From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT
By Paul Homewood
h/t Paul Kolk
The latest nonsense from the utterly absurd Justin Rowlatt:
Cities across the UK are facing a growing threat from an emerging phenomenon called “firewaves” as temperatures rise due to climate change, scientists have warned.
The term, coined by researchers at Imperial College London, describes multiple urban wildfires triggered by extended periods of hot, dry weather.
The warning comes as firefighters battled three separate heath fires in London and a dramatic gorse blaze on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh in recent days, as this summer’s latest heatwave left vegetation across both capitals dangerously dry.
These fires, though now contained, highlight the increasing vulnerability of urban areas to wildfires – a risk that was once considered largely rural.
Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science at Imperial College London, has been working alongside the London Fire Brigade to help predict when conditions are ripe for a “firewave”.
Based on current forecasts, he believes London could be at risk again by this weekend.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said he welcomes any research that helps predict the likelihood of wildfires occurring.
The service is “ready to tackle the threat of wildfires head-on to help protect London’s communities and green spaces”, he added.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vd79x97zlo
When so-called scientists resort to making up silly terms such as firewaves to get attention, you know you are being conned.
Maybe this nutty professor should check his facts first – London is not getting drier summers or springs:
If and when fire waves happen, one can probably link it to arson by “environmental warriors”.
Especially when this happens close to inhabited areas, and exactly when the wind direction is favorable. Fires don’t start by themselves without lightning. Everything else has “human causes”. Of course, clearing the forests of dry combustible materials can substantially help to reduce the impacts and makes things more difficult for arsonists.
Eric (and Bill), I searched for the cause, ie, start, of the mentioned fires, and found Arthurs Seat was human caused (not sure if intentional), and the Holt Heath fire was arson, and the other heath fires are probably arson.
A great deal of the time we are expected to believe in spontaneous combustion. People are wising up slowly, the greens won’t have it as easy again.
Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh has a lot of whins (gorse) growing on it, or did have last time I was there. This by its nature is a fire hazard. Being incredibly thorny it’s difficult to control, with yellow flowers people like it, so over the years large amounts of very dry flammable material accumulates under a dense canopy. Once it catches fire it takes a braver person than me to get into a thicket to put the fire out.
Yes, it’s probably a number of green nutcases involved trying to make fiction into facts, without realising that the fires will generate huge amounts of carbon dioxide …
Fire waves probably due to electric vehicles self combusting.
No arsonist or lightning has a chance in he** of lighting a bushfire around here at the moment !!
Another East Coast Low next week, they forecast.. as if we aren’t soggy enough already. !
“The term, coined by researchers at Imperial College London, describes multiple urban wildfires triggered by extended periods of hot, dry weather”.
Hot, dry weather does not trigger wildfires. The triggers are arson and lightning. The ignition temperature of dry grass is 300 degrees centigrade. Are climate alarmists seriously suggesting that the temperature in Britain will reach this level?
“Imperial College London”
I heard that recently ICL changed the name of its Human Resources department to… People Function. That’s an indicator of where they are and there is a whole lot worse going on behind closed doors.
It’s certainly no wonder to me that the likes of mad Fredi Otto et al can get away with their pseudo mumbo jumbo… (30 seconds was enough for me)
I once worked in a place like that. You know the rot has taken hold when the personnel manager and his minions call themselves ‘human resource partner’.
‘Personnel manager’ is soo 20th century…
Back in the 1970s it was known as “the staff office” where I worked.
Friederike Otto presents speculation and assumptions as established facts. She thinks this is science, when in fact, it is the opposite of science.
Climate Alarmists are deranged, and Otto is one of them. They see what they want to see, not what is really there. Their self-delusion is complete.
So true.. climate attribution studies are pretty close to being complete anti-science.
Surely the point is their people don’t function?
Not normally, no.
In the case of human causes, one is accidental, two is a coincidence, three or more is a JSO and/or XR activist whatsapp group. These unhinged cretins care nothing for wildlife, livestock, people or property. All they care about is their anti-human agenda disguised as ‘concern for the planet’. In 2023, multiple fires broke out within the space of a few hours on the island of Rhodes, where over 100 people were arrested for arson. Did you hear about that on the BBC? No, and you won’t hear it this year either.
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/over-100-arrested-for-starting-rhodes-wildfires
The key term here is “weather,” not climate.
It is Imperial College London. Now pretty much a laughingstock.
