ANIMAL BEHAVIOR: Disaster Precursors - Tourist Gored And Trampled To Death During Elephant Ride In Thailand?!

The elephant is said to have attacked its handler first, before turning on Mr Crowe. This is another elephant on the same park where Mr Crowe was killed

February 4, 2016 - THAILAND - Thai authorities said Tuesday that a Scottish tourist was gored by an enraged elephant and trampled to death during a trekking tour on the resort island of Koh Samui.

Gareth Crowe, 36, and his stepdaughter, Eilidh Hughes, 16, were riding the adult elephant when they were thrown from the animal, police told Agence France-Presse. Crowe's stepdaughter and the elephant's handler were able to escape, but Crowe — who had a prosthetic leg, police said — could not outrun the elephant, Samui District Chief Paiboon Omark told AFP.

Crowe was wounded by the elephant's tusk and trampled. He died after being transported to a local hospital.

According to Thai news reports, the elephant — named Rambo but also known as Golf — became upset when his handler, called a mahout, climbed down to take a picture for the tourists. "We suspect that the hot weather made the elephant angry and that he was not accustomed to his mahout," Paiboon told AFP.

Crowe's stepdaughter was injured in the fall and the mahout was gored; both were treated at a hospital, according to the Associated Press.Jonathan Head, a South Asia correspondent for BBC News, told "Good Morning Scotland" that police said the elephant apparently became upset when the handler got down. Crowe and his stepdaughter were thrown from its back — "it's quite high up on an elephant," Head noted — and then the animal "attacked Mr. Crowe on the ground, where he was apparently gored and trampled."

Rambo the elephant, also known as Golf, is chained to a tree on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand on Tuesday.© AP

Police told reporters the elephant may have been in heat. But one Thai official — Cherdchai Jaroenwech, with the Office of Livestock Development — told the Associated Press that those claims were not accurate.

Whatever the case, once the animal became enraged, the BBC's Head reported, its handler "was clearly having some trouble controlling the elephant. They have a sort of iron spike that they use — it looks rather brutal — but they use it to strike the elephant's head, not usually very hard, but at least to let it know what to do. He was struggling a bit with that, so there were indications that things were wrong."

After the incident, Rambo was given a tranquilizer and taken to his corral, officials said. The animal will be given a 15-day rest from tours and will then be moved to another branch in the trekking company, Island Safari, either in Krabi or Phang Nga.

Crowe's death spotlighted the controversial and often dangerous world of animal tourism in Thailand.

About 4,000 domesticated elephants — and fewer than 3,000 wild elephants — work in the industry, according to reports. The use of animals for tourism "is under increased scrutiny following a string of scandals and investigations by rights groups," AFP noted.

BBC News reported that there have been "about a dozen incidents similar" to Monday's deadly attack in the past 15 years.

Conservationists are set to meet Wednesday with the Thai government to talk about animal rights in the tourism trade.

"In my view, male elephants should not be in the tourism industry," Edwin Wiek, of Wildlife Friends of Thailand, told AFP. "They're simply too unpredictable."


WATCH: British tourist killed by rampaging elephant.

Last year, a wild elephant rammed a car at Khao Yai National Park near the Thai capital, Bangkok, according to BBC News. Soon after, another elephant invaded a nearby shop and a restaurant. No one was injured in those incidents. Park chief Kanchit Srinoppawan told BBC News at the time that the animal's behavior could be blamed on the mating season.

Following Crowe's death, Britain's Foreign Office said it was providing help for the man's family.

"We are offering support to the family of a British national who has sadly died following an incident in Koh Samui, Thailand," a spokesman told BBC News, "and are making contact with the local authorities to seek further information." - The Washington Post.

EXTREME WEATHER: Firefighters Battle Large Brush Fire In South Wichita - Associated With Loud, Mysterious Booms?!

Brush fire in south Wichita. © Justin Provence

January 17, 2016 - KANSAS, UNITED STATES - Wichita firefighters have contained a large brush fire Saturday afternoon on the city's south side.

Crews were called around 3 p.m. to a fire the area of South Hydraulic and the Kansas Turnpike.

Dispatchers said they received several reports that the fire was spreading within a row of evergreen trees near a neighborhood.

Fire in Wichita

Crews were able to keep the flames from spreading to any homes and had the fire under control about 30 minutes later.

Firefighters remained on scene through the afternoon.

No injuries have been reported.

There's no word yet on what caused the fire.

- KAKE.

EXTREME WEATHER: More Effects From Magnetic Polar Migration - Lightning Storms Spark 50 Fires Overnight In Tasmania!

© AAP

January 14, 2016 - TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA - Lightning has sparked almost 50 fires across Tasmania overnight as authorities start a race to extinguish them before the next wave of hot weather.

A total fire ban was in place for the state's south on Wednesday as temperatures reached more than 35C at several centres, and while there were no significant problems through the day, the storm that followed put crews on high alert.

"Approximately 47 fires started in bushland ... by lightning with very little rain," Tasmania Fire Service deputy chief Jeremy Smith said.

"The majority of these fires are in remote areas and do not present a risk to people or homes."

Many of the fires have burnt out or been extinguished but aircraft continue to search for blazes not already reported, Mr Smith said.

"Some are still burning freely in remote areas and will require careful management over the next few days to ensure they are bought under control before the next hot weather change."

Temperatures are forecast to be near 30C in part of the state on Monday. - 9 News.

EXTREME WEATHER: Major Uncontrolled Wildfire Fueled By Hot Weather And Dry Winds Rages In Southern Australia - Two People Killed, Many Farm Animals Burned Alive!

Two people have been confirmed dead in a bushfire burning out of control north of Adelaide. © AAP

November 26, 2015 - AUSTRALIA - A "fast-moving and dangerous" bush fire leaves two people dead, with thousands of animals thought to have been burned alive.

Firefighters are battling to control a major wildfire in southern Australia which has killed two people and thousands of livestock.

