The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has stated that 190,000 acres have been destroyed by the ongoing fires in California, and that this number will only continue to grow with the arid conditions and the high winds. The death toll, which was once roughly 20, has now risen to 31—this number will only continue to grow as 400 people remain missing. The number of current fires in the Sonoma area ranges from around 12-13, and the number decreases as fires start to merge together. There is also a big question about whether or not state and county officials did an adequate job of alerting citizens of the fires. Most people are saying that the State officials did all that they could, but experts are saying that they did not do enough are were negligent in their duties as reporters and officials.
Considering that this is the worst bout of fires in 80 years, it is safe to say that California is in dire need of some moisture. The arid temperatures have only been a detriment to the environment around the region—unless you are a grape grower which is ironic. It is hard to imagine the trauma and pain of actually losing everything you own, and I am curious as to the amount of damage that has been done in dollars. However, I could actually see the severity of the fires from my Hometown, Turlock. Turlock is roughly 125 miles away from Sonoma county, but I could actually taste the smoke that plagued the air for a good 6-7 hours. I am not so optimistic about the fires stopping within the next few days as the winds continue to pick up around the area. I pray for those that have had to face loss—be it with a house or with a life. The Co2 emissions from the fires must be astronomical...but I wonder if the number of CO2 released is even comparable with the amount of carbon humans emit each day from automobiles alone.
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December 2017
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