Upcoming September Sonoma County geology talks starting 9/15 & geology walk on 10/1
Through Appreciating Earth I foster environmental awareness, scientific knowledge, & planetary appreciation. We all consciously & unconsciously change the environment, Earth education helps us understand how we impact our planet.
Awareness is a prelude to respect, projected into the world as appreciation
Geology of the National Parks
The US national parks were created to "preserve areas of natural & cultural interest", and many of these areas are interesting because they are uniquely beautiful, the result of millions of years of geologic evolution. Each park contains the clues to its own geologic history & the history of North America, a story that can be told only after many years of intensely studying the landscape and the rocks it is made of. We have learned that Yosemite NP was once a deeply buried liquid magma chamber, the layers of Zion NP formed as sea level rose & fell, Isle Royale NP contains volcanic rocks erupted when the continent almost tore in two, and Acadia NP contains rocks that formed at the depths of continent as the Pangaea supercontinent formed. Take a virtual geologic tour of the national parks with me next week via Zoom...
Are you prepared to interact with the environment at its most chaotic?
The fall season is upon us & seasonal winds will soon bring warm continental air flowing at ground level from the northeast, increasing the risk of wildfire spreading. Fire weather is defined as conditions favorable for the start and spread of wildfires, it is weather conducive to the spread of fires that are already burning or are sparked during the weather event. We cannot avoid fire season anymore than humans can avoid hurricane or thunderstorm seasons. Our only realistic choice is to be prepared, be aware of weather patterns (wind & humidity) & make sure you will receive hazard alerts in a timely manner. You can watch the recording of my "Wildfire Links to Earthquakes (Sonoma County Geology)" presentation to learn about local natural hazards so that you can better prepare for events we hope we will not have to experience. Be hopeful, & get prepared anyway.
Step #1 pack your go bag
Step #2 make an evacuation plan
Step #3 practice your emergency plan
Step #4 create a comprehensive packing list
When stress levels are high, our memory is less reliable, so use near future low stress moments to plan, prepare & consider what items are important to you. Your list will be more reliable than your memory.