Around 200 firefighters and several aircraft have reportedly been deployed to try and control the blaze, which is burning across a 27-mile front near Adelaide.

One person died in a paddock while a second died in a car, Australian media reported.



WATCH: Two dead after wildfire rips through South Australia in Clare Valley, near Mallala .

At least three people who were helping fight the fire have been taken to hospital with severe burns, the ABC said.

An employee at one of the state's largest pig farms told the broadcaster staff were forced to leave thousands of animals for dead as the blaze approached.

"It was pretty scary seeing it coming over the hill coming towards work," he said.

"We were there with firefighters ready to fight it and we just turned and ran. It was big. I think my work's gone or at least the majority of it."

As many as 9,000 pigs are thought to have burned alive, ABC reported.

The fire, which has been fanned by high winds, is feared to be heading towards Australia's Barossa Valley wine-growing region.

"It's a particularly fast-moving and very dangerous fire," South Australian Country Fire Service chief Greg Nettleton told reporters.

"The crews are working as hard as they can to protect communities and property.

"The wind change that has gone through is expected to abate a little bit around about 9 o'clock tonight and hopefully we'll be able to get the upper hand on that fire into the evening. But certainly it's far, far from being controlled."

Home and cars in the area have been destroyed and power has been cut off to thousands of buildings.

The blaze comes after four people were killed in one of a series of wildfires sparked by lightning in Western Australia last week.

Bushfires are extremely common in Australia in the summer months, however, some scientists have warned the length and intensity of the fire season many increase as climate change causes temperatures to rise. - Sky News.

 

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: "I Have Never Come Across The Same Situation" - MILLIONS Of Fish Suddenly Die In A Reservoir In Henan, China?!

August 31, 2013 - CHINA - Called the North "artificial Dongting Lake", Asia's largest artificial reservoir of the plain one night more than 1 million kilograms of dead fish! Xinhua reported in zhumadian of Henan province in the reservoir area of suya Lake and Lake, full of anti-belly farmed fish a few days ago, more rapid decay due to hot weather, diffuse disgusting stench in the entire area, fishermen lost an estimated more than a million dollars.

File photo.

Reports said, the official reported, or because the waters suddenly due to low dissolved oxygen. Questions only on the surface, the real causes were suspected of serious contamination of the quality-related, all of which require thorough investigation.

"The color red water into the cages, fish began floating head, floating up in no time. "Luo Xinhua area fishermen recalled their farms more than more than 50,000 kg such as grass, small yellow croaker, died suddenly on Saturday night, his fish for decades I have never come across the same situation. "The fish has one to two kilograms, according to the wholesale price also sell for between 10 and 20 dollars. "Reports that he estimated losses amounting to more than 600,000 dollars, and South region alone, there are more than 1 million kilograms of fish were killed, suffered heavy losses in the northern area, many farmers to lose.

Reports said suya Lake Reservoir Authority said there are still some serious rotting fish could not be picked up, reservoirs and Lakes seriously polluted. Too many quayside fish because of the number of processing time and begins crawling with maggots and foul-smelling smoke, standards of hygiene are abysmal, the municipal government requires farmers to dead fish unified deep processing in case of bad bacteria spreading.

Official notification according to monitoring results analysis, the oxygen content in water fish survival standards of six parts one to three parts was estimated to be large fish kill main cause. According to reports, but industry insiders questioned other facts, trionyx Loach, fish in the Lake, even if no water in the Lake, Loach drilling mud to survive, while turtles fish can never climbed ashore when the oxygen in the water, not all die. Bureau of Agriculture of fish hypoxia death only on the surface, has invited Provincial Academy of fishery Sciences experts to help investigate.

Suya Lake "artificial Dongting" reputation, is Asia's largest artificial reservoirs in the Plains, an area of more than 4,700 square kilometers, amounted to more than 30 species of fish produced in years. - UDN. [Translated]

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: 10,000 Dead Salmon Found Scattered Along Lake Koocanusa In Montana?!

August 30, 2013 - UNITED STATES - State wildlife officials say a strong and fast moving storm front last Sunday night appears to have triggered a kokanee salmon die-off in Lake Koocanusa.

Fisheries biologist Mike Hensler estimates there were at least 10,000 dead juvenile kokanee measuring 8"-10" long scattered from Big Creek to the Canadian border.

The event is similar to a die-off in 2005, and several others in the 1990s and earlier.

John Fraley with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks says the deaths appear to have been triggered by a period of calm, hot weather that lets the reservoir stratify and allows algae to bloom.

The storm front, accompanying winds and drop in atmospheric pressure allows the algae to mix with deeper layers. The kokanee ingest the algae, which includes some blue-green algae which is toxic to the fish, as they are feeding, according to a news release.

The fish then become disoriented, come to the surface, their air bladders expand and they are unable to dive back to depth so the warm surface water kills them.

The algae is not abundant enough to affect humans and has now been dispersed by continuing winds.

Fraley pointed out that the die-off only lasted a few days and only affected a small portion of what would be next year's adult salmon. There are no health concerns with eating a fish healthy enough to hit a lure. - KPAX.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Toxic Red Tide Of Summer Wipes Out ELEVEN MILLION FISH In South Korea?!

August 06, 2013 - SOUTH KOREA - Fisherman Kim Yeon-bok, 58, went down to check his jwichi (tilefish or leatherfish) farm last week off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang, and found thousands of his fish floating on the sea or washed up on the beach.

Fish farmer Oh Yoon-seok, 40, who raises chamdom (red sea bream) and jwichi (tilefish or leatherfish) in
Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang’s Sanyang County, clears dead fish yesterday from his farm
after a red tide swept the southern coast. By Song Bong-geun

They were killed by a toxic red tide that has engulfed a large swath of the southern coast.

The number of fish killed this year along the southern coast is 11 million, according to the South Gyeongsang Provincial Government yesterday, generating 6.05 billion won ($5.45 million) in losses.

