The Environment's Wildfire Dangers

Before I began to use Facebook (FB) as an autobiography with my photographs, those of you who follow me know I was posting stories and data related to specific environmental issues. I have now reserved my Saturday-Sunday FB postings to announce my various public events, AND to occasionally re-visit some of those important environmental issues of interest.

A recent series of articles in the Los Angeles Times (LATimes) reminded me of an online post I put up awhile back, entitled 'Thunderheads', in which the Smithsonian Channel brought together 250 international researchers take part in a unique collective project studying thunderstorms. The pertinent part of their many discoveries for me was the fact that hailstones, especially large ones, form around a VERY particular particle of matter – the particle matter put up in the air by wildfires! I've embedded the 'sneak peak' video, as it's going to air early August. Check your local listings for the next time this show airs, as it's a must see!

Wildfires Feed Thunderstorms

Photo Credit: AP Photo/John Leyba,The Denver Post

As I write this, huge fires with burn areas that measure in square miles are raging out-of-control in CO and AZ; there are currently over 100 fires burning in 11 western states and one in CO is now larger than the state of Rhode Island. In case you forgot, last year New Mexico and Texas had epic firestorms, and the tundra forest around Moscow erupted with more than 100 fires whose smoke trail could be clearly seen from space. The current CO fire is now also visible from space and its smoke plume covers parts of CO, NB, KS, OK, and TX where the haze has merged with the NM fire. Besides destroying homes and lives, these fires will affect air quality and water quality for millions of people. In CO it is also threatening the $10 BILLION-a-year recreation industry. (LATIMES 6/15/12, WILDFIRE THREATENS TO CAST SHADOW ON COLORADO SUMMER by Jenny Deam, John Glionna)

Phil Borges: iLCP in livebetter eMagazine

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Photograph © 2012 Phil Borges.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form.

CLICK HERE >> to read the article by Phil Borges:  "Tibet:  Culture at the Edge, Devotion, Development and Climate Change"

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Photograph © 2012 Jenny E. Ross.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE;  Jenny E. Ross, Life on Thin Ice™

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Photograph © 2012 Christian Ziegler.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE >>> Christian Ziegler, The World of Wild Orchids

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Photograph © 2011 Florian Schulz.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

 CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Florian Schulz: 'To the Arctic:  Intimate Photographs of Arctic Wildlife'

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Photograph © 2011 Brian Skerry.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE >Ocean Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry

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Photograph © 2011 Gary Braasch.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Gary Braasch's Images of Change: 'Documenting A Warming World'

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Photograph © 2011 Daniel Beltrá.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Daniel Beltrá, 'BP's Deepwater Horizon: America's Haunting Catastrophe'

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Photograph © 2011 James Balog
For Display Use Only,
No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > James Balog, 'Serving As Witness to Environmental Change'

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Photograph © 2011 Miguel Ángel de la Cueva
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Miguel Ángel de la Cueva, 'Oasis of Stone:  Visions of Baja California'

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Photograph © 2011 Garth Lenz
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Garth Lenz, 'Alberta Tar Sands: The True Price of Petroleum'


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Photograph © 2011 Robert Glenn Ketchum
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Robert Glenn Ketchum, 'In Defense of the Natural World' 

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Photograph © 2011 Amy Gulick
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Amy Gulick, 'Salmon in the Trees'

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Photograph © 2011 Patricio Robles Gil
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Patricio Robles Gil, 'The Passion and Essence of Nature'

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Photograph © 2011 Robert Glenn Ketchum
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE>  Robert Glenn Ketchum, 'Nature’s Tireless Advocate: A Conviction of the Heart'

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Jenny E. Ross: iLCP in livebetter Magazine

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Photograph © 2012 Jenny E. Ross.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE;  Jenny E. Ross, Life on Thin Ice™

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Photograph © 2012 Christian Ziegler.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE >>> Christian Ziegler, The World of Wild Orchids

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Photograph © 2011 Florian Schulz.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

 CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Florian Schulz: 'To the Arctic:  Intimate Photographs of Arctic Wildlife'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Brian Skerry.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE >Ocean Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Gary Braasch.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Gary Braasch's Images of Change: 'Documenting A Warming World'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Daniel Beltrá.  For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Daniel Beltrá, 'BP's Deepwater Horizon: America's Haunting Catastrophe'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 James Balog
For Display Use Only,
No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > James Balog, 'Serving As Witness to Environmental Change'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Miguel Ángel de la Cueva
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Miguel Ángel de la Cueva, 'Oasis of Stone:  Visions of Baja California'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Garth Lenz
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Garth Lenz, 'Alberta Tar Sands: The True Price of Petroleum'


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Robert Glenn Ketchum
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Robert Glenn Ketchum, 'In Defense of the Natural World' 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Amy Gulick
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Amy Gulick, 'Salmon in the Trees'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Patricio Robles Gil
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE > Patricio Robles Gil, 'The Passion and Essence of Nature'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Photograph © 2011 Robert Glenn Ketchum
For Display Use Only, No Permission to Reproduce in Any Form

CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE>  Robert Glenn Ketchum, 'Nature’s Tireless Advocate: A Conviction of the Heart'

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