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from the imagine-having-two-thousand-birthdays dept.
California wildfires threaten famous giant sequoia trees:
THREE RIVERS, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters wrapped the base of the world’s largest tree in a fire-resistant blanket as they tried to save a famous grove of gigantic old-growth sequoias from wildfires burning Thursday in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada.
The colossal General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park’s Giant Forest, some other sequoias, the Giant Forest Museum and other buildings were wrapped as protection against the possibility of intense flames, fire spokeswoman Rebecca Paterson said.
The aluminum wrapping can withstand intensive heat for short periods. Federal officials say they have been using the material for several years throughout the U.S. West to protect sensitive structures from flames.
[...] The Colony Fire, one of two burning in Sequoia National Park, was expected to reach the Giant Forest, a grove of 2,000 sequoias, at some point within days. It was unclear Thursday night whether that had happened. The fire didn’t grow significantly as a layer of smoke reduced its spread, fire spokeswoman Katy Hooper said.
It comes after a wildfire killed thousands of sequoias, some as tall as high-rises and thousands of years old, in the region last year.
The General Sherman Tree[*] is the largest in the world by volume, at 52,508 cubic feet (1,487 cubic meters), according to the National Park Service. It towers 275 feet (84 meters) high and has a circumference of 103 feet (31 meters) at ground level.
[...] Giant sequoias are adapted to fire, which can help them thrive by releasing seeds from their cones and creating clearings that allow young sequoias to grow. But the extraordinary intensity of fires — fueled by climate change — can overwhelm the trees.
That happened last year when the Castle Fire killed what studies estimate were 7,500 to 10,600 large sequoias, according to the National Park Service.
[*] Wikipedia description.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 18 2021, @07:04PM (1 child)
Mostly right, if skewed just a little. But, why should FEMA buy the gulf coast properties? In effect, you're suggesting that the government should underwrite all of those bad investments. Odd. Let those rich bastards lose their investment, and stop worrying. If you're going to "buy" those properties, how about "$1 and other considerations". Those other considerations would be declining to prosecute the current owners for fucking up the environment. Those who decline the offer can still be prosecuted.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 18 2021, @10:39PM
To take control of the land. Emminiite Domain is another method.
A few back this done for town on Missouri River (?). FEMA helped the town to move a few miles away and uphill from the continuous flooding of the totwn. Town moved lock-stock-and-barrel. Fed did the same for town in Kentucty, when building a dam and the town will be flooded.
Why keep paying for people to rebuild at a site that will be festroyied over and over. Give them a chance to be gone.
And NO, not all that live on the coast line is rich, so help start this process pay reasonable (requirement for Emminiite Domain). The pay out to move, can be fixed rates. Also place thumb on Insurance, stop selling flood insurance where it floods. or any insurance fire, wind, ... Put them on notice, we are helping in the rebuild.
So the New Jesery shore should be send on their way. Twice in less than 8 years. With more to come.
Say 40 miles from the gulf shores, take the money and leave. This is now a national park / reservere / protected area.
Let nature start to rebuild a coastline that protects again. Maybe nature can get ahead of the growing threat from see rise.
Or should we who live outside of flood planes, keep paying for the stupidity. Which gets to your view: why pay of these rich bastards at all. After the last offer from FEMA, take it. Nature is now allowed to be free in this area, We we will not be (re)installing any power, gas, water, sewer, roads, bridges. Pest control is also blocked - ant, terminates, gator, snake, wild hogs, IF there is an emergency and you are taken out... you cannot come back, period.