Feds warn 2023 on track to be the worst fire season ever seen in Canada
Feds warn 2023 on track to be the worst fire season ever seen in Canada
It's actually pretty crazy to enter the "climate catastrophes" phase of climate change. Like, we're all aware of this huge existential threat to humanity as a whole, and we are clearly progressing towards making this planet unlivable for our species, and yet the vast majority of people seem wholly unconcerned.
The collective human effort and high level decision making has been captured by market forces and the profit motive. There is no driver at the wheel.
Its deeply depressing to be honest. I used to mull over having children, but watching this all has convinced me that I never should. Very few people deserve the future we are making.
Tell me about it. I feel so powerless. I was feeling a lot of eco-anxiety a few years back, and decided to make changes in my life. In the past 5 or so years, I haven't eaten any animal products, I've been car-free and used a bicycle as my main transportation, I've limited purchases of clothing or technology, opting for second-hand stuff when I do.
At first, it made me feel super good to act more in accordance with my principles. But then, I realized people started seeing me as an extremist. That these overall pretty simple lifestyle changes were considered "too much" by the average person, even one who supposedly cares about the environment. Realizing this has just made me hopeless for the future of our species. We're confronted with total annihilation of our existence, and taking the bus or not eating a hamburger is considered "too hard".
Every year seems to be getting smokier and more firey. Let's focus on advocating for climate-friendly policies, and supporting fire management efforts, and preparing for smoky conditions with air purifiers and staying indoors when necessary. Your actions matter, but systemic change is crucial. Let's also lobby for stronger environmental regulations and support Indigenous fire management practices.
Let’s also lobby for stronger environmental regulations
In the meantime, let's stop consuming animal ag. We cannot all consume animals, the Earth cannot nearly support it. Already, the majority of biomass of land animals comes from cattle alone. It is nothing more than a status symbol, modern animal sacrifice. And it is the largest (*) contributor to climate change.
Taking this step as an individual has a larger effect than simply conserving the resources you no longer consume. There is huge social value in homesteading this space; making it more comfortable by developing folk culture, normalizing it, and providing an example that shows it's actually very easy and painless.
You're totally right, and its part of the reason I became a vegan. Every bit helps, however small, and it seems like the earth needs all the help it can get.
The worst year yet? Or the best year going forward? Depressing to even contemplate.
Yeah I'm from Alberta, Its been a crazy spring/early summer so far. Had a really early campfire when it was quite cold, not realizing at the time that would be the only campfire we could have this year so far. 😬
We seem to be good to have campfires inside the city though, at least within Calgary at the moment
It smells like campfire today in Montreal :(
Same in Toronto.
It's not that bad in KW, however they're issuing special air statements: https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/waterloo/n2j/weather-warnings/55073?alertId=263881&areaId=kitchener-cambridge-region-of-waterloo
It got worse!!
A new fire risk forecast shows that risk remains well above average in parts of every province and territory except Newfoundland and Labrador
It's been wet and barely above freezing here in NL... classic June weather ;)
We have our biggest fire in history out here in BC currently. This after three years of La Niña ending is frightening.
My wife and I moved from Colorado to Ontario a year or so ago. One of the (many) reasons we had discussed was to get away from the smoke from fires. My wife is very sensitive to it. This week has really proven to us that there is no "escaping" climate change. It was foolish for us to have placed any credence into the misconception that the colder, wetter climate of Ontario makes us any less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It was even more ironic that of all the weeks my wife could have chosen to travel to Ottawa for a conference, she chose the week that Ottawa was particularly affected by the smoke.
I really hope that this week's fires are a wakeup call to people living on the eastern side of North America. When we originally moved to Colorado, it was striking to me how much more climate conscious people were there than places we had lived before to the east. But that's just how it is. You get battered by these fires or floods or hurricanes or whatever over and over and over again and it begins to force everyone in an area to wake up to what's happening. Nobody can hide from it anymore. I just hope that it starts to sink in deeper into the psyches of those who can make real change happen.
So weird seeing this bright yellow spot reflected on things - the sun trying to shine thru the smoke. (Shouldn't the smoke make sunlight more diffuse?)
any evidence arson is involved
Take a look at the map. It's spread across the entire continent. I don't think arson is a reasonable hypothesis.
I don't think arson is a reasonable hypothesis
so, it could just be multiple people spread out? I'm not saying this is the case, however I guess other people have been speculating about this:
The raging wildfires in Alberta in the run-up to the Canadian province's election have fueled claims across social media that the blazes were set intentionally to disrupt the voting process or for other political purposes
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/alberta-wildfire-surge-sparks-unproven-200435924.html
