Climate change in your life and work

D

data farm 26

Been here a while
Location
the raft
How are things shaping up for you in your locale?

Looks like we just had the hottest day on record globally, then broken the following day!

I've been working in smoke all week, it's pretty crappy but I'm sure much worse for others. No local fires, just blowing in from CAN and PNW.

@Matias it looks like there's a new fire in your hood, are you evacuating?
 
Last edited:
levi r said:
How are things shaping up for you in the Anthropocene?

Looks like we just had the hottest day on record globally, then broken the following day!

I've been working in smoke all week, it's pretty crappy but I'm sure much worse for others. No local fires, just blowing in from CAN and PNW.

@Matias it looks like there's a new fire in your hood, are you evacuating?
Click to expand...
That big ass fire just took out the last unburned ridge in my area, but this one is more than 20 miles North of me, and they were especially keen to stop it from getting into the next canyon south, because that would be linking back to the burn scar from 2018, which is an insane tinderbox of dead half burnt trees and 10' tall, super dense brushy resprouts, with tall, multi layered bone-dry grass in between it all.

Luckily for me, the this one and the last big one were North of me, and our regions prevailing wind sends that smoke north up the valley, where it joins the stream of smoke from the rest of the PNW. We have also had two scrap yard fires, so my deepest apologies @levi r , and everyone downwind, as that smoke was jet black.
 
Yup. Also read that we have had 13 consecutive months of record heat. One thing that is not being talk about is the fact that the UV index also rising rapidly..More heat, that degree for degree is more intense...A brutal combo which officially kicked my ass on Tuesday. 6 hours in the saddle wreaking a big live oak and could feel myself shutting down. Still recouping..
 
rico said:
Yup. Also read that we have had 13 consecutive months of record heat. One thing that is not being talk about is the fact that the UV index also rising rapidly..More heat, that degree for degree is more intense...A brutal combo which officially kicked my ass on Tuesday. 6 hours in the saddle wreaking a big live oak and could feel myself shutting down. Still recouping..
Click to expand...
I was doing a big old blue oak that day. The worst I have ever felt the heat at while climbing and cutting. I tried to work again yesterday and nearly threw up.
 
Yea, I got through it, as it had a lot to do with just chugging too much too fast after I got out of the first tree, but I was not as jazzed as I was at the start of the week.
 
Is everyone aware of Phase Change Cool Vests? Can make life more bearable for me on hot days and may keep someones blood temp down just below dangerously high levels.
glaciertek.com

Shop Glacier Tek Products

Designed to provide hours’ worth of continuous comfort, Glacier Tek’s cooling vests for adults, children, dogs and horses keep the wearer cool. Shop our vests.
glaciertek.com glaciertek.com
 
Keeping a cooler with ice in it, and a few towels to dunk, then drape over your head/neck on breaks really helps….. The amount and frequency of water/electrolytes (suggested) you need to consume during this heat is crazy, and almost unattainable IMO.
 
You guys see the news about Jasper national park and town just got burnt up. 100m high flame front went 5 km in half an hr

The older you get the faster the heat kicks your ass. :(

Smoke affects the real estate adage location location location. Asthma etc anyone? doh
 
It’s been pretty hazy where I’m at. I got an interesting request today. A wedding planner called me all panicked and asked if I remove “objects” from trees…… the wedding venue at the top of a ski area just got a new roof done, and 20’ of paper backer for the ice shield or bitchithane had blown way up into the canopy of a tree right outside the windows with the best view. The rope walk up to get the trash totally fucked my lungs up, I was huffing and puffing like a fat kid in gym class…
 
rico said:
Just spoke to a buddy I work with sometimes. He is a big strong powerful young man in his 30's and yesterday after a long day working in the heat he started throwing up, got super dizzy, and had a temperature of 102-103. Scary shit...
Click to expand...
Don't know how well you know this fellow but he shoulda seen a doctor - and maybe even now. If he might have high blood pressure or diabetes (even undiagnosed) he coulda been a candidate for a stroke, even a mild one.
The worst stuff happens with unacclimatized individuals even if in good health but the body usually adapts with time, within bounds. Off hours in cold AC houses doesn't help acclimatizing but cool AC helps with recovery, especially sleeping well.
We need to take care of our crews and each other - if you see funny skin colour, somebody gets dizzy or you see dilated pupils time for some action.
As for the Jasper fire, Golden has parts evacuated, and there's fires all over BC and Alberta. Maybe we outta try cutting out all the dead pine beetle wood thats around these towns as fuel - but Parks/ enviro nutz want everything natural . . . really. So there's miles and miles and miles of dead standing beetle killed wood everywhere. Hot and dry and lightning (or just sick whack jobs with lighters etc) and away we go.

Addenda: Citation to local story on the state of our mountain park forests (hope it stay outside the firewall for a while).
 
Last edited:
Climate change has really affected our insects. The aggressive paper wasps that plagued us have been gone for two years. They've been replaced by a smaller variety that's not aggressive at all. The carpenter bees that used to hang around all summer destroying wood siding and trim pass through for a week or so in the spring and fall.
 
Merle Nelson said:
Is everyone aware of Phase Change Cool Vests? Can make life more bearable for me on hot days and may keep someones blood temp down just below dangerously high levels.
glaciertek.com

Shop Glacier Tek Products

Designed to provide hours’ worth of continuous comfort, Glacier Tek’s cooling vests for adults, children, dogs and horses keep the wearer cool. Shop our vests.
glaciertek.com glaciertek.com
Click to expand...
I was about to ask.


Sooooo worthwhile.

If it was 40 degrees out any people were getting hypothermic without warming clothing, everyone would point out the obvious.
 
Chris Schultz said:
It’s been pretty hazy where I’m at. I got an interesting request today. A wedding planner called me all panicked and asked if I remove “objects” from trees…… the wedding venue at the top of a ski area just got a new roof done, and 20’ of paper backer for the ice shield or bitchithane had blown way up into the canopy of a tree right outside the windows with the best view. The rope walk up to get the trash totally fucked my lungs up, I was huffing and puffing like a fat kid in gym class…
Click to expand...
Wearing any breathing filter?
 
southsoundtree said:
I was about to ask.


Sooooo worthwhile.

If it was 40 degrees out any people were getting hypothermic without warming clothing, everyone would point out the obvious.
Click to expand...
Huh, all through the years I've been thinking you were using them too Sean.

Yes, very worthwhile. I've pushed myself into heat exhaustion once early in life then a 2nd time came far easier a year or two later. I use this if I'm in direct sun starting at maybe 90 degree days on up to 105 say. Not liking the mess of ice and water I freeze two vests overnight and put them in a chest with a frozen gallon jug of water. If I ever need more cooling time I have a third set of inserts always sitting in the bottom of the chest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom