WILD, WILD WILDFIRES -- And more to come

Paul Delaney (Cheney Free Press, 7/31/14) takes exception to the contention that “climate change is the culprit for longer, bigger and more intense wildfires.” According to Delaney, it’s all about forest management.

Well, Washington isn’t the only state fighting longer, bigger and more intense wildfires. Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah are all fighting wildfires in triple-digit temperatures, in drought-stricken areas.

The largest of Oregon’s 18 major fires – known as the “Buzzard Complex” and located in the high desert central portion of the state – now totals 272,352 acres and is just 20 percent contained. Ranchers report cows and calves killed in the blaze, which was cause by a lightning strike.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, we are experiencing an unusual wildfire season, with 32 large active fires going on, most in the Pacific Northwest; over 30,000 blazes nationwide. Governor Inslee said, “I know people have seen fires before. This is a different beast. This is a fire storm.”

According to the Oregon Climate Research Institute, drought-fueled wildfires, exacerbated by an increase in forest morbidity due to pest infestation, is projected as a major impact of global warming in the Pacific Northwest -- a forecast supported by the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington.

It’s past time for us to tackle global warming head on. The first priority is to price carbon so that it reflects the costs of carbon pollution. Costs for which we taxpayers end up footing the bill, whether it’s for crop loss due to drought, or declining shellfish harvest due to ocean acidification, or for fighting longer, bigger, more intense wildfires.

Support Solutions to Global Warming -- Call Congress on June 23rd!

Our Tri-Cities chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby has two members meeting with our congressional delegation on Tuesday,  June 24th to urge them to pass legislation that will reduce the future risk of global warming. We’ll be asking them to support a tax on carbon that gives all revenue back to households, which will protect families from the increase in energy costs. The guys from our chapter going to WDC are volunteers. They are paying their own way.

I’m asking for your help to make these meetings a success. It will only take a couple of minutes. Could you call your representative and senators on Monday, June 23rd to express your support for a carbon tax that gives the tax revenue back to households?

Just call, tell whomever is taking calls your name, city and state, and say something like this:

“I’m very concerned about global warming, and particularly the impact that it’s having here in [YOUR STATE]. Congress needs to do something about this, and I’d like to see Congressman _________ (OR CONGRESSWOMAN OR SENATOR) support legislation that puts a tax on carbon and gives money back to households.”

Or, if you like, you can simply ask them to support solutions to climate change. The key is to call.

I live in Washington State. Here is a list of Washington State congressional offices and their phone numbers:

Congressman Doc Hastings
1203 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5816

Senator Patty Murray
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2621

Senator Maria Cantwell
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3441

If you live in another state, go here for the Senate, and here for the House to get contact information.

If we can generate a passel of calls, we’ll demonstrate that there’s support for climate solutions, and members of congress will be listening more intently to what we have to say when we meet with them Tuesday. Please share this with others through email, Twitter, Facebook, or whatever floats your social sailboat.

Please let me know in the Comments section if you did this, and what your experience was with whomever answered your call.

Thanks!

BTW, a June 9th study by the independent, Regional Economics Models, Inc., research organization showed that a revenue-neutral carbon tax (also called a fee and dividend) would not only significantly reduce emissions, but would create new jobs and boost the U.S. economy by up to $90 billion annually.