And not all human-started fires are arson – they may be accidental, or, as in a recent small, quickly extinguished wildfire here in SoCal, started by a burning car at the roadside.
More that arson and lightning.
A downed power line, for example, can spark a fire.
A not properly extinguished camp fire can too, and that is technically not arson.
There are others.
Only four wildfires in the UK? They should count their lucky stars. Here in BC, there are 130 active wildfires. Fire season in BC lasts until
Nov 1.
There’s hundreds if not thousands a year, most are small and quickly extinguished but there have been many dozens of large destructive fires so far this year.
https://news.sky.com/story/record-number-of-wildfires-in-england-and-wales-in-first-six-months-of-the-year-fire-chiefs-warn-13411650
Now here’s a large wildfire to put things in perspective –
The largest known area burned by bushfires in Australia occurred during the 1974-75 bushfire season, affecting between 100 to 117 million hectares, which is approximately 15% of the country’s land mass. This event significantly shaped the Australian landscape and ecology.
Note – global warming / climate change had absolutely nothing to do with this natural event.
The ratio of forested areas is about 800/30 in thousands of sq. Km. BC/GB
I was about to Google the relative forested area.
In case a third person is still reaching for a calculator, 80/3 = 26.7
It would probably be possible to prosecute Rowlatt (Low-Rat) et al for causing anguish and distress
under the UK’s draconian legislation implemented since mid-2024…except that it would be hypocritical, as most free-thinking people abhor the disgraceful ‘catch-all’ and anticipatory laws…
And there they were taking umbrage to Levitt and Dubner.
(reference is to the most extreme indicator in favor of “anticipatory laws”… abortion statistically linked to lower crime rates as published in L&D’s “Freakonomics” book.)
Firewaves: Not quite as scary as Flame Throwers.
Firebugs: People who cause fires.
Does climate change/global warming make people more inclined to start a fire? Or are they just careless?
The models predict an increase in fires.
Nature isn’t co-operating.
Gotta help nature along. All to support the narrative.
“Maybe this nutty professor should check his facts first…”
C’mon man, don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.
It was of course head-line news on the BBC. A heatwave? Wot, number 4 this year? Well not here in Liverpool. We had a short spell of 30C nice summer weather and that was it. Now in the mid twenties, great for a walk. These ‘scientists’ should go out more.
“London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said he welcomes any research that helps predict the likelihood of wildfires occurring.”
When green spaces are looking brown, I predict an increased likelihood of wildfires occurring. Where do I send the invoice for my research?
Stubble burning used to be quite common until the greens banned it.
What does he know about arsonists? Wasn’t a prof in California one such ? Are they a network?
The vast majority of UK fires are from instant BBQs (UK retailers only started widely selling them a few years back, and they should obviously be banned totally) and arson.
Recent London fires almost certainly all deliberate. Just a tiny proportion:-
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/wantstead-flats-fire-northolt-b1242749.html
Earlier Scottish fires too, 100 in Fife alone in a short period, deliberate:-
https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/firefighters-in-fife-raise-concerns-over-deliberate-outdoor-fires-as-wildfire-warning-continues/
100+ fires in a short period is likely an XR tactic to “Prove” Climate Change™ the existential threat they claim it to be…certainly human caused and assuredly arson.
Come to think of it, how would they extinguish such fires without Petrol/Diesel powered equipment? Rains perhaps??
Or maybe Thousands of Men and sufficient Ale that they could piss it out.
The UN panel of experts have been busy making up stuff again in desperation.
Maybe next time he could concentrate on doing something useful instead of this nonsense, like inventing Flubber.
A half a degree of warming is going to start brush to spontaneously combust?
Ehrm I admit I already had a couple and just reading “firewaves” almost makes me have a couple more…just for the sheer fun of savouring such utter crap. “Firewaves”
… do you mean flames? Stay away from tbe fire.
Similar as the term “heatwave” applies nowadays to what we used to call “a hot summer day”. Get lost you tard and bake a fruitcake, merry it and spawn some really really smart offspring. Spoiler alert: you’ll be banging rocks to make a living and push a cart…if you manage to make it out of straw.
I do have a proposal, similar to “a thousand ways to die”…let’s make a show called “a thousand ways to look stupid” …ecotards line up please….this one is certainly within the top 100.
Obligatory word usage comment:
“The term, coined by researchers at Imperial College London, describes multiple urban wildfires triggered by extended periods of hot, dry weather.”
trig·ger /ˈtriɡər/
verb
cause (an event or situation) to happen or exist.