“The catch has been down this year,” Kim said, “So I looked forward to selling 250,000 jwichi. But 90 percent of them have been killed by the red tide.”

The fisherman estimated his loss at over 500 million won. There were so many dead fish, Kim said it would take two to three days to clear them away.

Kim is one of hundreds of farmers suffering from the red tide, caused by massive algae blooms exuding chemicals harmful to marine animals. They are not good for humans to inhale either.

The algae blooms turned the sea a reddish brown color a few days ago.

“My fish farm was totally ruined by the red tide,” said Park Soon-bok, 59, who raises chamdom (red sea bream) and jwichi in the southern waters off Tongyeong.

“It is really daunting to deploy cranes to move hundreds of thousands of dead fish from the sea into the land,” he said.

In Tongyeong City, one of the most heavily-affected areas, 42 fish farms have lost 80 to 90 percent of their fish.

The government is considering offering financial assistance to the affected areas in the South Gyeongsang regions.

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Yoon Jin-sook visited Tongyeong last weekend and pledged compensation for the damages.

Fish farms along the coast off Yeosu and Goheung, South Jeolla have been put on a red tide alert.

“I suffered a lot last year when the red tide killed a huge number of doldom [parrot fish],” said a 57-year-old fish farmer in Yeosu.

This year’s red tide is expected to be more severe than last year’s, which was blamed on sweltering heat, although the exact cause was never conclusively determined.

Prior to last year, red tides affected seas off of South Jeolla, where such phenomena were first detected. Last year and this year, the waters off South Gyeongsang were first affected.

“Farmers grow really frustrated because we have trouble using red clay to contain the red tide effects,” said the fisherman, “due to the South Jeolla governor’s order not to use it.”

Governor Park Joon-young banned the use of red clay to combat the tide, citing the potential of hurting other marine animals.

He also cast doubt on its effectiveness earlier this month, but the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries countered the governor’s claim.

Also affected is the eastern sea, prompting the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute to issue a warning for the region for the first time in six years.

The fishery institute upgraded a warning for Yeosu and Goheung, South Jeolla as well as the south coast last week.

Concerns are rising of a repeat of the red-tide nightmare of 2003, which resulted in 21.5 billion won in losses.

Experts said the tide could possibly worsen.

“The wind shifting to the south will pose a further threat and there are no signs of heavy rain or thunderstorms in the near future, which can limit the effect of red tide,” said Lee Chang-kyu from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. - Korea Joongang Daily.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Hundreds Of Dead Fish Found Dead In Assabet River Massachusetts?!

August 06, 2013 - UNITED STATES - While pulling out invasive water chestnut plants on July 20, Dick Lawrence of Hudson and other OARS volunteers discovered the floating remains of hundreds of fish in the Assabet River in Stow. Allan Fierce of Stow quickly reported the dead fish to OARS and the state.

Dead fish float on Assabet River.

Fish can be killed by spills of pollutants, but also by the combined effects of high water temperatures and the accompanying lack of oxygen in the water, which suffocates the fish. This is most common in shallow lakes and ponds, but can also occur in stressed rivers. Even though there appears to be less duckweed on the surface than previous years, high nutrient levels in the Assabet River continue to feed the algae and rooted plants that use up the oxygen that fish need to survive.

According to MassWildlife the hot weather, with temperatures hitting 100 degrees on July 19, is the likely cause of the fish kill. OARS water quality monitoring volunteers regularly measure the temperature in the rivers and their tributaries. On July 22, the water temperature exceeded 86 degrees, according to OARS staff scientist Sue Flint.

If fish have no deep or shaded places to retreat from the heat (“thermal refugia” in scientific terms), fish kills occur. Narrower sections of the river are lined with trees that provide shade. Groundwater also contributes cool springs that provide a safe haven for fish during heat waves.

To learn how to prevent fish kills visit OARS’ website: oars3rivers.org/take-action. OARS is a non-profit watershed organization dedicated to restoring the health of the Assabet, Sudbury and Concord Rivers. - Wicked Local.

MONUMENTAL EARTH CHANGES: "Undocumented And Unprecedented" Fires - Colorado Wildfire May Destroy An Entire Town; ALL 400 Residents Of South Fork Evacuated!

June 22, 2013 - UNITED STATES - In South Fork, Colorado, fire may destroy the entire town. As dry conditions and high wind fuel the massive fires, authorities are concerned that they will continue to spread.

A helicopter goes in to make a water drop as flames consume stands of trees on U.S. Forest Service
land in the Lime Gulch fire near Conifer. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

Officials have ordered all 400 residents of South Fork to evacuate immediately. They estimate that the chance of saving the town from the blaze is "low to moderate."

The Black Forest Fire has already claimed the lives of two and has destroyed 400 homes, making it the most destructive fire in Colorado history.

As reported by Business Insider, the fires have ravished entire neighborhoods and left hundreds of Colorado residents homeless. Animals are also a concern as many residents have evacuated ranches, bringing their animals along. For some, the animals are part of their livelihood.

As reported by 9 News, residents in South Fork, Colorado, fear the fires may wipe out their entire town. The West Fork Fire and Windy Pass fires are both threatening the small village. Those two fires alone are responsible for destroying nearly 30,000 acres.

The West Fork Fire has already hit the Rio Grande National Forest, which completely surrounds South Fork. Authorities have stated that the the West Fork and Windy Pass fires are aggressive and spreading fast. Their aggressive behavior has been referred to as "undocumented and unprecedented."

© Facebook

As reported by Yahoo News, the fires are currently spreading one mile every hour. They are now approximately seven miles away from South Fork.

South Fork is a resort town known for camping and hiking trails. It may be best known as home to the fictional "Kamp Komfort" as seen in National Lampoon's Vacation. The memorable scene featured a dog and a picnic basket.

WATCH: Wildfires rage in Colorado resort town.

