Hello, Today's newsletter focuses on the uncontrollable wildfires blazing across Los Angeles, as the fires spread across the Hollywood Hills on Thursday morning. More than 100,000 people were ordered to evacuate as dry, hurricane-force winds hindered firefighting operations and spread the flames. At least five people have been killed since the fires erupted on Tuesday. At least six separate wildfires were burning in Los Angeles County. Three of them were listed as "0% controlled", including a pair of huge conflagrations on the city's eastern and western flanks and the smaller Sunset Fire raging in Hollywood Hills just above Hollywood Boulevard and its Walk of Fame. Also on my radar today: |
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A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, U.S. REUTERS/Ringo Chiu |
Scientists said the wind-whipped wildfires tearing across the arid Los Angeles landscape mark the latest in climate-fuelled weather extremes that are likely to escalate further as global temperatures continue to climb. Erupting well outside of the usual wildfire season, the California blazes were spreading quickly. For California, scientists now consider fire to be a yearlong risk. "We're facing a historic natural disaster. And I think that can't be stated strong enough," Kevin McGowan, director of emergency management for Los Angeles County, told a press conference. |
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The scale and spread of the blazes stretched exhausted firefighting crews beyond their capacity. Firefighters from six other states were being rushed to California, while an additional 250 engine companies with 1,000 personnel were being moved from Northern California to Southern California, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told a press conference. Water shortages caused some hydrants to run dry in upscale Pacific Palisades, officials said. "A firefight with multiple fire hydrants drawing water from the system for several hours is unsustainable," said Mark Pestrella, director of Los Angeles County Public Works. Janisse Quinones, CEO and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said the demand for water to fight fires at lower elevations was hampering the city's ability to refill water tanks higher up. "We're fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging," she said, noting that Pacific Palisades experienced four times the normal water demand for 15 hours as firefighters battled the blaze. |
Foad Farid, a data scientist and engineer who lives in the Pacific Palisades, left home on Tuesday morning for an appointment in Malibu when he began receiving alerts on his phone about the approaching wildfire in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood. Farid wasn't the only resident of Pacific Palisades who escaped with the clothes on their backs. "We've had fires over the years but not something like this," said Frances Colella, a 71-year-old retiree, resting in a wheelchair alongside dozens of others. Colella fled with her husband and their three dogs to their 104-year-old mother's house in the neighboring suburb of La Canada Flintridge, only to find the fire had followed them, forcing a second evacuation into Pasadena. "It's a really sad occurrence and I can't remember anything like this," she said. |
Rescue teams work in aftermath of an earthquake in Shigatse City, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, screengrab from handout video Tibet Fire and Rescue/Handout via REUTERS |
- Tibet earthquake: Authorities moved more than 47,000 people to shelters in earthquake-hit Tibet, Chinese officials said, while rescuers widened a massive combing effort for survivors near the foothills of the Himalayas, despite slim survival odds.
- NZBA exit update: JPMorgan has also joined the mass exit of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, the sector's biggest climate coalition. The move means the six biggest banks in the world's largest economy – Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citi, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and now JPMorgan – have all left the group in the space of a month.
- EU climate plans: The European Union risks falling significantly short later this decade of the public funds it needs to achieve its climate goals, a study published by the European Central Bank showed. The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 but this will involve huge investment, driven mostly by private firms, supplemented by public incentives, ranging from direct funding to tax breaks.
- Alaska oil lawsuit: The U.S. state of Alaska has sued the Biden administration for what it calls violations of a Congressional directive to allow oil and gas development in a portion of the federal Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
- Zambia's drought and economy: Zambia's kwacha has hit a series of record lows since the start of the year as a severe drought keeps the pressure firmly on the copper-producing Southern African country's economy.
- Volkswagen saga: Volkswagen's management board will take pay cuts adding up to over 300 million euros ($310.08 million) by 2030, according to comments by VW human resources board member Gunnar Kilian to local paper Braunschweiger Zeitung.
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Diana Boston, a member of a community in in Merritt, British Columbia, Canada, whose home was severely damaged in the 2021 flood shared her thoughts during the 'Protect What We Love' exhibition showcasing artifacts from wildfires and floods across Canada: "We saved what we could. We lost a lot of stuff. Everything from my kids' childhood, all gone. "My kids don't even have photos anymore. We need to put a cap on these emissions. We need to help this world. We need to have a greener, healthier future. Not for us. For the next generations. "Something needs to be done to prevent more climate disasters. My daughter says she doesn't want to bring kids into this world. She says, 'I'm going to watch this world burn and I'm going to burn with it.' She's only 20. That hits hard. Climate change is not something we can put off dealing with." |
The homes of movie stars and celebrities were among those consumed by flames, which tore through some of the world's most lavish real estate and above showbiz landmarks instantly recognisable around the world. |
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Sustainable Switch was edited by Tomasz Janowski. |
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