From Common Dreams: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/06/14-3
Residents brace for a season of more harsh blazes as heat reaches new records
Sarah Lazare
Published on Friday, June 14, 2013 by Common Dreams
The largest fire in Colorado history continues to rage today as scientists warn that global warming will lead to bigger and more frequent blazes.
The Black Forest Fire has so far claimed two lives and 379 homes and forced the emergency evacuation of 38,000 people. The U.S. military, national guard, and over 750 firefighters have been called in to fight the flames that stalled at 25 square miles on Friday.
While the cause of the fire is unknown, drought and heightened Colorado temperatures hastened its spread.
Yet, the danger zone extends far beyond the fire’s destructive path.
The New York Times reports that communities throughout the West face threatening conditions:
After years of drought and a dry winter, communities across the West have been bracing for a brutal summer wildfire season. Thousands of acres are burning in California, and several wildfires erupted in Colorado and New Mexico, burning through a national park, sage and juniper hills and the once-idyllic community of Black Forest.
A February USDA report directly points to global warming as the real culprit behind increasing wild fires that will only worsen as temperatures continue to rise.
This warning is echoed by scientists and scholars. Mother Jones reports:
Continue reading at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/06/14-3