Authorities speculate that the fire was started by a lightening strike. The hot, dry weather, combined with numerous dead trees has made it impossible to fight from the ground. All efforts to extinguish or contain the fire from above have been fruitless.

The South Fork Colorado fire is sure to cause some degree of devastation. Unfortunately, authorities cannot predict exactly how bad it will be. - Inquisitr.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: 20 Peacocks Have Died From A Viral Disease In Sindh Province, Pakistan?!

June 11, 2013 - PAKISTAN - A viral disease code named 'Ranikhat' has killed about 20 peacocks in Pakistan's Sindh province, wildlife officials said today.

The peacocks died in the Tharparkar district, which is famous for its desert area and is inhabited by the highest number of Hindus in the province. The area has been hit by extremely hot weather this year.

"Last year also this disease code named 'Ranikhat' had killed around 170 beautiful peacocks before the monsoon season," an official of the Sindh wildlilfe department said.

"This year it has killed around 20 peacocks and we are trying to ascertain how to stop this disease from spreading further in the province," he said.

The official said so far the peacocks had died in the Hothi Kharch, Motatio, Aarokhi, Sajaee and villages of Deeplo Tehsil.

"We also have reports that they are several peacocks suffering from this disease in Singalo village," he added.

The villagers fear that the disease could spread and infect peacocks in neighbouring areas, claiming that no team from the wildlife department had visited the affected areas so far. - ZEENEWS.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: About 500,000 Rabbitfish Have Died In Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam - Causing Losses Upto 2.5 Billion Vietnam Dollars?!

June 08, 2013 - VIETNAM - Fish and shrimp breeders in the central region are in deep despair after diseases have hit their fish and shrimp crops, with many of them now on the verge of bankruptcy.  About 500,000 rabbitfish (Siganus) have died in Tam Giang Lagoon causing losses upto VND2.5 billion (US$119,000) for local households in Thua Thien-Hue Province.

One household will suffer an average loss of VND40-50 million ($1,904-2,380).

Rabbitfish die enmasse in Tam Giang Lagoon in Thua Thien-Hue Province (Photo: SGGP)

Tens of thousands of Kinh fish, a small fish species living in brackish water, also faces extinction in Quang Dien District.

According to the district Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the long-lasting hot weather together with rainstorms has suddenly changed the salinity in breeding ponds.

Besides, the spread of blue green algae has reduced oxygen in the water. Another reason is that farmers have bred too much fish in a single pond and hence the quality of bred fish has gone down.

Farmers in the central region are also stricken by shrimp diseases, which have spread and killed numerous tiger prawns and white-leg shrimps in many provinces.

Several breeders are on the verge of bankruptcy after mortgaging their properties to banks so as to breed shrimp.

They now are in need of assistance from authorized organs to fully determine the cause of the dead fish and shrimp, to prevent further spread of diseases. Farmers too need assistance in sterilizing breeding ponds. - SGGP.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Disaster Precursors - Another Fish Kill On Adelaide's Beaches In Australia?!

March 29, 2013 - AUSTRALIA - MORE dead fish have washed up on Adelaide's southern beaches overnight.

Dead fish on Seaford beach . Picture: Roger Wyman Source: adelaidenow

The fish washed up at Seaford and Biosecurity SA is an attendance to collect fish for forensic testing.

It follows a similar incident last week when thousands of dead fish were found across long stretches of sand at Moana, Moana South, O'Sullivans Beach and Christies Beach.

Biosecurity SA aquatic pests manager Vic Neverauskas said high levels of algal bloom from hot weather had depleted oxygen levels in the water.

Dead fish on Seaford beach . Picture: Roger Wyman.

Dead fish on Seaford beach . Picture: Roger Wyman.

Dead fish on Seaford beach . Picture: Roger Wyman.

Mr Neverauskas said the incident was linked to the dead fish that washed up on Eyre Peninsula this month, with strong westerly winds blowing the algal bloom back towards Adelaide.

"The best information suggests we are dealing with extensive algal bloom from hot weather," he said.

He said the desalination plant had nothing to do with the fish deaths. - Adelaide Now.

EXTREME WEATHER: U.S. Drought - Third Highest Severe To Extreme Percentage On Record!

December 28, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Extreme and exceptional drought, the worst categories on the U.S. Drought Monitor, are on the rise again.

The graphic above from meteorologist Matt Sitkowski at the The Weather Channel shows this with the peak occurring back in August followed by a decline in the fall and now a rising percentage as we close out the year. When just examining the worst category "exceptional drought", the United States will end the year with its highest percentage in this category so far in 2012.

To provide a little more perspective, we can compare the current status of the drought to others in past history dating back to 1895 using another measure called the Palmer Drought index from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

At the end of November, the areal extent of the drought rated severe to extreme was at 44.8 percent. This is the highest extent so far this year and the third highest overall according to weather.com meteorologist Nick Wiltgen. Only the peaks from 1934 (July) and 1954 (September) had a higher percentage than the 2012 drought in their respective years.

Many of the peaks in the top 10 throughout history have been during the warm season. However, this is now the third time the peak drought extent in the severe to extreme categories has occurred in December. - The Weather Channel.

GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: The Worst Drought in America in Decades Deepens to Cover 60% of the Lower 48 - Disaster of Epic Proportions, 65% of Population Lives in States of Severe Drought, $18 Billion in Losses to Farmers, Groceries Will Skyrocket in 2013 by $615 Per Family!

A tree trunk rests on the bed of a dried lake, the outcome of severe drought, in Waterloo, Neb., on Tuesday.
A new report shows that the nation's worst drought in decades is getting worse again, ending an
encouraging five-week run of improving conditions. © Nati Harnik/AP.

