Summer has not yet reached America, but fires are already raging in some of the country’s hottest and driest areas. As of last week, Midwest states such as Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico continue to face fires. The situation is most dire in New Mexico, where fires have engulfed at least 16 of the state’s 33 counties over the past week. In Colorado, the area around Denver has entered the highest fire alert level in more than a decade due to unseasonal heat coupled with strong winds and very dry conditions.
For officials and experts, the occurrence of wildfires in April raises concerns about the power and impact of the impending dry season across much of the United States. “Our fire season started dangerously early,” New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham warned. The Associated Press, Weather conditions facilitate the spread of fire and make the job of firefighters difficult. “It’s a very chaotic situation,” he said. AP Stewart Turner, fire behavior analyst at Santa Fe, Final 6th Fair (22/4). “We had extreme fire behavior all day.” Reuters Also reflected the effects of fires in and around New Mexico.
already wall street journal discussed how Arizona officials and residents are dealing with the impact of drought on the Colorado River, one of the main sources of fresh water in the American Southwest. With the amount of water falling from year to year and the persistence of drought, even at the time of year that should be wet, the pressure on water resources in very dry and populated areas of the southern United States increases. are. For now, domestic consumption has not yet been directly affected by the cuts, but rural producers in the state are already complaining of a lack of water available for irrigation.
in time: When it comes to drought, fire and water The Associated Press A study by scientists from the University of Nevada in the United States highlighted the effects of wildfires on ice retention capacity in the Sierra Nevada in the west of the country. In the summer, these areas recorded frequent fires, which not only destroyed vegetation, but also eroded the soil. By the time winter snow arrives, the scorched ground is “dying” the frozen layer, causing the snow to turn black. As a result, this ice is more exposed to the sun’s radiation, melting faster.
Climainfo, April 25, 2022.
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