Are Global Warming chickenlittles wrong again?

Question

Are the massive fires burning across Southern California a product of global warming?

Scientists said it would be difficult to make that case, given the dangerous mix of drought and wind that has plagued the region for centuries or more.

But they said the extreme conditions that stoked the wildfires could become more common as the world warms.

Research suggests that rising temperatures are already increasing fire damage in many parts of the West.

The study, however, found Southern California was different from the rest of the West, with no increase in the frequency of fire as temperatures rose.

"In Southern California, it's hot and dry much of the year," said Anthony Westerling, a climate scientist at UC Merced and the study's lead author. In other words, Southern California was already perfect for fire.

"That is a fire-prone environment regardless of whether we are in a climate-change scenario," said Tom Wordell, a wildfire analyst at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. "I don't want to be callous, because many people are homeless and suffering, but if you live in a snake pit, you're going to get bit."

Answer 1

Short answer. Tieing one event to global warming is inappropriate.

Saying global warming will make the fire situation in California worse in the coming years is the truth.

Answer 2

As far as I can tell, global warming is primarily a future danger, but has not had all that much effect just at this point. I'm more inclined to agree with another theory that scientists have been considering for some time: That by trying to prevent forest fires and putting out small fires whenever possible, humans disrupt the natural fire cycle in Earth's environment and ultimately when a fire does get out of control it then causes a lot more damage than it would have otherwise. It is quite possible that controlling forest fires within a certain area and letting them burn some amount of forest is an environmentally more stable and sustainable option than constantly trying to put out the fires as quickly as possible.

Here's an interesting little simulation that can be used to illustrate this idea:
http://www.eddaardvark.co.uk/fivecell/forest.html

Answer 3

Since massive fires, earthquakes, wars, famine are all attributable to global warming, I think it's proof that it's real (sarcasm).

You're right, the frequency is no different, except in the news media, and that's what really counts. I was reading YA news the other day, and every natural disaster was a result of global warming. I wonder what caused them before the scientists bothered to study it?

Answer 4

I think it is wrong to say the debate is OVER Mr GORE!

Many scientists have said the earth goes in cycles as your own damn graphs show.

Those same graphs indicate that the warming does NOT correspond to man's affect on the warming, so I think we may have some issues now, but the DEBATE is not OVER!

Thanks for asking a great question as always!

Answer 5

The AGW and OWO agenda mongers seem to be trying to use the annual brushfires in California to brace their bogus platform and pave the way for even higher taxes and government forced 'carbon offsets'.

Here is truth about global warming:

Global warming is one-half of the climatic cycle of warming and cooling.
The earth's mean temperature cycles around the freezing point of water.
This is a completely natural phenomenon which has been going on since there has been water on this planet. It is driven by the sun.
Our planet is currently emerging from a 'mini ice age', so is
becoming warmer and may return to the point at which Greenland is again usable as farmland (as it has been in recorded history).
As the polar ice caps decrease, the amount of fresh water mixing with oceanic water will slow and perhaps stop the thermohaline cycle (the oceanic heat 'conveyor' which, among other things, keeps the U.S. east coast warm).
When this cycle slows/stops, the planet will cool again and begin to enter another ice age.

It's been happening for millions of years.

The worrisome and brutal predictions of drastic climate effects are based on computer models, NOT CLIMATE HISTORY.
As you probably know, computer models are not the most reliable of sources, especially when used to 'predict' chaotic systems such as weather.

Global warming/cooling, AKA 'climate change':
Humans did not cause it.
Humans cannot stop it.

Answer 6

I don't know what a "Global Warming chickenlittle" is, but researchers warned of this possibility a year ago.

"November 14, 2006

Fire crews, land managers, ecologists and others need a better understanding of how global warming is making wildfires more frequent, bigger and more destructive, thousands of researchers meeting in San Diego agreed yesterday.

Their statement, issued at the Third International Fire Ecology and Management Congress in San Diego, was part of a grim declaration that called for new approaches to living with wildfires as constant companions.

“We're going to see more fire, not less,” said Robin Wills, president of the meeting's sponsor, the Association for Fire Ecology. “These increases . . . are going to be part of our new reality.”

Answer 7

Sounds like you just spent a lot of time repeating yourself, for no obvious reason.

The first part of your schlock says that it is difficult to tie global trends into one specific event.

The second part says the same thing.