Wildfires, the micronutrient chromium-3, the highly toxic chromium-6, & Climate Change

 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/12/12/wildfires-leave-trail-toxic-metal-soil/

Our bodies contain various metals, e.g. zinc, which are necessary for proper nutrition.  Another of those metals is chromium-3 (Cr-3), which helps in metabolizing glucose, the "fuel" of living things.  Chromium-3 is commonly found in soils in the western USA, Australia, Europe, and several other countries.

There's another form of chromium which is highly toxic, chromium-6 (Cr-6).  Research has shown that wildfires can convert Cr-3 into Cr-6.  The toxic metal then is updrafted into the atmosphere and carried various distances.  Read the short Stanford news article found at the link above for more information.

By now, most people are aware that wildfires are exacerbated by the ongoing changes in climate.  All the above gives humans one more reason to mitigate climate disruption ASAP.  We aren't doing nearly enough, or fast enough.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Wildfires, Forests, Ecology, & Funding

 With climate disruption and hotter temperatures making forests drier, this tool of fire prevention is more in demand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gnplJ2MFIE

It isn't that foresters are unaware of this method.  The problem is this:  at the macro-level, the funding for it is inadequate.

It appears that our politicians would rather spend billions on re-tooling and expanding our nuclear weapons arsenal, something which is completely unnecessary for our defense.  Even some military and ex-military officers have said so.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

KUDOS to the Hot Shot Wildfire Fighters

 I'm recently back from a 2nd wildfire evacuation which lasted well over two weeks.  The first one lasted only a tad over four days.  We had three days at home until the second evac.  What a nightmare, especially for people my age.  This post will be shorter than most because I'm pretty well exhausted.

The Hermit Peak fire merged with the Calf Canyon fire to become the largest fire in New Mexico's history.  It ravaged (among other places) the little valley where I live.  A tiny town a few miles down the road from me (Mora, population about 1,000 or so) is now housing approximately 900 Hot Shot firefighters.  Even though the fire is now past our valley, they expect to keep Mora as their base until the end of July.  Their herculean efforts here saved most of our homes, including mine and all my neighbors.

In my opinion, these firefighters (as well as all urban firefighters) have jobs as tough as any combat soldier does.  They deserve every bit as much respect and thanks.  KUDOS to all of them.

All the extreme, over-the-top wildfires have various causes, and at the top of that list is anthropogenic Climate Disruption.  Until we seriously and significantly address that issue, look for more beyond-the-pale fires.  At least, such is my opinion...and that of all other ecologists I've read or heard in the last twenty years.

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Be Well