Tag: California wildfires

Please find below a list of links to some aspects of disaster resilience that were in the news recently…

Recent emergencies/disaster

California wildfires death toll jumps to 79, more than still 1,000 missing https://watchers.news/2018/11/17/california-wildfires-november-2018/

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that flash floods have killed at least 30 people across the desert nation over the past month http://strangesounds.org/2018/11/never-in-the-memory-of-man-theres-been-case-of-flood-of-that-magnitude-in-the-desert-of-saudi-arabia.html

Extreme rainfall events wreak havoc across the Middle East https://watchers.news/2018/11/13/middle-east-floods-october-november-2018/

Cyclone Gaja rips through Tamil Nadu coast: 33 lives lost, 177,500 people in 351 relief camps https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/cyclone-gaja-rips-through-tamil-nadu-coast-33-lives-lost-177500-people-in-351-relief-camps/315889

Another large, deep, event in Fiji (there have been quite a few this year): 500+ km deep M6.7 within subducting slab, no direct tsunami hazard https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/at00pieoqx/executive

12 dead in Vietnam floods, landslides https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/12-dead-in-vietnam-floods-landslides/articleshow/66679432.cms?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Thousands flee as Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46261168

Evacuations as flooding hits Dunedin https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/evacuations-flooding-hits-dunedin

Uganda – Deadly Floods in Central Region http://floodlist.com/africa/uganda-floods-november-2018

Philippines – Tropical Depression 33W Brings Flooding and Landslides http://floodlist.com/asia/philippines-floods-tropical-depression-33w-samuel-november-2018

Volcanic activity worldwide 22 Nov 2018: Fuego volcano, Popocatépetl, Dukono, Reventador, Turrialba https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcano-activity/news/71849/Volcanic-activity-worldwide-22-Nov-2018-Fuego-volcano-Popocatepetl-Dukono-Reventador-Turrialba.html

 

Extreme Weather and Climate Change

From sea to rising sea: Climate change in America https://www.seas.harvard.edu/content/from-sea-to-rising-sea-climate-change-in-america

With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/11/26/how-extreme-weather-is-shrinking-the-planet

Climate change on track to make world ‘uninsurable’ https://www.afr.com/business/insurance/climate-change-on-track-to-make-world-uninsurable-iag-20181115-h17xu5

A real-time Global Warming Index https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pfEPgPpARc&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social_media_organic&utm_content=AngWan-Nature-Scientific_Reports-Multidisciplinary-Global&utm_campaign=SCIREP_USG_twitter_noncfp_content&sf202400510=1

In Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta, climate change effects such as saltwater intrusion are increasingly devastating crops and livelihoods https://www.climate2020.org.uk/change-in-the-delta/

A small country with a big climate change plan http://www.tl.undp.org/content/timor_leste/en/home/stories/TL_NAPA_aileu_farmers.html

The Urban Adaptation Assessment (UAA) is an interactive database https://gain-uaa.nd.edu/

Broad threat to humanity from cumulative climate hazards intensified by greenhouse gas emissions https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0315-6#Abs1

Deluge and Drought: Climate Council issues grim warning on looming water security crisis https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/water-security-report/

‘Like a Terror Movie’: How Climate Change Will Cause More Simultaneous Disasters https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/climate/climate-disasters.html

Broad threat to humanity from cumulative climate hazards intensified by greenhouse gas emissions https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0315-6

China glacier melt speeds up in ‘wake-up call’ for world http://news.trust.org/item/20181120054011-p9qi1

Second warmest October and fourth warmest year-to-date on record https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-201810

Assessing the alignment of national-level adaptation plans to the Paris Agreement https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901118306592?via%3Dihub

New study warns we face wildfires, superstorms, floods, droughts all at once, everywhere https://thinkprogress.org/trump-great-climate-wildfires-superstorms-floods-droughts-all-at-once-everywhere-4e5d6e3455a4/

Climate change linked to more destructive fires https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/11/20/letter-climate-change-linked-to-more-destructive-fires/

Images like that of a polar bear on a melting ice field are iconic. But in terms of getting people to act on climate change, they may be ineffective http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20181115-why-climate-change-photography-needs-a-new-look

Antarctic melting slows atmospheric warming and speeds sea level rise https://phys.org/news/2018-11-antarctic-atmospheric-sea.html

Warming ocean waters turned Hurricane Michael into a superstorm https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-11-05/warming-ocean-waters-turned-hurricane-michael-superstorm?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=psu%20official

Canadians produce three times more greenhouse gas emissions than G20 average https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canada-found-to-produce-most-greenhouse-gas-emissions-per-person-among/

Climate change: Report raises new optimism over industry https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46263770

