Huge Firenado in Oregon as wildfire onslaught continues
“Pretty wild to see. We’ve all seen fire whirls before, but nothing close to this size.” – Phil Sitz, USWFS
A massive “firenado” is filmed n southeast Oregon July 31, as wildfires sweeping across the pacific northwest burnt almost two million acres of land.
England and Wales recorded their driest July since national records began, with only about one-third of normal rainfall across the UK and far less than that in southern England.
High winds and sand storm derails ~50 car New Mexico freight train
Strong winds from a dust storm are the likely cause of a surprising derailment in Hidalgo County, The train carried nearly 50 cars and
Severe drought crisis in UK is severely impacting agriculture
The United Kingdom is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in modern records. The crisis has been driven by an exceptionally dry spring and summer, repeated heatwaves, and very high evaporation rates. Drought was declared across roughly half of England. Authorities say the drought is historically alarming for its combination is intensity and extent. .
The drought has also produced an exceptionally active wildfire season.
The Environment Agency has expanded official drought declarations to include East Anglia, the Thames basin, the West Midlands, Wessex, Devon and Cornwall, and several other regions.
Serious threats to agriculture
Reuters reports that Britain is heading toward its worst cereal harvest since records began, with irrigation resources running dry. Estimated crop losses could reach millions of tons, costing farmers hundreds of millions of pounds.
UK water restrictions
Water companies have introduced widespread conservation measures.
- More than 23 million people are now subject to hosepipe bans across England.
- Additional restrictions are taking effect across southwest England, including Devon and Cornwall.
- Residents are prohibited from using hosepipes for watering gardens, washing vehicles, and filling pools, with exemptions for certain vulnerable groups.
Athens area has lost almost half of its forest to fires
About 42% of the forests that until just ten years ago covered the Attica region, have been destroyed by fire since then, data released Tuesday showed.
More than 51,200 hectares have been lost out of a total 123,000 – some 42%. Ιn its first assessment, WWF Greece said wildfires have forced more than 10,000 residents and visitors from their homes, with burned land expected to top 20,000 hectares,
Satellite images show more than 18,000 hectares scorched since late July in major fires on Crete, Paros, southern Viotia and western Attica.
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Heating ocean disrupting South Africa marine life and mass fish die offs foul beaches
Major mortality events for sardines and other fish are occurring on the western coastline of South Africa. The die-off involves multiple species, though sardine remains the most frequently reported. Observations indicate the event spans a significant range, from immediate inshore waters to approximately 50 miles offshore.
While the cause of thousands of dead sardines washing ashore in the Western Cape has not yet been confirmed, experts say climate change is disrupting marine food chains and fish migration patterns.
South Africa’s warming oceans are placing growing pressure on marine life while also threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities along the country’s coastline.
