AltWeeklies Wire
Slideshow: Houston Prepares for Edouardnew
Scenes from Spec's, Home Depot and Kroger on Monday, Aug. 4, the eve of Tropical Storm Edouard's anticipated arrival in Texas.
Houston Press |
Daniel Kramer |
08-05-2008 |
Disasters
Burned by the Gap: Not Everyone Escaped Goleta Blaze Unscathednew
Much of the community breathed a sigh of relief when the Gap Fire entered its final days, having only claimed a few outbuildings and some lemon and avocado orchards. Not everybody was fortunate, however, as residents of the county's wilderness-adjacent communities can attest.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ben Preston and Kathleen Zaratzian |
08-05-2008 |
Disasters
Summer Blazes Reveal the Real Cost of California's Money Problemsnew
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger explained how he's get a handle on the fires, a man-made disaster erupted, as the annual financial crisis that paralyzes the state every budget season reeled out of control.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Eric Johnson |
07-17-2008 |
Disasters
A Look at the Ecological Impacts of the Big Sur Wildfiresnew
Big Sur enthusiasts may be horrified to see the wildfires turn postcard-quality forests into black moonscapes. But scientists remind us that fire is a critical ingredient in Big Sur's fire-adapted beauty, and the ecological challenges arise less from the flames than from human meddling. As long as the wildfires are burning, their precise ecological impacts will be shrouded in smoke -- but experts do have a sense of how the flames will affect non-human life in Big Sur.
Monterey County Weekly |
Kera Abraham |
07-11-2008 |
Disasters
Saving Birds from Burning in Big Surnew
As the wildfire in Big Sur carpeted more and more of the region's steep coastal mountains, the biologists of Ventana Wildlife Society's condor rehabilitation project realized the uncontrolled blaze could prove deadly for eight condors contained in a large aviary directly within the fire's predicted path.
Monterey County Weekly |
Stuart Thornton |
07-11-2008 |
Disasters
Iowa Dispatch: After the Floodnew
It goes without saying that these floods are double-edged swords. But unlike, say, wildfires that destroy houses in California or tornadoes that level mobile homes in Arkansas, there are compelling reasons why everybody should take an interest in last month's Iowa floods.
Keep the National Guard in New Orleansnew
Starting next month, the National Guard will start pulling its 300-odd troops out of New Orleans, taking with them many people's feelings of safety. Although we understand that the state has limited military resources, and we acknowledge that the commitment of the Guard was never intended to be open ended, we feel that withdrawal of the troops at this time would be a tragic mistake -- one that would cost lives.
Not Again ...new
The New Year might be off to a fresh start, but the Corps of Engineers is up to its old tricks of missing deadlines and confusing priorities.
The Power and the Glorynew
The local electrical company had a plan for a massive ice storm like this. And now, we are basking in the glow.
Urban Tulsa Weekly |
Brian Ervin |
12-20-2007 |
Disasters
FEMA Traliers Going Up In Flamesnew
Occupants of FEMA trailers, already sickened by formaldehyde, also face a high risk of injury or death due to trailer fires.
Tags: disasters
California Fire Whisperersnew
Facing down the region's wildfires by divining where the flames will spread.
L.A. Weekly |
Christine Pelisek |
12-07-2007 |
Disasters
Tags: disasters
The Fire Of the Century ... Of the Yearnew
Hellish fires now, Sahara Desert later, says doom prophet Mike Davis.
Tags: disasters
Is 'Run' the Strategy Against Firestorms in California?new
From the self-congratulations of big pols to finger pointing over a lack of air support, one of the most troubling aspects of the tragedy -- despite the claims of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- was how little government has changed in response to the lessons of 2003.
L.A. Weekly |
Patrick Range McDonald, Christine Pelisek and Jill Stewart |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
California Fires Fan the Flames of Hate and Stupiditynew
Long before the blazes were anywhere near contained, the rhetorical ash began raining down from the blogosphere and elsewhere, as both ends of the political spectrum saw in the fires grave portents for the republic.
L.A. Weekly |
Steven Mikulan |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
Extinguishing Some Myths of Fire Weeknew
Many different interest groups distorted what was happening to suit their own purposes: The media wanted to make the fires as sensational as possible, politicians wanted to project an image of supreme competence, small-government conservatives accused the authorities of being underprepared, while liberal democrats wanted to see the fires as a symptom of the advance of global warming.
Los Angeles CityBeat |
Andrew Gumbel |
11-02-2007 |
Disasters
