Climate Impact Report – 8/4

Quick Facts

96

large wildfires that have burned 1,883,541 acres across AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MN, MT, NV, SD, UT, WA and WY.

1.7

times hotter in predominantly black neighborhoods in Durham, North Carolina than in neighborhoods that are predominantly white.

10

tons of dead fish cleared out of Manatee county, Florida over the past week due to red tide.

Facts Of The Day 8/04

Extreme Heat

  • Virginia’s next governor will have to address the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations, flooding concerns, and increased energy demand to heat and cool homes.

  • Water recycling has increasingly gained traction in newly constructed buildings.

  • Clark Public Utilities in Washington plans upgrades after energy consumption measured at 19,632 megawatt-hours on June 28th, the hottest day of the late June heatwave.

  • Warming rivers in California threaten the state’s $1.4 billion commercial salmon fishing industry as the hotter temperatures are killing the fish.

    • The decline in fish has led to a spike in the price of salmon at $35 per pound.

    • One fisherman who said he could usually catch 100 fish a day was now lucky if he could catch 80.

  • Under a new order, 86% of farmers who rely on water from the San Joaquin and Sacramento river watersheds in California may not be able to take water for their crops.

    • These watersheds drain off 40% of California’s lands and provide water for two-thirds of the state’s nearly 40 million residents.

  • The drought in California is forcing one cattle rancher to sell off 30% to 40% of his herd of 600 cows and calves.

  • Excessive heat, wildfires, smoke, and drought will cause one cherry farm in Montana to lose their crop from at least 1,200 unpicked cherry trees.

  • The June heatwaves may have killed off up to 40% to 50% of crop yields for Oregon farmers.

  • As many as 900 manatees have died in Florida waters this year, as their food supplies have been killed off by years of algal blooms.

  • Manatee County in Florida has cleared out 10 tons of dead fish over the past week because of the red tide.

  • Neighborhoods in Durham, North Carolina that are predominantly Black are potentially 1.7 times hotter than neighborhoods that are predominantly white.

  • On Tuesday, Denver Colorado saw its 30th day in a row of bad air and 43rd day overall.

  • Fairbanks, Alaska, broke a daily high temperature at 88 degrees on Monday.

  • Boise, Idaho had its warmest July on record with an average temperature of 83.8 degrees.

    • The city had a 45-day streak of temperatures above 90 degrees, which was the second-longest streak on record.

  • Eugene, Oregon, had the second-warmest July on record with an average temperature of 71.4 degrees.

Wildfires

  • There are currently 96 large wildfires that have burned 1,883,541 acres across AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MN, MT, NV, SD, UT, WA, and WY.

  • 3 new large fires were reported across Hawaii and Oregon and 2 large fires were reported contained on Tuesday.

  • As 95% of the western United States is in drought as of Tuesday, the risk of large fires remains high through at least August.

  • Wildfires threaten saguaros, which are already imperiled by invasive species and have been in a population decline since the 1990s.

  • Wildfires in the western part of the United States have caused poor air quality in the Midwest, including Indiana.

  • In California, PG&E’s equipment may not have been only responsible for the Dixie Fire but may have also caused the Fly Fire as well.

  • In California, the Dixie Fire burned 254,466 acres and was 35% contained as of Wednesday. The Dixie Fire has become the 8th largest wildfire in California in modern records.

  • One new fire sparked in Hawaii on Tuesday –  the Mana Road Fire burned 40,000 acres and was 60% contained.

  • One fire was contained in Idaho on Tuesday – the Deer Fire burned 856 acres.

  • One fire contained in Montana on Monday – the Poverty Flats Fire burned  65,941 acres.

  • Washington farmers fear wildfire smoke could stunt the growth of crops including corn, berries, squash, cucumbers, and pumpkins.

Hurricanes

  • Tropical Storm Hilda was located nearly 1,900 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii with maximum sustained winds of 50 MPH as of Wednesday morning.

    • Hilda is forecast to further weaken into a tropical depression on Thursday and become a remnant low by Friday, with no threat to land.

  • Tropical Depression Ignacio was located east of Hilda and was moving at maximum sustained winds of 25 MPH as of Wednesday.

    • Ignacio is expected to lose definition on Wednesday and will not bring any significant impact to the land.

Climate Studies

  • An August 2021 report found that the Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone is 6,334 square miles, equal to four million acres of habitat that is unavailable to marine life.

  • An August 2021 study found that emperor penguins are increasingly threatened by climate change.

  • An August 2021 study found that a program that directed local governments in curbing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest did not directly reduce deforestation.

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