November 22, 2012 - UNITED STATES - The worst U.S. drought in decades has deepened again after more than a month of encouraging reports of slowly improving conditions, a drought-tracking consortium said Wednesday, as scientists struggled for an explanation other than a simple lack of rain. While more than half of the continental U.S. has been in a drought since summer, rain storms had appeared to be easing the situation week by week since late September. But that promising run ended with Wednesday's weekly U.S. Drought Monitor report, which showed increases in the portion of the country in drought and the severity of it. The report showed that 60.1 percent of the lower 48 states were in some form of drought as of Tuesday, up from 58.8 percent the previous week. The amount of land in extreme or exceptional drought - the two worst classifications - increased from 18.3 percent to 19.04 percent. The Drought Monitor's map tells the story, with dark red blotches covering the center of the nation and portions of Texas and the Southeast as an indication of where conditions are the most intense. Those areas are surrounded by others in lesser stages of drought, with only the Northwest, Florida and a narrow band from New England south to Mississippi escaping.

WATCH: The Drought of 2012.

A federal meteorologist cautioned that Wednesday's numbers shouldn't be alarming, saying that while drought usually subsides heading into winter, the Drought Monitor report merely reflects a week without rain in a large chunk of the country. "The places that are getting precipitation, like the Pacific Northwest, are not in drought, while areas that need the rainfall to end the drought aren't getting it," added Richard Heim, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center. "I would expect the drought area to expand again" by next week since little rain is forecast in the Midwest in coming days. He said there was no clear, scientific explanation for why the drought was lingering or estimate for how long it would last. "What's driving the weather? It's kind of a car with no one at the steering wheel," Heim said. "None of the atmospheric indicators are really strong. A lot of them are tickling around the edges and fighting about who wants to be king of the hill, but none of them are dominant." The biggest area of exceptional drought, the most severe of the five categories listed by the Drought Monitor, centers over the Great Plains. Virtually all of Nebraska is in a deep drought, with more than three-fourths in the worst stage. But Nebraska, along with the Dakotas to the north, could still see things get worse "in the near future," the USDA's Eric Luebehusen wrote in Wednesday's update. The drought also has been intensifying in Kansas, the top U.S. producer of winter wheat. It also is entirely covered by drought, and the area in the worst stage rose nearly 4 percentage points to 34.5 percent as of Tuesday. Much of that increase was in southern Kansas, where rainfall has been 25 percent of normal over the past half year.

WATCH: Far-reaching Effects of the Drought.

After a summer in which farmers watched helpless as their corn dried up in the heat and their soybeans became stunted, many are now worrying about their winter wheat. It has come up at a rate on par with non-drought years, but the quality of the drop doesn't look good, according to the USDA. Nearly one-quarter of the winter wheat that germinated is in poor or very poor condition, an increase of 2 percentage points from the previous week and 9 percentage points worse than the same time in 2011. Forty-two percent of the plantings are described as in fair shape, the same as last week. Farmers who might normally irrigate in such circumstances worry about low water levels in the rivers and reservoirs they use, and many are hoping for snow to ease the situation. But it would take a lot. About 20 inches of snow equals just an inch of actual water, and many areas have rain deficits of a foot or more. - NBC.

GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: Exceptional Drought - The U.S. Drought of 2012 to Last Into Spring of 2013, Worst in 27 Years, Provokes Dust Bowl Talk; UK Winter Wheat Shows Worst Fungus Symptoms Ever Recorded!

November 20, 2012 - UNITED STATES - Beneficial rains over portions of the Central U.S. during the past week put a slight dent in the nation's worst drought since 1954. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, the amount of the contiguous U.S. in moderate to extreme drought declined last week to 59%, down from the 65% peak of September 25, 2012. However, the intense drought is likely to persist through the winter, and its already heavily impacting the Winter Wheat growing season, which began in October. NOAA's latest State of the Drought product advised that the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for the Primary Hard Red Winter Wheat area reached the lowest value since the 1950s in October. The persistent drought is also a major problem for Mississippi River navigation. According to a November 17 AP story, the Mississippi is so low that if it drops another five feet, barge traffic may shut down from St. Louis to the confluence of the Ohio River at Cairo, IL. The Army Corps of Engineers plans to lower the level of the Mississippi by 2 - 3 feet over the next few weeks, due to the need to conserve water in the upper Missouri River basin. The latest two-week forecast from the GFS model predicts very little in the way of precipitation over the nation's drought-stricken region over the next ten days, which is good for holiday travel, but will worsen the drought.

Long-Term Drought Outlook.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center predicts that neutral El Niño conditions will prevail this winter, and has cancelled their El Niño watch. The expected neutral El Niño conditions have prompted the Climate Prediction Center to forecast equal chances of wetter or drier than average conditions across the heart of the drought region during the coming winter. In general, droughts are more likely in the Central U.S. when warmer than average ocean temperatures prevail in the tropical Atlantic, and cooler than average ocean temperatures are present in the tropical Eastern Pacific (La Niña-like conditions.) Currently, we do have warmer than average ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic, but also in the equatorial tropical Pacific (0.5°C above average as of November 19), so this is a lower-risk scenario for Central U.S. drought than we had during the winter of 2011 - 2012. However, considering that most of the nation's drought regions need 6 - 15" of precipitation to pull them out of drought, the Great Drought of 2012 is likely to linger into the spring of 2013. - Wunderground.

US Winter-Wheat Condition Worst in 27 Years.
The condition of winter-wheat crops in the U.S. are the worst for this time of year since the government began monitoring in 1985, as drought damage spread from Midwest corn and soybean fields to the Great Plains.  An estimated 40 percent of winter wheat, the most-common domestic variety, was rated good or excellent as of Oct. 28, with 15 percent poor or very poor, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today in its first assessment of the season. A year earlier, 46 percent got the top ratings. The worst U.S. drought since 1956 already has cut output of the nation’s two biggest crops, corn and soybeans, and sent prices to record highs. Wheat futures are up 32 percent this year. About 79 percent of Kansas, the biggest grower of winter grain, was in extreme or exceptional drought as of Oct. 23. Warm, dry weather the next two weeks will delay plant emergence and root growth before crops begin to go dormant for the winter. The U.S. is the world’s largest exporter of wheat.  “The low crop ratings will increase concern about the yield potential of this year’s crop,” Shawn McCambridge, the senior grain analyst for Jefferies Bache LLC in Chicago, said in a telephone interview. “The weather doesn’t look promising for much improvement and may increase overseas demand for supplies left from last year’s U.S. harvest.” - Bloomberg.

