burns
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Credit: Erik Witsoe/Unsplash
Dangerous pavement burns increase as desert heat intensifies
As temperatures rise, severe pavement burns, particularly in the desert Southwest, are becoming more common and sometimes deadly.
Adeel Hassan and Isabelle Taft report for The New York Times.
In short:
- Stephen Cantwell suffered severe burns after passing out on a Las Vegas sidewalk during extreme heat.
- Burn centers in the Southwest report a significant increase in contact burns, with many cases proving fatal.
- Urban expansion in hot regions increases the risk, with asphalt and concrete absorbing and radiating extreme heat.
Key quote:
“Your body just literally sits there and cooks. When somebody finally finds you, you’re already in multisystem organ failure.”
— Clifford C. Sheckter, surgeon and a burn prevention researcher at Stanford University
Why this matters:
As climate change continues to drive temperatures higher, especially in urban areas, the risk of severe burns from hot surfaces is growing. Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, homeless, and children, are particularly at risk.
Related EHN coverage:
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Newsletter
Credit: James Fitzgerald/Unsplash
Native tribes use controlled burns to save sequoias
In response to devastating wildfires, Indigenous tribes in California have resumed cultural burns to protect ancient sequoia trees.
In short:
- Tribes including the Tule River, North Fork Mono, and Tübatulabal are conducting controlled burns to prevent wildfires and protect sequoia forests.
- These cultural burns were banned in the 19th century but were reintroduced in 2022 after extreme wildfires highlighted their necessity.
- Cultural burns help manage forest undergrowth, preserve sequoias, and maintain Indigenous cultural practices.
Key quote:
"I want to tell the spirit on the other side of the sun to give us power for this burn. Give us a good burn."
— Robert Gomez, chairman of the Tübatulabal Tribe
Why this matters:
Restoring traditional burning practices aids in wildfire prevention and helps maintain the health and cultural heritage of sequoia forests. As climate change intensifies, these practices are could be valuable for forest resilience and community survival.
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Image by Joshua Choate from Pixabay
Why Ashland may need to step up prescribed burns to manage dying Douglas firs
In Southern Oregon, Douglas firs are dying. And climate change is making the problem worse with more severe droughts and hotter temperatures.
Photo by izayah ramos on Unsplash
‘Extrapolations’ and the peril of climate cringe
A well-meaning Apple TV+ series is the latest story to struggle with making an environmental wake-up call into good drama.
YouTube ScreenShot/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QP-xrG0kZk
In ‘Extrapolations,’ Scott Z. Burns dramatizes some inconvenient truths
The star-studded Apple TV+ series about climate change could have felt like a plea to eat your vegetables. But not if Burns could make it entertaining.
Have wildfires ruined California's magic?
The honeymoon’s over for its residents now that wildfires are almost constant. Has living in this natural wonderland lost its magic?
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apnews.com
Doctors warn of burns from asphalt as heat wave hits US West
Doctors who work in Arizona and Nevada burn centers are warning of injuries from contact with super-heated roadways and other surfaces as the first extreme heat wave of the year extends across the U.S.
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