Traceable evidence of the impacts of climate change on humanity http://impactsofclimatechange.info/

Addressing the most vulnerable first: Pro-poor climate action in informal settlements https://unhabitat.org/un-habitat-thematic-guide-addressing-the-most-vulnerable-first-pro-poor-climate-action-in-informal-settlements/

Wildfires Show Snowballing Effect of Climate Change: Study https://www.bna.com/wildfires-show-snowballing-n57982094072/

A Very Grim Forecast: Global Warming of 1.5°C: An IPCC Special Report https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/11/22/global-warming-very-grim-forecast/

Pacific Ocean typhoons could be intensifying more than previously projected https://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2018/11/20/pacific-ocean-typhoons-intensifying-more-than-previously-projected/

2018 Yearbook of Climate Action https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/GCA_Yearbook2018.pdf

Fast-growing African cities at ‘extreme risk’ from climate change: analysts https://www.maplecroft.com/portfolio/new-analysis/2018/11/14/84-worlds-fastest-growing-cities-face-extreme-climate-change-risks/

When Rising Seas Hit Home: An Analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=64b2cbd03a3d4b87aaddaf65f6b33332

Twentieth-century contribution to sea-level rise from uncharted glaciers https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0687-9

The Climate Change Gender Gap https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-11-20/yale-women-more-worried-less-knowledgeable-about-climate-change

Climate-heating greenhouse gases at record levels, says UN https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/22/climate-heating-greenhouse-gases-at-record-levels-says-un

WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin (GHG Bulletin) – No. 14 https://library.wmo.int/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=20697#.W_cl8IczbIU

 

Disaster risk reduction

Coastal Cities Consider Waterfront Parks Over Sea Walls To Combat Flooding https://www.greenmatters.com/news/2018/11/08/Z2jLeC8/coastal-cities-waterfront-parks-sea-walls

Surveying soil from the sky: Can satellites predict droughts and floods? https://wle.cgiar.org/thrive/2018/01/22/surveying-soil-sky-can-satellites-predict-droughts-and-floods

Researchers link urban sprawl to increase in rainfall, flooding during Hurricane Harvey https://now.uiowa.edu/2018/11/researchers-link-urban-sprawl-increase-rainfall-flooding-during-hurricane-harvey

FEMA flood maps don’t factor in sea level rise or changes in extreme weather, and many are years out of date. In Mexico Beach, ‘minimal-risk’ homes were swept away https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01112018/fema-flood-map-climate-change-hurricane-mexico-beach-florida-sea-level-rise

Cities are sinking — and experts say we’re not doing enough to save them https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-17/cities-are-sinking-so-what-are-we-doing-about-it/10503924

What the Dutch Can Teach Us About Wildfires https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/opinion/sunday/what-the-dutch-can-teach-us-about-wildfires.html

Images and video of the aftermath of the Jinsha River landslide https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2018/11/16/jinsha-river-landslide-2/

‘We need help’: N.C. towns plead for dam, levee upgrades after second major flood in two years https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/we-need-help-nc-towns-plead-for-dam-levee-upgrades-after-second-major-flood-in-two-years/2018/09/18/1792b788-bb61-11e8-a8aa-860695e7f3fc_story.html?utm_term=.40671b6d4edc

Call for developers, not taxpayers, to foot bill for flood defences https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/17231475.call-for-developers-not-taxpayers-to-foot-bill-for-flood-defences/

Nearly 400,000 U.S. Homes Will Experience Chronic Flooding by 2050 https://e360.yale.edu/digest/nearly-400000-us-homes-will-experience-chronic-flooding-by-2050

As fires become more frequent and more powerful, is there a way to create resiliency that minimizes the damage? https://www.fastcompany.com/90266666/can-we-design-neighborhoods-to-survive-wildfires

Insurance for disasters is unaffordable for some, but it’s middle Australia that is underinsured https://theconversation.com/insurance-is-unaffordable-for-some-but-its-middle-australia-that-is-underinsured-105662?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twitterbutton

Adelaide scientists have proven the ability to issue an accurate warning about deadly heatwaves days in advance https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/adelaide-scientists-have-proven-the-ability-to-issue-an-accurate-warning-about-deadly-heatwaves-days-in-advance/news-story/f18d2b22f6542cb971ad6a0db8f68f23?csp=c42eb5015f5e7725685bd435fbb85d6e

Are big earthquakes a concern for the eastern United States? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/rockyplanet/2018/11/19/are-big-earthquakes-concern-eastern-united-states/#.W_MsToczbIU

National Disaster Mitigation Program Supports Flood Prevention and Mitigation in B.C. https://www.watercanada.net/national-disaster-mitigation-program-supports-flood-prevention-and-mitigation-in-b-c/

