California and Other Western Wildfires

Part of the “Disaster Alert!” series, these two titles hone in on specific recent events, many of which are unparalleled in terms of devastation. Most of the titles in the series provide only general information about natural disasters with a few specific examples included. These two titles, however, pack a more powerful punch because they focus on the severity of the hurricanes and wildfires and offer more details about the events as they happened, the loss of homes and lives, rescue missions, aid from various agencies, unsung heroes, and the events’ aftermath, including cleanup efforts and emotional trauma, such as PTSD, among the survivors. One often thinks of ordinary people and how their lives are affected by natural disasters, but rarely do those thoughts consider what happens to the elderly in nursing homes or hospitals, family pets, or farm animals when disaster strikes.

Both titles also discuss the lessons that governments have learned so that preparedness measures and warning systems, as well as the provision of aid to victims in a more timely fashion, will improve. The enormity of economic losses caused by these natural disasters is also discussed. Perhaps the most important message for readers to take away is that climate change and global warming are resulting in more severe and more frequent hurricanes and wildfires, and it is imperative that all levels of government, as well as the population at large, do their part to mitigate these phenomena.

The text is easy to comprehend and is supported by additional text boxes as well as plentiful illustrations which include maps, satellite photos, charts and colour photographs. A table of contents, an index, a glossary and a list of related books and websites for further research are provided.

California and Other Western Wildfires mainly highlights the wildfires of 2017, the most destructive wildfire season to date with the largest loss of life from wildfires since 1918. The title is a bit of a misnomer because only four pages are devoted to the 2016 Fort McMurray fires in Alberta; all the rest took place in California. Topics include the characteristics, causes and formation of wildfires, types of fires, steps in fighting fires, fire-fighting equipment, and technological devices, such as drones, fire-cams, satellites, and apps that can provide valuable information to both firefighters and residents. There are several examples of loss and devastation, such as the Thomas Fire, the largest fire in California history, which burned in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and resulted in the destruction of 280,000 acres of land and 1,063 structures. As well, there is information about the environmental impact of wildfires: increased chance of future flooding and mudslides due to loss of trees and ground cover; ash containing organic matter and chemicals landing in the Pacific Ocean; and smoke blocking sunlight from reaching plankton, affecting all levels of the food chain. In this title, readers will learn terms such as fire triangle, fire tornadoes (also known as fire devils) and fire complex.

With its 17 storms, the 2017 hurricane season was the most active and expensive in U.S. history, with damages estimated at over $250 billion. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate devotes several pages to each of these hurricanes, explaining their points of origin, their development, and the devastation they caused. To give a few examples: Harvey was the second most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history, affecting 13 million people in five states; Irma was the strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, destroying over 50,000 homes in Antigua and Barbuda and 90% of the schools in Anguilla; Maria resulted in 2,975 deaths in Puerto Rico, while in Dominica, the hurricane damaged 95% of the buildings; and Nate was the fastest moving storm in the Gulf of Mexico and left 400,000 Costa Ricans without clean water. It is interesting to note the role that social media played in these events as it was a way in which users could obtain updates about the path of the storm, evacuations and road closures, and let friends and families know that they were safe. Other topics in this title include the formation of hurricanes, the Saffir-Simpson wind scale which measures a hurricane’s severity, the relationship between hurricanes and climate change, humanitarian relief efforts, the components of a family emergency kit, and tips on how to stay safe after a hurricane (these last two topics are rather brief and could have been fleshed out somewhat).

Though the material in California and Other Western Wildfires and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate will date fairly quickly, readers will glean a lot of information and, hopefully, will be inspired to help those people affected by these and future natural disasters and to become involved in the fight against global warming.