Posted on 12/02/2018 8:41:26 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Forest fires in California this year released carbon emissions equivalent to the amount produced to power the state's electricity for one year, according to a new analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The wildfires, including last month's record-breaking fires in Northern and Southern California, released 68 million tons of carbon dioxide as they incinerated huge swaths of land and destroyed thousands of homes this year. That is roughly the same amount of carbon emissions typically produced to power the entire state for a year, according to a statement from the Interior Department on Friday.
"We know that wildfires can be deadly and cost billions of dollars, but this analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey also shows just how bad catastrophic fires are for the environment and for the public's health," Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said in the statement.
The carbon emissions from the wildfires accounted for 15 percent of all California emissions, the statement noted.
November's wildfires, which included the deadliest and most destructive fires in the state's history, released 5.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.
In the statement, Zinke echoed President Trump in saying the wildfires could be mainly attributed to improper forest management.
Fire officials and lawmakers in California have vehemently pushed against this assessment, saying forest management is one of a number of issues that could have caused the wildfires. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) last month said the wildfires, which killed at least 91 people, were likely connected to the intensifying effects of climate change.
Brown called the wildfires part of California's "new abnormal."
Zinke's statement comes as he continues to cast doubt on a new dire federal climate change report, which warns that the devastating effects of climate change will slash the U.S. economy and harm peoples' day-to-day lives if leaders at all levels do not take stronger action immediately. Zinke has questioned the methods used by the 300 government and non-government scientists who contributed to the report, which was authorized by 13 federal agencies.
The report predicts that wildfires will continue to grow larger, more costly and more deadly as temperatures rise and the climate becomes drier due to human-caused climate change.
not a believer in man made global warming- what we can blame on Calif bad management is the air pollution caused by the fires
Forest blazes make the landscape reflect sunlight to reduce global warming, study finds
Jackasses. They are still trying to find the rest of the dead, and these evil SOBs are thinking about CARBON?
Can’t like, Nancy Pelosi outlaw fires or something?
All you need to do is sell enough carbon credits to offset it and things will easily go back to normal. You can thank me later.
Plus all the deadly chemicals that the smoke carried as hundreds of thousands of people breathed it for days.
But you can’t tax a wildfire. We still have to blame the humans.
Let me tell you, lots of us around here have come down with some sort of “crud” after breathing all this smoke here in Butte County. So, am I reading this right...our esteemed Gov is saying that forest management caused the fires? This is the same Gov that said after the almost dam collapse “Stuff happens...” A true maroon. He’s gone to be replaced with another whack-a-mole maroon.
I had chest pains for two weeks on top of hacking up junk. Government ain’t telling what was in that smoke.
“California wildfires released one year’s worth of power pollution”
paging Al Gore, paging Al Gore, would Al Gore please go to a white courtesy telephone ...
Wonder what a volcano does?
And remember - that is 100% natural
Outlaw wild fires. Sheesh, how hard was that.
So this this case SoCal Edison can be blamed for global warming.
A friend from Malibu spent two days “on the beach” with evacuees helping others. Breathing all that smoke. He now is having serious respiratory trouble. I am sure he is not alone.
It’s simple....what’s in your house? What chemicals, cleaners, paints, etc? That is what burned. Gov’t doesn’t need to tell me that there is also people in that smoke, as well as washing down the streets in the rain.
Much more important would be a calculation of the millions of tons of particulate matter injected into the atmosphere. That is the real pollution, not a colorless, odorless, tasteless inert gas.
Wait a sec! They kooks switched from "global warming" to "climate change," but now it appears here that "climate change" means only warming.
But try having a fire in your fireplace in the Bay Area and you will have the fireplace police on you like white on rice.
The CO2 is meaningless.
The tons of toxic particulates has been a real pleasure to choke on for months of the year.
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