This website provides open access to Environment Agency hydrological data https://environment.data.gov.uk/hydrology/index.html#/landing

Spaces of post-disaster experimentation: Agile entrepreneurship and geological agency in emerging disaster countercartographies https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328925321_Spaces_of_post-disaster_experimentation_Agile_entrepreneurship_and_geological_agency_in_emerging_disaster_countercartographies

Enhanced views of Earth tectonics https://phys.org/news/2018-11-views-earth-tectonics.html

To enhance the diversity of research underway in natural hazards, the National Science Foundation recently created CONVERGE, a $3 million research center at the University of Colorado Boulder https://www.designsafe-ci.org/community/news/2018/november/nsf-creates-3m-converge-center-augment-natural-hazards-research/?platform=hootsuite

Landslides are a growing risk to the poorest http://www.acclimatise.uk.com/2018/11/02/landslides-are-growing-risk-to-poorest/

Community based initiatives to mainstream climate change adaptation into disaster risk reduction: evidence from the Hunter Valley (Australia) https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/PZYujGYTwyRWs5qcXRgP/full

Stormy Weather: Human Security Should Include Freedom from Hazard Impacts https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2018/11/stormy-weather-human-security-include-freedom-hazard-impacts/?utm_content=buffer5342d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

How California Cities Can Tackle Wildfire Prevention https://www.citylab.com/environment/2018/11/california-wildfire-prevention-wildland-urban-interface-zones/575827/

AFAC TV explores Risk and Resilience https://www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/publications/newsletter/article/afac-tv-explores-risk-and-resilience

Capturing the variability of wind for modelling the variability of bushfires https://www.bnhcrc.com.au/hazardnotes/53

EU Floods Directive 2007 had positive effects overall, but planning and implementation now need improvements https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/NewsItem.aspx?nid=10878

Ghana loses USD $200 million annually due to floods and droughts http://www.ghananewsagency.org/social/ghana-loses-200-million-dollars-annually-due-to-floods-droughts–141902

Cheap tsunami system tested http://www.watercareer.com.au/news/cheap-tsunami-system-tested

We can’t stop wildfires – we need to relearn how to live with them https://theconversation.com/we-cant-stop-wildfires-we-need-to-relearn-how-to-live-with-them-106894

The AI shaking up earthquake research https://www.alphr.com/artificial-intelligence/1010215/the-ai-shaking-up-earthquake-research

National Flood Insurance Program is a deluge of damaging policy. Congress must rebuild it https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/11/20/congress-fix-national-flood-insurance-program-prevent-damage-hurricane-column/2018529002/

How mudslides and rivers of debris could suddenly hit California cities https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/20/us/wildfire-flooding-mudslides-debris-flow-dangers/index.html

Global DRR Technology platform http://www.pr4gdm.org:8080/main

Operationalising resilience: A heuristic framework for analysis https://resiliencechallenge.nz/governance-programme/operationalising-resilience/

Resilience Governance in practice https://resiliencechallenge.nz/governance-programme/resilience-governance-in-practice/

Expanding the capabilities of people with disabilities in disaster risk reduction https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420918308562?via%3Dihub

How Urbanization Makes Wildfires And Hurricanes Worse https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2018/11/21/how-urbanization-makes-wildfires-and-hurricanes-worse/#66852f7218b3

To Avoid Future Catastrophes Like The California Fires, We Must Learn To Build Smarter https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-california-fires-infrastructure_us_5beb4fefe4b044bbb1a9eaf4?pks

 

Emergency Management

Paradise carnage and destruction reminiscent of Victoria’s Black Saturday fires https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-17/paradise-burning/10504594

California wildfire smoke becomes health hazard as cities become world’s most polluted https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-18/california-wildfires-smoke-sparks-health-concerns/10508830

Firefighters from 17 states are answering the call for help in wildfires that are consuming the state of California https://www.firerescue1.com/mutual-aid/articles/392924018-Firefighters-from-around-the-U-S-travel-to-help-in-Calif-wildfires/

In the wake of deadly wildfires, California needs a reliable emergency alert system to save lives http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-wildfire-emergency-alerts-20181117-story.html

It’s time to fix our broken public warning system https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-time-fix-our-broken-public-warning-system-kelly-mckinney/?published=t

Culture – the “X Factor” for Building Back Better after Conflict and Disasters https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/11/16/culture-the-x-factor-for-building-back-better-after-conflict-and-disasters

Cities are looking to machine learning to streamline their disaster-response efforts. Will it be too little too late? https://www.fastcompany.com/90232955/disaster-relief-is-dangerously-broken-can-ai-fix-it

