Climate change imperils July Fourth (again)

Drought conditions in West and Southwest inspire new fireworks bans

Posted by Joseph Romm (Guest Contributor) at 9:50 PM on 03 Jul 2008

Read more about: climate | climate change impacts | severe weather | holiday

Global warming threatens our White Chistmases with winter heatwaves. And our Halloweens with poor pumpkin crops. And our Arbor Days with record wildfires. And our immoral myopia threatens Father's Day. At this rate, the only holiday left will be the gas tax holiday -- for oil companies!

But I digress. Last year, Independence Day fireworks fizzled out for many thanks to ever worsening droughts. And MSNBC reports the droughts have done it again this year:

Authorities scared of setting off wildfires in drought conditions have imposed new bans on fireworks displays across a swath of the West and the Southwest.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pleaded with residents this week not to buy or use fireworks in California, where wildfires sparked by lightning are burning up hundreds of thousands of acres in the northern part of the state.

"Don't buy the fireworks, don't go out and play with fireworks, because it's just too dry and too dangerous to do those things," Schwarzenegger said.

Fires in many counties in eastern North Carolina led authorities to include holiday fireworks in their bans on outdoor burning. Similar bans have been declared in parts of Oregon, Idaho and Utah.

Have a happy and fire-free 4th!

This post was created for ClimateProgress.org, a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

For story: Climate change imperils July Fourth (again)
3 Comments | Post a Comment

Celebrating interdependence

Well, we don't actually need to celebrate by blowing stuff up. We could try...

Stargazing (the moon is just a tiny new crescent, won't outshine the stars).

Trying to sing the Star Spangled Banner.

Making a flag ice cream cake, with sparklers.

Reading the Declaration of Independence.

Practicing democracy. Until we get it right.

Reading (or writing) a Declaration of Interdependence http://www.shalomctr.org/node/656 )

Practicing community with humans, beasts and flowers. Until we get that right.

Whatever sets off the fireworks in body and soul, heart and mind.

-- Love doesn't just sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new. --Ursula LeGuin

by racje at 10:21 PM on 03 Jul 2008

They Sip Their Lemonade...

http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=2259

CALIFORNIA--The latest seasonal forecast for the country suggests that some relief is in sight in places that have been enduring drought.
There is optimism in the Southeast especially in Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas.
Improvement is also expected in the Southern plains especially in southern and eastern Texas.
NOAA forecaster Douglas Lecomte says there is no areas outside of Hawaii were drought development is expected.

by jabailo at 1:07 AM on 04 Jul 2008

And drought 'down under'

This is a real issue for Australia too - we are expecting further drought and heat (as if we don't have enough already), and floods in the north.

A report released today recommends Australia proceed with urgent implementation of an Emissions Trading Scheme (the Garnaut report).

For links and a brief analysis of the major challenge see http://canberrabureaucrat.blogspot.com/

by Canberra Bureaucrat at 5:24 AM on 04 Jul 2008

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