Can you think of something more dangerous than fire? It seems that all other kinds of disasters are no less hazardous, but fire… Fire is merciless; it takes away everything standing in its way, including people’s lives. Let us take a look at one of the most devastating wildfires in California’s History, The Yosemite Rim Fire. This massive fire started on August 17, 2013, Took nearly a full 9 weeks of fire fighters fighting to get the fire fully contained. Nearly costing $127.35 million just in the fight against this devastating wildfire.The size of the Yosemite Rim Fire was nearly 257,314 acres. A total of eleven homes, three commercial structures, and 98 outbuildings were destroyed in the fire. Just Think about it, a Wild fire about the size of Chicago had burned for nearly 9 weeks.…
Given principles 1–4 on page 265, explain the occurrence of the two contrasting climates illustrated in Figure 15.5.…
The book Showdown in the Sonoran Desert by Ananda Rose was written to bring to light the issue of morality that underlies the controversial immigration debate, particularly the issue of immigrant deaths along the desert of Mexico and the United States. Hundreds of migrants, in an attempt to cross into the United States, lose their lives in the rough environment of the desert. As American citizens, many who are of Hispanic descent are forced to support one side or the other of the controversial debate. Either we support the federal law which rejects any action supporting or aiding an illegal immigrant or we dismiss the law and aid those immigrants in need to prevent possible deaths. Most Americans when faced with such debate, will most likely…
Long, long ago there was a place that nobody wanted to go to. There was no population and nothing there. There was no specific reason no one wanted to go, it was just the name for the place that made it sound inferior. It was called the “Great American Desert”. I meen that is a terrible name, especially back in the olden days. Nobody would want to live in a place where it is always hot and air conditioning was invented. Also, there is supposedly no water. “The Great American Desert” was the old name for Nebraska. I know it is very hard to believe. There was a man by the name of Edwin E. Perkins. He was living a fine life that any indigent person would die for, but he just couldn't find his place. He wanted to invent…
Cited: 1. Gillan, Maria Mazziotti. “Watching The Bridge Collapse.” Prairie Schooner 84.1 (2010 Vol. 84 Issue 1.): 90-91. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 July 2013.…
The Arizona Desert is situated on the Sun Belt in the West United States has attracted migrants from all over the USA. Cities such as Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tucson have built and are continuing to spread. This has all been made possible because of one vital resource – the Colorado River. The question is should the desert have been changed to provide a pleasant place for to live?…
In 1989, it cost $6 billion dollars to fix the damaged caused by the Loma Prieta earthquake in California. Many things happen when there an earthquake, not just the ground shaking and people becoming terrified. It affects earth, people and property. Earthquakes can do a lot of damage and I will tell you about the effects from them.…
One of the most recent and current threats to the Mojave Desert is renewable energy projects. Renewable energy projects such as, wind and solar panels, have caused great damage to the desert (Threats To Mojave). These “projects” have taken a lot of land to be able to accomplish and have destroyed many animal homes while doing it. Many times these projects are built in places where wildlife does not take such a big impact, but in the Mojave that is not the case (Threats To Mojave).…
Recent floods in the Sun City are an excellent example of "fooling with Mother Nature." Arroyos are creek beds that are usually dry and covered with plants and trees; they also attract wildlife in search of food and shelter. Arroyos are nature's way of providing natural barriers that can prevent flooding by providing channels for water to drain away from populations. The storm that escalated on August 1, 2006, serves as a warning to local politicians and developers who want to develop the arroyos for profit. These floods could have been prevented (Coronado Neighborhood Association, January, 2005).…
According to the dictionary, a bridge is a structure carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road, railroad, or other obstacle. Bridges are essential for transportation. Whether it's a canyon, or a body of water, bridges allow travel over those gaps from one part of land to the other. The world would be forever changed without bridges.…
References: 1. Thomas M. Kostigen Could California 's Drought Last 200 Years? National Geographic. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140213-california-drought-record-agriculture-pdo-climate/…
Flooding has been a continual issue since the first settlers arrived in America. Using methods to deter and/or collect water protects the communities living in that area, but proper maintenance to those barriers must be ensured. Without proper maintenance to these infrastructures, levees can break, dams can crack or collapse leaving disaster behind. Hurricane Katrina’s faulty levees reveal the extreme consequences of neglecting these protectors in places where people depend on them (Wenger, 247). There were many devastating disasters that prompted new analysis and evaluation on flooding conditions and methods to reduce damage and cost. Flood insurance was established for areas that are located within the floodplain (302), as well as the…
To this day, California has been in a drought. The governor, Jerry Brown is struggling to create policies to prevent people from using large amounts of water. He has made proposals to reduce the water use in California by building tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to increase the supply of water. One of the reasons California is in a drought is because of our history of dealing with the gold miners using hydraulic mining to mine gold, and damming the Tuolumne River to provide water for San Francisco. Although the use of of water has benefitted farmers and cities, it has not been in the best interest of the state because it has harmed the Native Americans and the environment.…
Currently, the water in California is being distributed by a series of tunnels running from the north to the south. These tunnels include the Central Valley Project (CVP), a Federal Government managed project, and California’s own State Water Project (SWP). The two make up “vast interconnected hydraulic machines that push melted snow from dams in the Sierras, through the Delta, to massive pumps that fill the aqueducts traversing the state,” to become what is essentially the southern region of the Central Valley’s lifeline in obtaining and delivering water (Madrigal). California’s battle with drought is not new. The problem dissipates, only to reemerge every few years, narrowing the options for State, Federal, and Local Government agencies…
On September 11, 1916 in Canada the Quebec Bridge because of an outline blemish, the genuine weight of the bridge was heavier than its actually limit, which made it fall twice, first time was in 1907. Almost 100 passed away from both accidents. Another time in India the Bridge in Bihar collapsed when it was being dismantled and fell on the train near the closest railway station. But one of the most successful bridges that was made is the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, the bridge holds streets for vehicles and railways and additionally bike and person on foot between the North Shore and the central business district of the city. Also has a beautiful view of the Sydney Opera House and the skyline of the city.…