Current Australian disaster responses fail to consider the forecast increase in disasters and the cascading impacts of climate-related disasters https://www.governmentnews.com.au/new-era-of-disasters-warrants-response-rethink/

‘Bus driver from heaven’ rescued children from California wildfire https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/18/us/wildfire-school-bus-rescue/index.html

Resilient Post Disaster Recovery through Building Back Better https://www.routledge.com/Resilient-Post-Disaster-Recovery-through-Building-Back-Better/Mannakkara-Wilkinson-Potangaroa/p/book/9781138297531

Disaster after disaster, California keeps falling short on evacuating people from harm’s way https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-paradise-fire-evacuation-system-20181120-story.html

Climate change and the emergency management sector https://www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/publications/newsletter/article/climate-change-and-the-emergency-management-sector-afac-news

Tsunami handbook prepares for rare but devastating hazard https://www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/publications/newsletter/article/tsunami-handbook-prepares-for-rare-but-devastating-hazard

Using graphs for good: Modelling multi-hazard impact scenarios to better inform communities and emergency services https://resiliencechallenge.nz/hazard-programme/using-graphs-for-good/

Impacts of Information from Various Sources on the Evacuation Decision-Making Process during No-Notice Evacuations in Campus Environment https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328912769_Impacts_of_Information_from_Various_Sources_on_the_Evacuation_Decision-Making_Process_during_No-Notice_Evacuations_in_Campus_Environment

Italy storms caused over €3bn in economic losses, says Minister https://www.reinsurancene.ws/italy-storms-caused-over-e3bn-in-economic-losses-says-minister/

 

Disaster education, communications and engagement

A New Guiding Framework for Engaging Diverse Populations in Disaster Risk Reduction: Reach, Relevance, Receptiveness, and Relationships https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0193-6

Managing Pets During Disasters: Findings and Recommendations from the Horse River Fire, Fort McMurray, Alberta http://www.kawilliamsphd.com/report-managing-pets-during-disasters.html

Fighting the Flood: Community Activism and Education in Pensacola https://publiclab.org/notes/joyofsoy/11-09-2018/fighting-the-flood-community-activism-and-education-in-pensacola

Heatwaves and hot weather have killed more people in Australia than any other natural disaster https://www.redcross.org.au/get-help/emergencies/looking-after-yourself/heatwaves-and-hot-weather?

Practicing for disaster: In Cambodia and around the world, a safe community starts with a safe school https://undpasiapac.exposure.co/practicing-for-disaster

Why Australian retailers should respect the past and rename their ‘Black Friday’ sales https://theconversation.com/why-australian-retailers-should-respect-the-past-and-rename-their-black-friday-sales-107015

Methodology for Participatory GIS Risk Mapping and Citizen Science for Solotvyno Salt Mines https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/10/11/1828

Flash flooding in Jordan: Sirens and evacuation plans are no substitute for education and communication https://phys.org/news/2018-11-jordan-sirens-evacuation-substitute.html

Leveraging cognitive biases and social influence can make conservation efforts more effective http://science.sciencemag.org/content/362/6417/889/tab-pdf

World of Thermo—Thermometer Rising is the story of Thermo the Flying Thermometer, a character designed and illustrated to educate young people about climate change and meteorology https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1724917269/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1724917269&linkCode=as2&tag=weatherdude09-20&linkId=fcc7dcaa8ae4d68911eec22e10083a7d

Training kids to be first responders https://www.cbsnews.com/news/america-today-training-kids-to-be-first-responders-60-minutes/

How game can help flood-prone communities https://games4sustainability.org/2016/08/18/flood-resilience-game-for-flood-prone-communities/

 

Social Media for Emergency Management

Why A New Study Says Scientists Should Use Twitter https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2018/11/19/why-a-new-study-says-scientists-should-use-twitter/#525abd903329

New Guide: Engaging the public through social media https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publication/what_works_engaging_the_public_through_social_media_november_2018.pdf

 

Disaster psychology

Study says: 65% of 7,000 firefighters across the nation are haunted by memories of bad calls https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/study-says-65-of-7-000-firefighters-across-the-nation-are-haunted-by-memories-of-bad-calls/1595303034

Hurricanes deliver devastating blows to NC communities hollowed out by disasters https://www.jdnews.com/news/20181120/hurricanes-deliver-devastating-blows-to-nc-communities-hollowed-out-by-disasters

California Offers Safe Space For Firefighters To Work Through Stress And Trauma https://www.npr.org/2018/11/17/668770583/california-offers-safe-space-for-firefighters-to-work-through-stress-and-trauma

 

Sociology and Disasters

A research agenda for disaster entrepreneurship https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317751407_A_research_agenda_for_disaster_entrepreneurship