“The ignition temperature of wood varies, but it generally falls within the range of 200°C to 510°C (392°F to 950°F). Factors like wood type, moisture content, and the heating method (piloted vs. autoignition) significantly influence the specific temperature at which wood will ignite.”
What can ignite at a reasonable globally warmed temperature?
“Pyrophoric Chemicals: These compounds, often organometallics or finely divided metals, can spontaneously ignite in air at or below 54.4°C (130°F), and some are also water-reactive, notes Kansas State University.”
What’s an example Pyrophoric Chemical?
“Some examples of pyrophoric materials include:
finely divided metals (Raney nickel, aluminum powder, zinc dust) metal hydrides (sodium hydride, germane, lithium aluminum hydride) alkyl metal hydrides (butyllithium, trimethylaluminum, triethylboron)”
Hmmm, most topical item has lithium. Is that a battery chemical?
“Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH₄), often abbreviated as LAH, is a powerful reducing agent widely used in organic chemistry. It’s a white, crystalline solid, though commercially available samples may appear gray due to impurities.”
Aw crumbs, I’d wanted to circularize the idea so “If you believe in AGW don’t by an EV because you mignt –trigger– an urban wildfire”, but iy doesn’t work out. Maybe next time.
Got lost in the Googling… point of definitions was: It is not hot enough out there to start fires unless someone is criminally incompetent handling obscure chemicals,
However, if you park an EV close to dry brush, and the car battery spontaneously ignites …
The likelihood increases with increasing temperature….
Dry years occur even in Britain. Fire(bug)s are now seasonal and it happens everywhere nuts accumulate.
Let’s see . . . we have “boiling oceans” per the UN Secretary-General and now “firewaves” on land per the above-cited article.
Therefore, humanity really needs to board the Elon Musk “ark” to Mars ASAP, where the average temps during summer days at the equator are around a pleasant +20°C (68°F) and the average temps during winter nights at the equator are “just a tad” colder, at around -100°C (-148°F).
Unfortunately, that “ark” is right now only pie-in-the-sky as the SpaceX Starship vehicle keeps blowing up trying to reach just Earth orbit, test flight after test flight, making a manned return-to-the-Moon by 2030 pretty much a fantasy.
Firewaves??? Well, what do you expect when humans allow fireflies to exist on Earth?
I’m now 70 and can remember as a child in the UK seeing poles with what I believe were rubber-matting squares attached to one end, lined up near gates and entrances to woods, forests and moors. Next to them were signs warning of fires and to use these contraptions to put them out if one started. They were everywhere.
Maybe I don’t get out enough now but I genuinely don’t recall seeing any of these any more.
So, first, this clearly isn’t a new problem; and second, it seems the authorities aren’t doing as much about potential fires in these areas as they were 60 years ago.
Or am I missing something?
In forested areas, human fire spotters stationed on towers have been mostly replaced by scanning electronic IR heat sensors to save money. One problem nobody thought about is that humans can see smoke from campfires miles away and send rangers or police to tell the errant campers or hunters to put their fire out. Thereby reducing the chance of a fire getting away to start with. Now it takes a heat signature visible above the treetops before anyone gets a computer notification.
https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/last-of-the-lookouts/
Hock yourself up for that big V8 truck or supercar gas guzzler you always wanted-
A Giant, Destructive Volcanic Eruption Is Set to Shake the World in the Coming Months, Bringing About the End of Mankind, Scientists Warn
A system in balance. As the ambient temperature rises consumers naturally use less manufactured energy. As populations rise and green space disappears heating is inevitable. When the natural ebb and flow of population is disrupted by large scale immigration the issue is one of importing the conditions which foster warming. One might say that the disappearance of gardens at the front of dwellings is the pertinent factor in loss of climate control, a vast acreage doomed to concrete and asphalt.
Where the attachment to culture is only promoted in the spread of ethnicities, it might be worth considering how indigenous people of any country formulated their living conditions, over centuries, favouring their lived-in environments. The building stock in Britain is said to at an average of 132 years old. Brick built, draughty (cool, probably healthier) houses as opposed to dwellings configured to flatter heat pumps which, during a period of gorgeous warm weather here, are being reported as stiflingly uncomfortable. History flouted. We are horses for particular courses.
It’s been a dry but not especially hot year over here, really quite pleasant.
On the plus side, it’s likely to be a great year for English wine.