Science and Resources in a Time of Fire & Smoke
A wildfire burning in Oregon, Sept 2020. Image Courtesy: Karsten Winegeart via Unsplash.com
This unprecedented conflagration of wildfires is truly something for the history books. No doubt, if you live anywhere in the west right now, you are being impacted by this explosion of fires and resulting toxic smoke that has besieged far too many. Sadly, some have lost homes, some their lives, and almost all of us have had to hide indoors from a mix of gaseous fumes that oscillate between the somewhat tolerable (155 air level) to the genuinely hazardous (500+, off-index).
My heart goes out to those caught in the direct path, having to flee. Heck, I’ve got friends and family that have had to pack all that matters to them (or at least what they can fit into one or two vehicles) and make a run for it. Others, saddled with level 2 evacuation orders, sit on a knife’s edge, awaiting the graduation to level 3 (“go now!”). But, of course, all of this has been in the news for days. And the fires and smoke are still lingering.
Coupled with restrictions from the Coronavirus, 2020 is stacking up to be challenging. Yet we humans forge on. And here at Portco, we are up and running, keeping the food chain moving. And while we saw an interruption for a few days with the heaviest smoke conditions, our plants are rolling and will keep on doing so. We take our work very seriously as an essential service.
Yet, in the meantime, what to do? Well, I’ve gathered a few resources here today that will give you incredible insights into what’s going on in our air, what’s happening with the fires, and even how things look around the planet. After all, everything is connected, and this wild smoke, these aren’t the only fires burning.
Zoom.earth
One of the first unique resources I was clued into is zoom.earth. Clicking on this link will bring up a map of the earth, with all kinds of layers able to be turned on and off. In the upper left corner, you will see a small, expandable menu (series of small, horizontal lines). Click on that menu, and then check the box for "Daily Fire Spots." If you haven't seen this yet, you'll be amazed. Target in on Washington, Oregon, California, etc., and see where the fires are presently burning (updated every hour). If you zoom out far enough, you'll see a near-live satellite image (one hour old at most). Here you can see the fire locations, smoke drift, etc. Alternatively, you can still see where the fires are when you zoom in closer, but the earth's surface image is more like Google Earth (not near-live). That last bit is for national security purposes (the NSC doesn't want folks to be able to look at satellite imagery just one hour old on a granular level). In any case, when zoomed out far enough, you can click through the dates and times (upper left corner) and see the progression of each fire and smoke trail. It's stunning. Next, check out the other fires burning around the world. It turns out fire is a pretty common thing (far more common than I thought!). Discover what you will.
Not to let the “cat out of the bag,” but here’s a screenshot of the fires in the NW as of Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 2 p.m. Image Courtesy: zoom.earth (captured by Dan Meyers)
Earth.Nullschool.net
This next website, Earth.Nullschool.net, is perhaps the most mind-blowing, scientific view of the earth I’ve ever seen. I was glued to this site for two hours the other night, just clicking on different options to examine all that is happening with the earth’s air, ocean currents, the concentration of chemicals, etc. Here again, if you haven’t seen this, prepare yourself for quite a wonder. Just one note: Be sure to click the EARTH button in the lower left-hand corner to bring up a menu where you can customize what you’re looking at in almost a hundred different ways. Further, by clicking anywhere on the map itself, you’ll get a live reading (on the lower left of the screen). You can click into hurricanes to see current wind speeds and directions. Through live ocean currents, you can also see how ancient seafarers used their knowledge of currents and wind to cross between continents. It’s impressive stuff.
Here is just one of a gazillion ways to view the earth’s air, wind, currents, chemical concentrations, etc. Here a live wind map is shown. All of these little wind particles and lines are moving when you live on the site. Image Courtesy: earth.nullschool.net (capture by Dan Meyers)
Some Extra Resources, Fire and Smoke-related
Here is a small collection of additional links that may help you navigate some of the issues surrounding these recent wildfires. Good luck out there, and keep your chin up and your wits about you. Once again, as humans, we will persevere and come out the other end of this more knowledgeable and likely a bit more modest. Nature has a way of letting us know who’s boss now and then.
Washington State Wildfire News via Department of Natural Resources
Oregon Wildfire Updates via Oregon Department of Forestry
Smoke Inhalation Care Instructions via Kaiser Permanente
Smoke Inhalation Information via Healthline
Wildfire Evacuation Packing Tips
Wildfire Evacuees: U-Haul Offers 30 Days Free Self-Storage in Oregon, Washington