US Wheat Crop Rating at Record Low for November.
Chicago wheat rose for a second straight session on Tuesday, lifted by renewed concerns over global supplies as US crop ratings dropped to a record low for the month of November following dry weather.     Soybeans eased after closing higher on Monday on expectations of a rebound in Chinese demand, while corn was little changed, holding on to last session's 1.6 percent climb amid tight supplies.     The US Agriculture Department said its rating of the winter wheat crop fell to 34 percent good-to-excellent, below analysts' expectations, due to persistent dry conditions in the US Plains.     The ratings were a record low for November and raised questions about how healthy the crop will be when it emerges from dormancy in the spring. - Business Recorder.

US Winter Wheat Conditions Continue on Downwards Spiral.
There has been no let-up in US winter wheat conditions over the past week, with eight of the 18 reporting states showing worsening conditions.Conditions have declined steadily since the USDA first issued its crop progress report for the 2013 wheat crop. This week, 34% of the crop was rated good to excellent, 2 percentage points lower than last week, and 16 percentage points lower than a year ago, when 50% of the crop was rated good to excellent. The percentage rated poor to very poor also increased by two percentage points to 24% from last week, and compared with 16% a year ago. - Public Ledger.

Drought in US Wheat Areas Provokes Dust Bowl Talk.
Weather forecasts offer little relief from drought for a US winter wheat crop which data overnight showed deteriorating further to a fresh seasonal low, and prompting comparisons to the Dust Bowl years.  "No important rain is expected this week" for the US areas, largely in the Plains, growing hard red winter wheat, which accounts for more than half the US wheat crop, Gail Martell at Martell Crop Projections said.  Nor is precipitation expected further ahead, with weather service WxRisk.com saying that while a cold front in the six-to-10 day outlook "could  bring portions of the upper Plains a decent snow fall, areas south of this LOW's  track will stay dry  and mild.  And heading into December "while the Upper Plains and  Midwest look to turn seasonally cold, the pattern does not show a cold air getting into any portion of the central  and lower Plains," WxRisk.com said.  Longer-term, the US Climate Prediction Center said last week that this summer's US drought, billed as the worst in 56 years, would persist in the Plains and parts of the Midwest at least until February, likely spreading into Texas too. - Agrimoney.

UK Winter Wheat Shows Worst Fungus Symptoms Ever Recorded.
Winter wheat in the U.K., which had its wettest summer in a century this year, showed the worst-ever symptoms in the current season of fungal diseases fusarium ear blight and septoria tritici, CropMonitor said.  There was a “marked increase” in ear blight, with 96 percent of field samples displaying symptoms, the crop-quality service said in a report e-mailed today. Some types of fusarium can result in yield losses or the development of mycotoxins, chemicals that can harm humans and animals, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.  “Ear blight symptoms were recorded at the highest-ever levels since the survey began,” said CropMonitor, which is run by government and industry groups. Some field samples also showed fusarium on plant stems and nodes, where leaves emerge from stems, according to the report.  Septoria tritici, which also can cut yields, was the most common foliar disease, with 97 percent of crops affected, CropMonitor said. Brown rust was recorded on 17 percent of field samples and tan spot affected 14 percent of crops.  Powdery mildew affected only 4 percent of crops, the lowest level ever recorded and down from last year’s results showing 34 percent of crops were infected.  The U.K. is the third-largest wheat producer in the 27- nation European Union. - Bloomberg.

MONUMENTAL EARTH CHANGES: Most Massive Natural Disaster in US History - And You Don't Know What Caused It!

November 17, 2012 - UNITED STATES - In early July 2012, conditions throughout most of the contiguous 48 states ranged from abnormally dry to exceptional drought. The widespread hot, dry conditions prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare more than 1,000 counties in 26 states natural disaster areas effective July 12, 2012. The declaration established the largest natural-disaster area in U.S. history.

Reprinted from NOAA's climate.gov

The image above, based on U.S. Drought Monitor data, shows drought and abnormally dry conditions across the contiguous United States on July 10, 2012. Yellow indicates areas that are not in drought but are abnormally dry. Darker shades of orange and brown indicate varying degrees of drought, with dark red-brown indicating exceptional drought. Light gray indicates water, and charcoal gray indicates U.S. land areas unaffected by drought and areas outside of the country, which are not covered by the analysis. Pockets of abnormally dry conditions extend nearly continuously from northern Florida in the Southeast to eastern Washington State in the Northwest. Varying degrees of drought stretch from California to Delaware. An area of exceptional drought spans the state of Georgia. All of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana are in drought. Drought and/or abnormally dry conditions affect some or all of most states--only Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine have been spared.

On July 10, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that, although precipitation had increased over the previous week, heavy rainfall amounts were isolated, and hot weather continued unabated, so only small patches of drought-plagued areas experienced any relief. Moreover, areas with the highest temperature anomalies were the same areas receiving little rainfall. Crop conditions worsened in the 18 primary corn-growing states, pushing 30 percent of the crop into poor or very poor conditions. A few areas experienced some improvement in drought conditions compared to the previous week, the Drought Monitor reported, including New Mexico, and the gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Drought conditions worsened, however, across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. In the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, potential relief from rainfall was offset by high temperatures. From the Great Lakes southward, daily highs as much a 13 degrees above normal coincided with sparse rainfall. Dry conditions persisted in parts of the Intermountain West and West Coast. - Oped News.

