wildfires, which have increase four-fold in the past decade due to rising temperatures, turning a typical fire season into a blazing inferno, costing the state millions of dollars.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• climate change
• global warming
• california
• wild fires

[frankodelic]

Thanks linktv!

[TRUMPHENT]

Yes, rising temperatures are going to cause two effects. Less rainfall and drier air. Both are conducive to wildfires. Both are predicted by climate models.

Add projected population growth and stress on the available water supply goes up again. You might look at the wildfires as a symptom of bigger problems.

[TRUMPHENT]

@MichaelnChristine What happens in a large desert area when the temperature goes up? I suspect the relative humidity will go down. Over the ocean, the air can hold more evaporated water at a warmer temperature and the RH will probably stay about the same. Warm up the Great Lakes and you will get more snow in winter downwind. Water content in the atmosphere is variable. CO2 mixes thoroughly and stays for a century or more.

[MichaelnChristine]

@TRUMPHENT The models I've seen talk about an increase in atmospheric water. Increased temp=great evaporation. Or did you mean locally?

[FromBoomTown]

Yeah, and melt your skin off at the same time. Overpopulation will cause food shortages. Climate change is normal is the same as saying death is normal. But you don't hear that argument at a murder trial.

[mausermilitia]

there is plenty of food in the developed world..the undeveloped world has problems feeding itself, always has because they are run by corrupt governments, warlords and village witchdoctors! I have yet to see shortages on store shelfs, more like excess! If anything INCREASES in temps will only increase growing potential--stupid people!

[FromBoomTown]

haha, then you run out of food and say crap, why's ther no more food.

[LunaGer]

I've never seen so many people so determined to avoid the truth. Yes, it's painful, but even more so if we do nothing. Putting your head in the sand will not make this problem go away; it will only make it worse.

[jwboll]

at least the Y2K bug had an expiry date.

this climate change B.s. has been dragging on forever.

[mausermilitia]

What does 'climate change' have to do with someone throwing a match out a window of a car? It's ALWAYS been hot out west..always periods of draught..'climate change' is normal..weather is not static, things change all the time..we have hot days, windy days, cold days and rainly days..temps go up and down all over the planet..the implication seems to be that MAN is bringing all this change..how arrogant! Change has ALWAYS occured and always will..stop over-dramatizing it !

[connielane]

Does this imply that the fires were caused by rising temperatures? California has always had lots of fires. So there are more now that the temperatures are going up? Didn't seem very clear to me.