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Are you in Oregon right now? Have you spent time in Western Oregon prior to this week? Unless the answer to both those questions is “yes,” you can’t know what we’re going through. #OregonWildfires2020
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But it’s not your fault. National news outlets, even the reliable ones like @washingtonpost and @nytimes just aren’t capturing the uniquely dire situation in Oregon. Although @cflav and @henryfountain started to scratch the surface https://nyti.ms/2Zycepj #OregonWildfires2020
We are not just an extension of California and Washington. We are not just experiencing the next incremental progression of #ClimateChange. This is a weather/ecological event the likes of which the world has not seen in modern history. #OregonWildfires2020
Comparing this week’s burning of the temperate rain forests in Western Oregon to California fires feels a little like comparing Covid-19 to a bad flu season. Sound extreme? #OregonWildfires2020
It is a little extreme
Perhaps a more accurate statement would be: #OregonWildfires2020 are like if Montana or Wyoming had an F5 magnitude tornado. That particular type of natural disaster just doesn’t happen at high intensities in that location.
Perhaps a more accurate statement would be: #OregonWildfires2020 are like if Montana or Wyoming had an F5 magnitude tornado. That particular type of natural disaster just doesn’t happen at high intensities in that location.
Here are maps showing all fires 5000 acres or larger in Oregon from 1980 - 2016 and where #OregonWildfires2020 are now. Note the locations of clusters.
Same thing for #CaliforniaFires...
And same thing for #washingtonfires...
Really what it comes down to is the type of vegetation and climate that we’re dealing with. The areas burning in #OregonWildfires2020 are broadly considered “temperate rain forests.” https://www.treehugger.com/facts-about-north-americas-temperate-rain-forests-4869747 @Treehugger
Just like the name sounds, RAIN forests aren’t really designed to burn very often! Much of the area is classified as Fire Regime Group V by LANDFIRE (fires do often “replace” whole stands, but happen at 200+ year frequency). Shown in red here @FireScienceGOV #OregonWildfires2020
Western Washington is mostly made up of this FRG V too, but they’re not burning right now like Oregon’s. I’m glad. #OregonWildfires2020 #washingtonfires
Further, the proximity of #OregonWildfires2020 to major population centers is unprecedented. Of the ten most populated cities in Oregon (according to @Wikipedia ), all but @CityofHillsboro, @cityofcorvallis, and @CityofBend are within 30 miles of a major fire.
And all ten cities have "hazardous" level air quality… never thought I’d be using up my precious few fitted N95s taking my dogs out to potty! #OregonWildfires2020 #COVID19
Granted, CA has a lot more - and bigger - population centers, but of their top 10, only LA, Long Beach, Anaheim, and Fresno were within 30 miles. And their air quality is more varied, but looks to be mostly in the “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” range. #CaliforniaFires
And finally, though I can’t back this up with data/facts, the emotional/psychological toll on Oregonians right now might be more intense than those who have more experience with fire seasons. #OregonWildfires2020 #CaliforniaFires
My family has a house in Northridge, CA and we’ve kind of come to expect September – November to be pretty shitty. And thanks to #ClimateChange, we’re not even really surprised when fires show up outside of that season. But #OregonWildfires2020 have disturbed us beyond measure.
This is not meant to one-up any other state or any other individuals’ experiences. #CaliforniaFires, #washingtonfires, and #ColoradoFires are terrible and horrifying. My intent is to call attention to the unique disaster that is #OregonWildfires2020. https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/12/live-updates-oregon-northwest-wildfires/
Climate scientists always talk about a major “tipping point” being the Amazon burning. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00508-4 #OregonWildfires2020 feels like our country’s iteration.
Coverage of #OregonWildfires2020 needs to be better. @SenJeffMerkley @RonWyden @OregonGovBrown Communicate in ways that stress the context of what we’re dealing with. Get some scientists ( @pwmote @MegKrawchuk @pyrogeog ) involved in the press releases and news conferences
@DebPattersonOR @JackieForOregon @ashley4oregon Fingers crossed, my future local reps – can you help amplify this message re #OregonWildfires2020? Same goes to all readers... please share. And vote.
@OPB @SalemReporter @Salem_Statesman @Oregonian Can you do better than @nytimes and @washingtonpost at covering #OregonWildfires2020 ? Maybe this is a chance for local investigative journalism to make a difference, as it so often does.
#OregonWildfires2020 can't destroy my love for my state. Even though my house is still safe, the lush green of my home is in danger. We must all do what we can to fight #ClimateChange and @KeepOregonGreen