ARIZONA BURNING: Gladiator Fire Has Devoured 5,400 Acres, Homes in Peril - Sunflower Wildfire Passes 12,000 Acres Burned; Fire Triples, 350 Residents Evacuate, 5% Containment!

Four structures have been destroyed since Sunday in a spreading wildfire near Crown King that has grown to more than 10 square miles. The Gladiator Fire has blackened 6,573 acres and is only 5 percent contained, fire management crews said on Thursday.

The expanding Sunflower Fire south of Payson in the Tonto National Forest.

Fire incident spokeswoman Michelle Fidler said gusts of up to 40 mph in the Prescott National Forest was expected to hamper efforts of some 540 firefighters actively battling the blaze.   The fire prompted an evacuation order Sunday. The blaze started at a home, but investigators haven't determined the cause.  Air tankers on Thursday have worked the western flank of the fire near a number of important communication towers to check the fire's spread to allow hot shot crews to scout the area.  Another community meeting is planned for Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Mayer High School, 17300 E. Mule Deer Dr., in Spring Valley.  Fidler said winds could shift and push the wildfire back into the community where it started Sunday as a structure fire on private property.  Incident Commander Joe Reinarz has warned evacuees the fire has potential to creep back toward town, threatening more homes.  "On a scale of one to 10, in this case, under these conditions, it's a 10. It's as bad as it can get right now," Reinarz said.  Reinarz and other officials warned that people who have so far ignored mandatory evacuations are putting themselves in a dangerous situation.  Some evacuees at the meeting called loved ones to urge them to leave their homes as well.  "My daughter doesn't want to leave, but I told her she has to get out right now," Lynn Turley said.  Meanwhile, Ballinger said he's hopeful his town will make it through this latest threat.  "Hopefully, the potential bad scenarios don't come true, but they definitely prepared us for them," Ballinger said. - KPHO.

Meanwhile, over 12,000 acres have been destroyed by the Sunflower Fire, burning 21 miles south of Payson. 

Debbie Cress, a team manager of the fire, said it has behaved as expected and is 10 percent contained as of Thursday morning.  "It shifted to the south, southwest today so that pushed the fire into some areas of unburned timber and some heavier fuels which created quite a bit of smoke along the northern edge of the fire," she said.  Cress said the fire is in very rugged and steep terrain.  As of Wednesday morning there were 12 crews, 16 engines, two bulldozers and two water tenders being used to fight the fire. In all, more than 400 people have been called upon to fight the blaze.  Strong winds going from the east to the south played a major role on Tuesday.  The fire is no longer threatening State Route 87.  The Gladiator fire, burning northwest of the Valley has destroyed more than 2,000 acres. It is 5 percent contained. - KTAR.

Strong wind gusts will likely keep spreading a wildfire that has grown to nearly 10 square miles and prompted the evacuation of a historic Arizona mining town.  Fire incident spokeswoman Michelle Fidler says gusts of up to 40 mph are expected Thursday in the Prescott National Forest, near Crown King.  She says the wind could push the fire, which is only 5 percent contained, northward but crews will use the opportunity to slow the blaze from the west, where communication towers are threatened.  The fire has destroyed two homes and a trailer, and prompted an evacuation order Sunday. Crown King is a community of mostly summer homes about 85 miles north of Phoenix.  The blaze started at a home, but investigators have yet to determine the cause. Fueled by high winds, a wildfire that has prompted the evacuation of a historic mining town in northern Arizona nearly tripled in size.  The fire in the Prescott National Forest grew to an estimated 5,400 acres, or nearly 8 1/2 square miles, Wednesday night- up from about 2,000 acres a day earlier.  High winds have helped fan the flames, and fire officials were expecting much of the same conditions for the next couple of days.  Most of Crown King's 350 residents had already evacuated their homes before Taryn Denyce finally left earlier Wednesday, feeling she had no other choice. - KTAR.

EXTREME WEATHER: Arizona Wildfires - Early Start to Season Stokes Fears Across South-Western United States!

Authorities across the south-western United States were braced for a summer season of wildfire destruction on Monday after an outbreak of five serious blazes in Arizona. In the first serious wildfires of the 2012 season, hundreds of firefighters, backed up by air support, struggled to contain five separate blazes in northern Arizona.

Mountain fires, such as those now burning in the Tonto national forest in Arizona, are especially difficult to contain.

The authorities ordered 300 homes evacuated in the historic mining town of Crown King, said Cliff Pearlberg, a spokesman for the state's forestry division. By late Sunday night, the fires had devoured about nine square miles of terrain, and the billowing smoke from the fires threatening Crown King could be seen in Phoenix, about 50 miles away. It was unusually early for such a serious outbreak and experts said the timing as well as prevailing dry conditions in Arizona and other parts of the south-west suggested a season of serious fire destruction was ahead. The state was considering restrictions on campfires and even on allowing visitors into wilderness areas, Pearlberg said. "We had a pitiful winter when it comes to moisture, and as a result the vegetation is very, very dry and without the snow pack in the high country that vegetation is also very, very dry," Pearlberg said. "It's also unseasonably warm for this kind of year and of course the relative humidity is very, very low which does not bode well for fire activity." Tom Spencer, who heads the predictive service for the Texas forest service, agreed – and warned that similarly dangerous conditions were in place across the south-west. "It's not looking very good for Arizona right now," he said. "But all of the west right now has the potential to have an active fire season."

