Texas on Fire

Join the Climate Emergency Forum as it discusses the devastating impact of wildfires, particularly focusing on the more recent fire in Texas and broader implications for the environment and society.

This video was recorded on March 12th, 2024, and published on March 17th, 2024.

Regina, the program host, highlights the severity of the Smokehouse Creek fire in Texas, emphasizing how climate change has exacerbated wildfire risks. The dialogue delves into the extensive damage caused by the fires, including loss of lives, destruction of homes, and the profound impact on both human and non-human populations.

The conversation also touches on the economic repercussions of wildfires, especially in states like Texas where industries like agriculture, aerospace, defense, energy, and healthcare are significantly affected. The loss of cattle and agricultural resources due to fires poses a substantial economic challenge for Texas, impacting various sectors that rely on these resources for revenue and funding. Additionally, there is a discussion on the environmental consequences of wildfires, such as carbon release from burning vegetation and the loss of vital ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest.

Furthermore, the dialogues shed light on the global scale of wildfires and their correlation with climate change-induced heatwaves and droughts. The participants express concerns about the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires worldwide, emphasizing the urgent need for governments to take decisive action to mitigate climate change effects. The dialogue underscores the critical importance of reducing global emissions immediately to address the escalating climate crisis and prevent further catastrophic events like unprecedented wildfires and ecosystem destruction.

Links:

• Smokehouse Creek Fire

• Texas Smokehouse Creek Wildfire: Over 1 Million Acres Burned in Second-Largest Fire in U.S. History

• List of U.S. states and territories by GDP

• Top Texas Commodities

• FIRMS US/Canada

• No 1.5 Without Intervention - CEF Video

• Canada on Fire - CEF Video

• Climate Disaster Looks Like Thousands of Boiled-Alive Mussels on a Beach in Vancouver

• Rampant Wildfires are Threatening a Collapse of the Amazon Rainforest

• Vapor pressure deficit

• Performance of Fire Danger Indices and Their Utility in Predicting Future Wildfire Danger Over the Conterminous United States

• Climate Change Will Increase Wildfire Risk and Lengthen Fire Seasons, Study Confirms

Regular Panelists:

• Dr. Peter Carter - MD, Expert IPCC Reviewer and the director of the Climate Emergency Institute

• Paul Beckwith - Climate Systems Scientist. Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Paleoclimatology Laboratory as well as at Carleton University

• Regina Valdez - Program Director, Climate Reality Project, NYC. GreenFaith Fellow and LEED Green Associate

Video Production:

• Charles Gregoire - Electrical Engineer, Webmaster and IT prime for FacingFuture.Earth & the Climate Emergency Forum; Climate Reality Leader

• Heidi Brault - Climate Reality Leader, BA(Psychology), Library & Information Technician Diploma - Video production and website assistant - Organizer and convener, Metadata technician, COP28 Team Lead for FacingFuture.Earth and the Climate Emergency Forum.

Attributions:

Background Music:

• Title: Through the City II
• Author: Crowander
• Source: crowander.com

Image and Video:

• Image and Video Attributions