Climate Impact Report – 10/29

Quick Facts

336,400

acres across CA, MT, OR and WA have been burned by 6 wildfires as of Friday

160,000

homes and businesses in MA are still affected by power outages due to nor'easter

at least 9

people collapsed and died while hiking in extreme temperatures in CA this summer

Key Facts Of The Day 10/29

Hurricanes

  • Flooding caused by a combination of high tides, runoff from Tuesday’s nor’easter and storm surge, and Friday’s oncoming storm inundated roads throughout Toms River, New Jersey on Thursday evening.

  • Two days after a nor’easter hit Massachusetts,  more than 160,000 homes and businesses on Cape Cod, the South Shore and Cape Ann are still affected by power outages.

  • While still full of leaves, the bomb cyclone stressed Pacific Northwest trees early this year increasing the threat of them being toppled.

  • Experts investigating the summer flooding on behalf of metro Detroit’s regional water claim that electrical problems at a pump station on the city’s east side played a large role in causing water-logged basements upstream of the hampered facility.

Wildfires

  • As of Friday, there are currently 6 large active wildfires that have burned 336,400 acres across CA,  MT, OR, and WA.

  • Two years after the Camp Fire destroyed about 14,000 homes, about 1,300 single- and multi-family homes have been rebuilt in Paradise, California.

  • The Dixie Fire destroyed the town of Greenville, which is one of the poorest communities in Plumas County.

  • Undocumented farmworkers who make up three-quarters of all farmworkers bear the brunt of California’s climate crisis.

    • When fires disrupt their work or destroy their property, undocumented farmerworkers typically get nothing and also ineligible for unemployment benefits and health insurance.

  • Oregon State University received a $7.65 million USDA grant to study the impact of wildfire smoke on grapes and wine.

  • As of Thursday, Colorado Springs Fire Department’s Mitigation Section and City Parks and Forestry staff are teaming up with community volunteers to complete fire mitigation work at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site.

  • In California, 3 fires have burned 202,805 acres as of Friday.

    • The Alisal Fire burned 17,281 acres and was 99% contained as of Friday.

    • The KNP Complex Fire burned 88,307 acres and was 73% contained as of Friday.

  • In Montana, 1 fire has burned a total of 1,379 acres as of Friday.

  • In Oregon, 1 fire has burned a total of 24,894 acres as of Friday.

  • In Washington, 1 fire has burned a total of 107,322 acres as of Friday.

Extreme Heat

  • At least 9 people collapsed and died while hiking in extreme temperatures in California this summer.

  • As drought strains California’s water resources, farmers shift their scarce water resources to crops with higher payoffs, such as nuts and vegetables.

  • Due to extreme heat and drought conditions, the USDA predicts prices for beef, veal, and pork to rise by between 6.5% and 7.5% this year from last year.

  • Centuries of land loss and forced relocation have left Native Americans significantly more exposed to the effects of climate change.

    • The Mojave tribe experienced an average of 117 days above 100 degrees or 62 more than on its historical lands.

    • The Hopi reservation experienced an average of 57 days above 100 degrees, compared with just two days on their historical lands.

    • The Chemehuevi experienced an average of 84 days of extreme heat each year, 29 days more than on their historical lands.

    • Extreme heat means higher electricity costs which has pushed tribal members to leave their reservation and relocate to cities, where there’s more access to air-conditioned spaces.

  • As water temperatures rise, oysters, shrimp, and baitfish are depleted, threatening the agricultural and fishing traditions of the Gullah Geechee.

  • The Okaloosa County Health Department issued a warning for red tide as low to high levels of the K. Brevis bacteria were detected in 6 locations.

New Reports And Data

  • An October 2021 study found that extreme weather can cause economic ripples along the supply chains and can amplify other economic ripples around the world.

  • An October 2021 study found that urban areas across the United States are undercounting greenhouse gas emissions.

  • An October 2021 study found that the nutritional value of giant kelp decreases as sea temperatures increase, which can affect the communities that rely on kelp for food and shelter.

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