Last year was a devastating year for wildfires in Texas as in Arizona, and the conditions so far are pointing to another season of destruction. Much of the region has been in a prolonged drought. In Arizona's case, about two-thirds of the state is in extreme drought, with little prospect of rain throughout the summer. "If that were Texas I would say that that is a sign the fire season would continue into early summer anyway," said Spencer. "When you cut off the moisture that just keeps that vegetation parched and available as a fuel." Mountain fires, such as those now burning in the Tonto national forest in Arizona, are especially difficult to contain, because the areas are remote, and heavy timber can burn for days or weeks. The early start to fire season, with the first fires discovered in Tonto forest on Saturday, sharpened fears of a repeat of last year's historic fires. Texas suffered its most destructive season of wildfires in 2011, with nearly 30,000 fires consuming nearly 4m acres of land and destroying more than 2,800 homes. Arizona experienced its own ecological disaster last year, with the Wallow Fire, which was sparked by a neglected campfire. The fire consumed more than 500,000 acres in eastern Arizona, and took more than six weeks to contain. The national fire centre in Boise, Idaho, earlier this month predicted a higher than average risk of wildfires across a great expanse of the south-west, from the foothills of southern California to parts of Nevada, Utaha, New Mexico and much of Arizona. The centre also warned of a more active fire season on the east coast, in Florida, as well as parts of Georgia and South Carolina, and in the upper mid-west. - Guardian.

EXTREME WEATHER: Arizona Burning - Hundreds Evacuated as Wildfires Spread Across Northern Arizona!

Firefighters trying to protect a historic mining town in northern Arizona were told to expect extreme conditions Tuesday, with temperatures in the 80s and gusts up to 35 mph that could fan an out-of-control wildfire. Crews are facing additional hazards as well: snakes and abandoned mining shafts. Snakes were a problem at a past fire in the area, Karen Takai, spokeswoman for the fire team, told msnbc.com. No one has been bitten so far, she said, but "we know that could be an issue in this area." Procedures call for any bitten firefighter to be taken to a local hospital for anti-venom. As for mine shafts, "there are a lot ... that you don't see because of the amount of brush," she said.

Add rugged terrain to the mix, she said, and conditions are "extremely difficult." The National Weather Service also issued a "red flag warning" Tuesday for northern Arizona, southeast Nevada and southern Utah. Burning south of Prescott, Ariz., in the Prescott National Forest, the wildfire that started Sunday has scorched an estimated 1,700 acres of ponderosa pine and chaparral, and threatens some 350 homes in Crown King. Tourists who had been in the town left when a mandatory evacuation was ordered Sunday, while homeowners were allowed to stay as long as they remained on their property. Some 300 fire personnel were already at the scene, and the first of 400 more are coming in Tuesday, Takai said. Six air tankers worked Monday to douse hot spots, and those flights will continue Tuesday. Two buildings and one trailer have been destroyed, Prescott National Forest spokeswoman Debbie Maneely said.  The blaze, still at zero percent containment, started at a "structure" and was human-caused, she said.  

Greg Flores, president of the Crown King Chamber of Commerce, said he helped a couple and their dog flee was the fire "fully engulfed" their home.   "There were flames over 100 feet tall when we got up there," the Associated Press quoted him as saying.  Flores and his wife fled their home around 2 a.m. Monday when ash began raining down. They spent the night on the floor of his business and have since been able to return home.   Flores added that the fire had turned a ridge black, destroying much of the forest there. Crown King is located in the mountains more than 85 miles north of Phoenix, where the fire created a haze over the city on Monday.  The fire was one of several in Arizona since the weekend. They are the first major wildfires in Arizona this year, after a record 2011 season in which nearly 2,000 blazes scorched 1,500 square miles, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.  Another wildfire more than 120 miles northeast of Phoenix was five percent contained Monday evening.  On the San Carlos Apache Reservation, in eastern Arizona, a fire caused by lightning charred more than 1.7 square miles of ponderosa pine, juniper and oak.  A fire on the Fort Apache Reservation burned 575 acres of brush and grassland and threatened a fish hatchery. - MSNBC.

WATCH: Arizona wildfires burn uncontrollably.

EXTREME WEATHER: Arizona Wildfire Grows to More Than 4.5 Square Miles - Prompts Mass Evacuations!

Firefighters battled a growing wildfire Monday in northern Arizona that has forced residents from their homes in a historic mining town just weeks ahead of the busy tourist season.

A fire blazes Saturday in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, near Payson, Ariz.
The fire has grown to more about 4 1/2-square miles.

The fire in Crown King began on private land Sunday and grew to more than 4 1/2 square miles, destroying two buildings and one trailer, Prescott National Forest spokeswoman Debbie Maneely said.  The blaze started at a "structure" and was human-caused, she said.  Crown King is a popular destination for all-terrain vehicles because of its numerous hills and gorges. It is located in the mountains more than 85 miles north of Phoenix.  The fire, and several others burning in Arizona, follow a warning from state land managers that hot temperatures and dry vegetation have created a very high fire risk in some areas.  The Crown King area remained under a mandatory evacuation order, though authorities said most of the town's 350 residents had chosen to stay in the community of mostly summer homes. Maneely said most residents likely were staying with family and friends. An American Red Cross shelter in Mayer, Ariz., which is about 24 miles north, has reported three evacuees.  Expected hot and windy weather could make containment difficult, Maneely said. 

Greg Flores, owner of The Prospector shopping center and president of the Crown King Chamber of Commerce, said he helped a couple and their pug dog flee during a house fire.  It wasn't immediately clear if the house was the one where authorities say the wildfire began.  "The whole house was fully engulfed," Flores said, adding, "There were flames over 100 feet tall when we got up there."  Flores said that the fire had turned a ridge black, destroying much of the forest there.  "It's just horrible," Flores said.  Flores and his wife had to leave their home around 2 a.m. Monday after ash began raining down. They spent the night on the floor in the store and have since been able to return home.  The fire overtook a portion of Crown King Road, making the road to the mountain town inaccessible, a sheriff's office statement said.  Flores said most residents own four-wheel drive vehicles and many were using them to access back roads due to the main road's closure.  With more than 400 cabins that draw weekend visitors, Flores said, he's glad this fire didn't break out during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.  Another large fire, more than 120 miles northeast of Phoenix, was spotted Saturday in Tonto National Forest, where it burned nearly 5 square miles. Authorities have yet to determine a cause. - MSNBC.