Wildfires
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Fire

Red alert declared as wildfires threaten populated areas in Limache and Villa Alemana, Chile

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The National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred) has declared a red alert for the Marga Marga Province due to the wildfires that have affected Villa Alemana and Limache. At least 370 hectares have been affected by the fires in both municipalities of the Valparaíso Region.

The fire is close to populated sectors and has affected an area of at least 70 hectares in Limache, prompting the deployment of a technician, nine brigades, two helicopters, four planes, and a tanker truck from Conaf, in addition to personnel from the Limache Fire Department and the municipality.


Fire

"Out of control" wildfires are ravaging Brazil's wildlife-rich Pantanal wetlands

Firefighters tackle forest fires in the Pantanal wetland near Porto Jofre, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2023.
© Rogerio FlorentinoFirefighters tackle forest fires in the Pantanal wetland near Porto Jofre, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2023.
The Pantanal wetlands in western Brazil are famed as a paradise of biodiversity, but these days they have enormous clouds of smoke billowing over them, as raging wildfires reduce vast expanses to scorched earth.

Known for its lush landscapes and vibrant wildlife, including jaguars, caimans, macaws and monkeys, the Pantanal is home to the world's biggest tropical wetlands and, in normal times, a thriving ecotourism industry.

But in recent weeks it has been ravaged by fires that are threatening its iconic wildlife, as Brazil suffers through a southern hemisphere spring of droughts and record heat.


Fire

Bolivian firefighters tackle forest blazes amid drought

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At least seven wildfires in Bolivian forests have prompted the deployment of firefighters along with specialized aircraft. Local authorities reported that some of the fires were particularly difficult to put out as they were 'inaccessible by land.'


Question

Is the jet stream changing?

Researchers at Mainz University are investigating the jet stream to assess how its decadal variations could affect the occurrence of weather extremes in Europe.
Jet Stream
© Georgios FragkoulidisWind velocity and streamlines at an altitude of about 10 kilometers above the Earth's surface on the onset of a Western Europe heat wave (23 August 2016).
Heavy precipitation, wind storms, heat waves — when severe weather events such as these occur they are frequently attributed to a wavy jet stream. The jet stream is a powerful air current in the upper troposphere that balances the pressure gradient and Coriolis forces. It is still not known whether the jet stream is really undergoing changes at decadal timescales and, if so, to what extent.

"There are various theories as to what we can expect from the jet stream in future. However, these are all based on highly idealized assumptions," said Dr. Georgios Fragkoulidis of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). "Although it is quite clear that carbon dioxide emissions make a direct contribution to the global mean temperature, changes in the atmospheric circulation are highly uncertain due to the chaotic processes that govern its evolution."

Fire

Eruption of Eurasia's tallest active volcano sends ash columns above a Russian peninsula

The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, erupts in Russia's northern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far Eat, on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.
The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, erupts in Russia's northern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far Eat, on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.
Huge ash columns erupted from Eurasia's tallest active volcano Wednesday, forcing authorities to close schools in two towns on Russia's sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula.

The eruptions from the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano sent ash as high as 13 kilometers (8 miles) above sea level, officials said.

There were no reports of injuries, but officials ordered schools in Ust-Kamchatsk and Klyuchy closed as a precaution. Each town has a population of about 5,000. Klyuchy is located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the volcano and Ust-Kamchatsk 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.


Fire

'Some people have lost everything': 200 wildfires blaze across New South Wales and Queensland, Australia

Fire bans are in place for several parts of QLD.
© Gilston/Advancetown Rural Fire BrigadeFire bans are in place for several parts of QLD.
Blazes across New South Wales and Queensland have driven families from their homes, threatened towns and advanced on an explosive storage facility, prompting residents to evacuate.

Dozens of properties have been damaged as firefighters battle to contain more than 200 blazes across the states amid windy, dry conditions.

Queensland's premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, told reporters on Tuesday evening she had witnessed "very distressing" scenes on the ground, particularly in the hard-hit community of Tara.

"Some people have lost everything," she said. "I think everybody is feeling absolutely broken with what's been happening out there."


Fire

New fire season starting: Southern California's Highland Fire forces evacuations as it explodes to 1,200 acres

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© Associated PressOn November 1, 2023 the California Highlands fire the fire was mapped at 2,200 acres and 0% contained.
The wildfire smoke from the Highland Fire has reduced air quality across Southern California. An Air Quality Alert has been issued for cities including Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, San Marcos and Poway.

A large wildfire in Southern California continues to rapidly spread after destroying multiple structures and forcing evacuations in Riverside County.

The Highland Fire broke out Monday afternoon near Highlands and Aguanga Ranchos roads, the Riverside County Fire Department said. As of the latest update, the fire is currently mapped at more than 2,400 acres and is 15% contained.

More than 300 firefighters are working to put out the fire that's destroyed at least seven structures and damaged six others as of Tuesday, Cal Fire officials reported. More than 2,300 structures are threatened by the blaze, according to Cal Fire.

Fire

Eruption at Sakurajima volcano in Japan

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Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Tokyo warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 12000 ft (3700 m) altitude or flight level 120 and is moving at 20 kts in SE direction.


The full report is as follows:

Fire

Teams tackling Madeira wildfires reinforced as missing tourists found

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Portugal on Friday sent firefighters from the mainland to the Atlantic island of Madeira, boosting local efforts to tackle large wildfires as authorities said 13 tourists who were forced to hide in a cave to escape the flames had been found.

Fires are sweeping across areas of two neighbouring municipalities on the west coast, Calheta and Porto Moniz, burning in hard-to-reach areas amid unseasonably high temperatures expected to top 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) on Friday.

The Civil Protection authority on Friday morning located the missing tourists. They had fled to a cave in a mountainous part of Porto Moniz and an operation to rescue them from the area was under way, it said on social media.

"It was a complicated night, a difficult night," Civil Protection secretary of state Patricia Gaspar told public broadcaster RTP at Lisbon's military airport. "The fires are still ongoing."


Fire

Thousands evacuated as wildfire rages in Tenerife, Spain

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Authorities in Tenerife have evacuated about 3,000 people overnight as a wildfire sparked by high temperatures and strong winds raged in a forest already ravaged by a blaze in August.

The wildfire is centred in the mountainous northeast of the Spanish island, away from the main tourist areas.