"Explore the devastation left behind by fires and floods though these dramatic stories. Clear text emphasizes scientific efforts to better understand how to prepare for and prevent fires and floods, while appropriately high-impact visuals keep readers engaged"--Provided by publsher.

The latest science and compelling stories describing the impacts of droughts, floods, and fires in the context of climate change.

In just a few seconds, a spark can turn a forest into a rapidly spreading inferno of intense heat and suffocating smoke. Firefighters try to control the wildfire—a battle that might last for months. Water can be used to fight wildfires, but too much water can cause deadly floods. Floods reduce land to swamp and sweep away houses and bridges. In their wake, they leave food shortages, contaminated drinking water, and diseases like cholera and typhus. Follow the scorched trail of the worst wildfires ever, learn what causes flash floods, and discover the technology that helps predict these devastating disasters.

Natural disasters from heat waves to coastal and river flooding will inevitably become worse because of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Managing them is possible, but planners, designers, and policymakers need to advance adaptation and preventative measures now. Managing the Climate Crisis: Designing and Building for Floods, Heat, Drought and Wildfire by design and planning experts Jonathan Barnett and Matthijs Bouw is a practical guide to addressing this urgent national security problem. Barnett and Bouw draw from the latest scientific findings and include many recent, real-world examples to illustrate how to manage seven climate-related threats: flooding along coastlines, river flooding, flash floods from extreme rain events, drought, wildfire, long periods of high heat, and food shortages.

"Every year, droughts, floods, and fires impact hundreds of millions of people and cause massive economic losses. Climate change is making these catastrophes more dangerous. Now. Not in the future: NOW. This book describes how and why climate change is already fomenting dire consequences, and will certainly make climate disasters worse in the near future. Chris Funk combines the latest science with compelling stories, providing a timely, accessible, and beautifully-written synopsis of this critical topic. The book describes our unique and fragile Earth system, and the negative impacts humans are having on our support systems. It then examines recent disasters, including heat waves, extreme precipitation, hurricanes, fires, El Niños and La Niñas, and their human consequences. By clearly describing the dangerous impacts that are already occurring, Funk provides a clarion call for social change, yet also conveys the beauty and wonder of our planet, and hope for our collective future"--

Every year, droughts, floods, and fires impact hundreds of millions of people and cause massive economic losses. Climate change is making these catastrophes more dangerous. Now. Not in the future: NOW. This book describes how and why climate change is already fomenting dire consequences, and will certainly make climate disasters worse in the near future. Chris C. Funk combines the latest science with compelling stories, providing a timely, accessible, and beautifully-written synopsis of this critical topic. The book describes our unique and fragile Earth system, and the negative impacts humans are having on our support systems. It then examines recent disasters, including heat waves, extreme precipitation, hurricanes, fires, El Niños and La Niñas, and their human consequences. By clearly describing the dangerous impacts that are already occurring, Funk provides a clarion call for social change, yet also conveys the beauty and wonder of our planet, and hope for our collective future.

Extreme weather dominates news bulletins around the world. From tsunamis to superstorms, floods to wild fires, natural disasters affect people globally on a daily basis. Wild fires, and their deadly consequences, have hit the headlines over the past decade as huge fires have devastated areas in countries around the world. But why are these occurrences becoming more frequent, and more severe? And what happens to the affected communities after disaster has struck? Planet in Peril: Wild Fires answers these questions and many more, including when and why wild fires occur, and how technology is helping people to prepare for, and protect themselves against, them. The book looks at three of these natural disasters from recent years in detail: the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia in 2009, the Colorado wildfire of 2012 and the forest fires in Bolivia in 2010. Comprehensive case studies cover when and where the fires started, the immediate impact of the disaster, the fire damage, the long-term effects, the global aid efforts and the rebuilding and regeneration of affected communities. Eyewitness panels give firsthand accounts of the disaster from flood victims, emergency service personnel, including the rural fire service involved, aid workers and scientists working to combat the effects of natural disasters. Infographic elements display statistics about each wild fire in a clear, concise and visual way. Learn about the preparations made for wild fires: what protective mechanisms and warning systems are in place, the emergency drills people must learn, and how communities are evacuated in the event of a disaster. Find out about the disaster recovery effort immediately after each event, how aid reaches affected areas, and where it comes from. See how communities fare in the immediate aftermath, how they cope with damage to infrastructure and homes, lack of basic necessities and, in some cases, the loss of friends or relatives. Then find out how they cope long-term, deal with the economic impact, and regenerate. Discover whether climate change and global warming are increasing the impact and severity of wild fires, and how research is being done, and technology developed, to combat it. See how warning systems and evacuation drills can dramatically improve people's chances of survival, and learn about some solutions, such as firebreaks, that reduce the impact of wild fires. Planet in Peril: Wild Fires is ideal for children age 9+, for geography and science projects, or simply for anyone interested in finding out the background behind the 'extreme weather' news reports. Wild fires are not the only natural disaster our planet faces, find out about tsunamis, superstorms and floods in other titles in the series.