Signs of 2012

... hmm

The heatwave and wildfires that struck Texas in 2011 were potential extinction-level events. Texas State is raising an alarm relative to the changing climate and impacts on the state. The Houston toad is on the top of the concern list. More than 20 animals statewide are under serious consideration for an endangered listing and dozens more are in the early stages of the process. As conflicts wage in Texas about how and what animals make the endangered species list, the loss of any animal will have a ripple effect across the state. More: Endangered species conflict looms in Texas Texas species watch list

The heatwave and wildfires that struck Texas in 2011 were potential extinction-level events.

Texas State is raising an alarm relative to the changing climate and impacts on the state. The Houston toad is on the top of the concern list.

More than 20 animals statewide are under serious consideration for an endangered listing and dozens more are in the early stages of the process.

As conflicts wage in Texas about how and what animals make the endangered species list, the loss of any animal will have a ripple effect across the state.

Source commons.wikimedia.org

Firefighters are struggling to gain control of wildfires consuming tens of thousands of acres across Texas. In July, Texas was declared a natural disaster due to the extent of the drought sweeping across the region. The state has since said it’s the worst fire season in Texas history. Wildfires were driven over the holiday weekend by winds in excess of 30 mph across the state. Governor Rick Perry said in a statement Monday. “I urge Texans to take extreme caution as we continue to see the devastating effects of sweeping wildfires impacting both rural and urban areas.” With low humidity and tinder dry grass, shrubs and tree limbs from the ongoing drought, Texas is in a growing state of emergency. More: Wildfires kill 2 and destroy homes Fire Map: Google Earth view of Texas fires Tracker: Texas wildfire situation

Firefighters are struggling to gain control of wildfires consuming tens of thousands of acres across Texas.

In July, Texas was declared a natural disaster due to the extent of the drought sweeping across the region.

The state has since said it’s the worst fire season in Texas history. Wildfires were driven over the holiday weekend by winds in excess of 30 mph across the state.

Governor Rick Perry said in a statement Monday. “I urge Texans to take extreme caution as we continue to see the devastating effects of sweeping wildfires impacting both rural and urban areas.”

With low humidity and tinder dry grass, shrubs and tree limbs from the ongoing drought, Texas is in a growing state of emergency.

Source The New York Times

A New Mexico wildfire is sparking a nuclear threat. The Las Conchas Fire has consumed nearly 61,000 acres in the Santa Fe National Forest, near the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a national security and science laboratory.  Established during World War II to build the first atomic bomb, the lab remains one of the leading nuclear arms manufacturing facilities in the U.S. The town of Los Alamos, home to about 10,000 residents, and the laboratory, with a work force of about 12,000 people, were evacuated Monday. The lab will remain closed  through at least Wednesday. The greatest concern is for approximately 25,000 55-gallon sealed drums of plutonium-tainted waste stored at the complex. As of Tuesday night, the fire was at zero percent containment. Los Alamos National Laboratory Washington Post: Fire brings nuclear threat Los Alamos news roundup

A New Mexico wildfire is sparking a nuclear threat.

The Las Conchas Fire has consumed nearly 61,000 acres in the Santa Fe National Forest, near the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a national security and science laboratory. 

Established during World War II to build the first atomic bomb, the lab remains one of the leading nuclear arms manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

The town of Los Alamos, home to about 10,000 residents, and the laboratory, with a work force of about 12,000 people, were evacuated Monday. The lab will remain closed  through at least Wednesday.

The greatest concern is for approximately 25,000 55-gallon sealed drums of plutonium-tainted waste stored at the complex.

As of Tuesday night, the fire was at zero percent containment.

Source Washington Post

Wildfires continue to roar through the Southwestern US. Firefighters got some relief this weekend in southern Arizona, but the state’s largest wildfire in history, the Wallow fire, continues to consume the northern part of the state. So far, the Wallow blaze has consumed 811 square miles, 519,319 acres. With over 3,500 firefighters on the scene, containment rose to 51 percent Sunday. The Wallow fire has burned much of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. National Forest: Apache-Sitgreaves Closed Forest Service: Aging aerial tankers US Fire Map - active today Other fires: Texas | New Mexico

Wildfires continue to roar through the Southwestern US.

Firefighters got some relief this weekend in southern Arizona, but the state’s largest wildfire in history, the Wallow fire, continues to consume the northern part of the state.

So far, the Wallow blaze has consumed 811 square miles, 519,319 acres. With over 3,500 firefighters on the scene, containment rose to 51 percent Sunday.

The Wallow fire has burned much of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

Source space.com