In some sense, probably not out of control, but a huge debt to what nature does by itself.
Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
101–110 of 185 posts
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#102And yet, Canada turned down help from Russia and the US. Then went around and hired 300 firefighters from South Africa that have no experience with this type of fire or equipment (they said due to lack of water, they use sticks to beat the bush fires). I understand it's more of a social help program ("Working On Fire" job assistance), but still it seems bizarre. Or maybe I've been reading the wrong news sources and t…
It sounds like Canada is metaphorically and literally playing with fire by turning down help because of the logistical problems. They got help fighting fires from Mexico, the US, Australia, NZ and south Africa last year [1] Here's some comparisons to the numbers in the article you linked to: Canada: 700 firefighters, several choppers, 27 air tankers and 46 pieces of heavy equipment deployed to fight 500,000+ hectare…
there is not really any property on the line. The fire burned three neighbourhoods in Ft McMurray the first day, when it surprised everybody and residents were evacuating through the flames. The next week or so saw significant urban firefighting work to protect the rest of the city and a lot of urban firefighters from around alberta went up to help. Since then, when all the offers of aid from other countries have been coming in, the fire has left town and is mostly just burning up remote forest.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#103Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think/hope he was being sarcastic.
I am not sure why learned members of HN don't get sarcasm. But anecdotally Trudeau was worried about carbon footprints from a camp fire he once attended, but these wildfires don't bother him.
Poe's law.
I've seen far too many (AFAICT) absolutely sincerely intended idiotic statements here. I mostly simply let them fly. xkcd 386 only gets you so far.
Adding a tag to your comment helps.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#104Earlier quoted context omitted.
Canada already has a reciprocal firefighting agreement with America, so if we need external help, we have it. Inviting a totally foreign country in which you're in a) fighting a proxy war with in yet another part of the world; and b) fighting a passive battle for northern sovereignty/control with seems like an incredibly stupid idea. Canada has many forest fires on the go every year and are generally only worth fight…
Some forest are meant to burn yes, the problem is that with climate change forest fire now burn further north and for much longer than before. Drought conditions and the heat traps that are cities prevent proper rainfall which stops them and changes we've made to the landscape can prevent burn outs which also make fires last longer. And more importantly while forest fires are natural it doesn't mean it's good, we had…
Yes, you might have a big argument with your siblings, be very angry at them, and if they still got into a car crash you're still going to be at the hospital with them. There may be political differences but we're all human beings here.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#105Six billion yes, but this is Fort Mac, not New Orleans. It is a working town. Insurance will pay out, the government will help here and there, but the town will recover largely on its own. Or, should the economic realities of lower oil prices dictate, the town will never come back to what it once was. Either way, the fire is not the deciding factor.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#106Earlier quoted context omitted.
I respect your work and I have no intention to challenge your authority. That said, I fail to identify the guideline that lead to this decision. Perhaps someone can enlighten me? I'm also willing to justify my claim, if it seemed gratuitous to any. EDIT: I'm unable to justify any of my claims. I'm unhappy about living in Canada, and I can't help but feel jealous of american people when being exposed to HN or mainstre…
I appreciate your responding thoughtfully, when it would be easier to double down (as many people do). On HN we're trying for respectful, substantive discourse. We don't always get there, but it's clear that we can't have users putting down entire countries without things degenerating pretty quickly. If you'd err on the side of editing out incivility from your future comments, we'd appreciate that too. It's something…
Seeing as you split your time between the two countries in question, what's your current preference? From my Bay Area perspective, Canada often seems pretty appealing.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#107Interesting fact: Aboriginal people living in North America before first contact with Europeans used to perform periodic controlled blazes on the land. Motivations including making the land easier for hunting and preventing uncontrollable fires from gaining strength.
Now, the land grows thick until fire comes to clean according to natures' idea of natural process.
I tree planted in BC/Alberta, the land grows so thick that they often have to fly you in helicopter to re-plant land that previous tree planters failed to plant correctly.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#108Interesting fact: Aboriginal people living in North America before first contact with Europeans used to perform periodic controlled blazes on the land. Motivations including making the land easier for hunting and preventing uncontrollable fires from gaining strength. Now, the land grows thick until fire comes to clean according to natures' idea of natural process. I tree planted in BC/Alberta, the land grows so thick…
It only grows that thick after it has been clear cut. Old growth forests have a high canopy that starves thick underbrush for light. Humans clear cutting are part of the problem. When there is a forest fire in old growth the brush might burn but the big old trees will survive several fires.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#109Interesting fact: Aboriginal people living in North America before first contact with Europeans used to perform periodic controlled blazes on the land. Motivations including making the land easier for hunting and preventing uncontrollable fires from gaining strength. Now, the land grows thick until fire comes to clean according to natures' idea of natural process. I tree planted in BC/Alberta, the land grows so thick…
It only grows that thick after it has been clear cut. Old growth forests have a high canopy that starves thick underbrush for light. Humans clear cutting are part of the problem. When there is a forest fire in old growth the brush might burn but the big old trees will survive several fires.
The north is different. The trees are not the giant cedars of the pacific coastal rain forest. There often isn't anything to call a canopy.
Re: Canada’s $6.9B Wildfire Is the Size of Delaware and Still Out of Control
#110Canada seems to be in so much trouble - I am wondering how things are there. # Massive flooring of the Canadian dollar. # Continued job losses months on end - Unemployment rate of 7.1% ! # Most expensive Natural Disaster in Canadian history. At least they got their Obama.
No we're not in trouble. Massive mining industry including potash, precious ore and diamonds. Massive hydroelectric power system (Northeastern US guess where much of your power comes from). Massive agriculture industry Massive seafood industry Massive forest industry Add to that movies, music, manufacturing, cars, steel mills, shipbuilding ($26B ship contract near me), munitions and software industry. We used to have…
I think fishing and forestry are both shadows of what they once were