Fires, Floods, Snow extremes
Breaking news about Wild Land Fires & Floods and snow storms in the Boulder, Colorado area.
Boulder, U.S. set emergency alert Wed.
Nov 8th
Boulder County, Colo. – The first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System will occur on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at noon Mountain time and may last up to three and a half minutes.
The test is being conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The public will hear a message indicating “This is a test.” The audio message will be the same for radio, broadcast television and cable. The National-level EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Similar to local EAS tests that are conducted frequently, the nationwide test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wireline providers across all states and territories.
As federal, state, and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, this event serves as a reminder for residents to make an emergency plan and gather emergency supplies for themselves and their families, and in their communities and businesses. Visit www.boulderoem.com or www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for emergencies and stay informed in the event of an actual emergency.
Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, EAS Participants, and others in the EAS Community have been working toward making this test a reality. For more information about the National-level EAS, visit www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm.
CU scientists: CO2 emissions a HUGE problem
Nov 4th
New calculations showing the global output of heat-trapping carbon dioxide gases jumped by the largest amount on record in 2010 is more evidence that society has made a choice to continue to accelerate climate change, say two University of Colorado Boulder experts.
The new figures calculated by the U.S. Department of Energy show the world pumped more than 560 additional tons of carbon into the atmosphere in 2010 than in 2009, an increase of 6 percent. There are currently 392 parts per million of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere, a rise of more than 100 since the Industrial Revolution, said CU-Boulder Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research Director Jim White.
The CO2 rise is driven primarily by growing industry in China and India — the two highest users of coal — as well as the United States, said White. “While the world population growth has slowed, the use of fossil fuels continues at a record pace,” he said. Studies have shown Earth’s land temperatures have increased by 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1950s.
“While it is good news that the global economy continues to grow, we clearly have not taken greenhouse gases and climate change seriously,” said White, an expert on ice cores and climate change. Only a substantial and rapid global move toward alternative energies can slow the growth of CO2 emissions, he said.
“We are rolling the dice here, which is not a good way to plan for the future,” said geography Professor Mark Serreze, director of CU-Boulder’s National Snow and Ice Data Center and an expert on declining Arctic sea ice.
“The warning signs of climate change are all around us, and we have decided to ignore them,” said Serreze. “Humankind has made a choice to do nothing, and we can never go back to where we were again. As a consequence, we will have to adapt to change.”
For more information contact White at 303-492-2219 or james.white@colorado.edu, Serreze at 303-492 -2963 or serreze@kryos.colorado.edu or Jim Scott in the CU-Boulder media relations and news office at 303-492-3114.
Fourmile Canyon fire findings ready
Oct 12th
Preliminary findings of Fourmile Fire report to be presented Friday at open house
Boulder County, Colo. – Just days after the Fourmile Fire began in September 2010, Sen. Mark Udall requested a study of the fire similar to the one he requested after the Hayman Fire in 2002.
The preliminary findings of that study will be presented to Boulder County residents and any interested members of the public at an open house this Friday afternoon in Boulder.
What: Public open house to discuss findings presented in the preliminary report of the Fourmile Canyon Fire Assessment.
When: Friday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. A presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the assessment researchers.
Where: Commissioners’ Hearing Room, Boulder County Courthouse, third floor, 1325 Pearl St., Boulder.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Researchers will be available to answer specific questions regarding the report. Representatives from Sen. Udall’s office, Boulder County, the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management will also be available.
Background
USFS agencies collaborated with the CSFS and assembled a team to conduct the study in December 2010. The study was led by scientists with the USFS’ Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Issues on which the study focuses include the:
- Existing on-the-ground conditions and how they influenced fire behavior
- Success or failure of specific aspects of firefighting activities
- Factors that influenced how and why structures burned
- Existing science related to restoration and protocols in place to learn about recovery
-BoulderCounty.org-