cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17323287

This ability to infect, spread between, and kill such a wide range of creatures has prompted some scientists to call H5N1 a “panzootic”: an epidemic that leaps species barriers and can devastate diverse animal populations, posing a threat to humans too. As shrinking habitats, biodiversity loss and intensified farming create perfect incubators for infectious diseases to jump from one species to another, some scientists say panzootics could become one of the era’s defining threats to human health and security.

Something to look foward to /s

These have been going on for a few days and reportedly the Santa Ana winds are going to be heightened again for another day or so.

I didn't see a post about the fires and I'm not aware of a great article that captures the full story so I'm posting what I could find.

L.A. had a very dry second half of 2024 and now the dry winds are coming down from the desert which creates extremely hazardous conditions.

Winds swept embers far ahead of the fires which caused rapid spread. Some of the fires drove past the Wildland-Urban Interface and into fully residential areas.

There have been reports of arson and even arrests but personally I think trying to displace the blame onto people - in particular the underclass - is a social reaction many people and I'll wait for solid evidence. At the very least, it seems clear to me that arson would be unnecessary and insufficient to explain the scale of the fires so the big story should be the conditions that enabled fire and ember cast and grounded air support.

Now, with so much material burnt - organic and synthetic - air quality has been periodically terrible throughout the county (largely depending on the winds from what I've read). I've seen a few comments saying the AQI number isn't sufficiently capturing the air quality (that it is poorer than the AQI indicates). I don't think I've heard that before but I plan to keep it in mind.

Meanwhile insurers have been pulling out of the region, and the growing lender of last resort - the state iirc - has a cap that is limited compared to some of the places that have been destroyed. There is currently discussion going on about how burdened the plan might be and how it will be handled.

Feel free to discuss anything about the wildfires here.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17154206

I choose to focus my energy on the climate crisis because a habitable planet is a prerequisite for everything worth fighting for, and because the prospect of losing a planet feels horrific and sad to me in a primal way that I can’t express with words.

Much as I admire Peter, this battle has alaz been lost and all we can do now is endure.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/17029639

Global warming is moving faster than the best models can keep a handle on

Weren't there a whole bunch of hot models that were discarded becase they were "too scary" ?

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/16787523

If we don't fix it, the planet will cease to function and humanity will be in trouble," Professor Alex McBratney from the University of Sydney's Institute of Agriculture said.

I guess were going to test the Professor's hypothesis :) no do overs though