The Origin of Wildfires and How They Are Caused

It is interesting to note that, of the four billion years of earths existence, conditions were not conducive for spontaneous wildfire until the last 400 million years. A naturally-occurring atmospheric fire did not have the chemical elements available until major several earth changes occurred. The earliest life forms emerged without needing oxygen (anaerobic organisms) to live about 3.5 billion years ago and lived in a carbon dioxide based atmosphere. Life forms that needed oxygen in small amounts (aerobic) came much later in the form of photosynthesizing blue-green algae and ultimately changed the earths atmospheric balance toward oxygen and away from carbon dioxide (co2). Photosynthesis increasingly dominated earths biology by initially creating and continuously increasing the earths percentage of oxygen in the air. Green plant growth then exploded and aerobic respiration became the biologic catalyst for terrestrial life. Around 600 million years ago and during the Paleozoic, conditions for natural combustion started developing with increasing speed. Wildfire Chemistry Fire needs fuel, oxygen, and heat to ignite and spread. Wherever forests grow, the fuel for forest fires is provided mainly by continued biomass production along with the resulting fuel load  of that vegetative growth. Oxygen is created in abundance by the photosynthesizing process of living green organisms so it is all around us in the air. All that is needed then is a source of heat to provide the exact chemistry combinations for a flame. When these natural combustibles (in the form of wood, leaves, brush) reach 572 º, gas in the steam given off reacts with oxygen to reach its flash point with a burst of flame. This flame then preheats surrounding fuels. In turn, other fuels heat up and the fire grows and spreads. If this spreading process is not controlled, you have a wildfire or uncontrolled forest fire. Depending on the geographic condition of the site and the vegetative fuels present, you might call these brush fires, forest fires, sage field fires, grass fires, woods fires, peat fires, bush fires, wildland fires, or veld fires. How Do Forest Fires Start? Naturally caused forest fires are usually started by dry lightning where little to no rain accompanies a stormy weather disturbance. Lightning randomly strikes the earth an average of 100 times each second or 3 billion times every year and has caused some of the most notable wildland fire disasters  in the western United States. Most lightning strikes occur in the North American southeast and southwest. Because they often occur in isolated locations with limited access, lightning fires burn more acres than human-caused starts. The average 10-year total of U.S. wildfire acres burned and caused by humans is 1.9 million acres where  2.1 million acres burned are lightning-caused. Still, human fire activity is the primary cause of wildfires, with nearly ten times the start rate of natural starts. Most of these human-caused fires are accidental, usually caused by carelessness or inattention by campers, hikers, or others traveling through wildland or by debris and garbage burners. Some are intentionally set by arsonists. Some human-caused fires are started to reduce heavy fuel buildup and used as a forest management tool. This is called a controlled or prescribed burn and used for wildfire fire fuel reduction, wildlife habitat enhancement, and debris clearing. They are not included in the above statistics and ultimately reduce wildfire numbers by reducing conditions that contribute to wildfire and forest fires. How Does Wildland Fire Spread? The three primary classes of wildland fires are surface, crown, and ground fires. Each classification  intensity depends on the quantity and types of fuels involved and their moisture content. These conditions have an effect on fire intensity and will determine how fast the fire will spread. Surface fires typically burn readily but at a low intensity and partially consume the entire fuel layer while presenting little danger to mature trees and root systems. Fuel buildup over many years will increase intensity and especially when associated with drought, can become a rapidly spreading ground fire. Regular controlled fire or prescribed burning effectively reduces the fuel buildup leading to a damaging ground fire.Crown fires generally result from intense rising ground fire heat and occur in the higher sections of draping trees. The resulting ladder effect causes hot surface or ground fires to climb the fuels into the canopy. This can increase the chance for embers to blow and branches to fall into unburned areas and increase the spread the fire.Ground fires are the most infrequent type of fire but make for very intense blazes that can potentially destroy all vegetation and organic manner, leaving only bare earth. These largest fires actually create their own winds and weat her, increasing the flow of oxygen and feeding the fire.

Theoretical Perspectives On Sociology And Sociological...

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology In the world of sociology there are many different ways that humans interact with the world. Although we are all human beings, we do not always see the world the same way that others do. Even though not many are aware of the different ways they can see the world, there are three sociological perspectives. Using structural functionalism, the conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism one will be able to decide which view best represents the way they see this world. When asked about my perspective on the world, I view it using the conflict theory due to the examples that society gives us based on events that happen frequently. Even though all three of these theories are socially correct, the conflict theory defines my view of the world more than structural functionalism and symbolic interaction. According to sociologists, when viewing the world in a sociologically way, there are three different views that humans may share in common at times. The different functions that views present are structural functionalism, the conflict theory, and symbolic interaction. Which each of these beliefs consistent of differences, humans may not always share common beliefs. Structural functionalism is formed using a macro-level theory that sees society as something complete in which units make up the many parts which all work together to form their purposes and functions. Some of the main structures included in structural functionalism include religion,Show MoreRelatedTheoretical Frameworks Of Sociology And Sociological Perspective Essay918 Words   |  4 Pages What does Sociology have to do with me? Why do people think or act differently than you? Why are some people rich while others are poor? Why do some commit crimes, break laws and others do not? 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Doni Holy Family Essay Example For Students

Doni Holy Family Essay An interesting case in point is his earliest known painting, the Doni Tondo. Tondo means round. It was a holy family, painted in tempera on a wooden panel about four feet in diameter with an ornate, deeply carved, gold leaf frame almost as much a work of art in itself as the painting it holds. Joseph, in the middle ground, hands a rambunctious Christ child over to his mother who reaches for the boy over her right shoulder while just beyond the parapet is John the Baptist, and beyond that, a group of five, nude, pagan youths bear witness to Michelangelos preoccupation with the human figure even in such an unlikely context. The figures of the holy family have solid sculptural mass, brilliant color, and the feeling that they were sculpted first, then painted. The painting is thought to have been a gift from Agnolo Doni to his wife Maddalena Strozzi on the occasion of the birth of their first child, Maria in 1507. The Doni family were wealthy Florentine bankers. Even at this point in his career, before Julius II had so much as considered a new ceiling for his chapel, Michelangelo was having a profound influence on painters such as Florentine artist, Agnolo Bronzino, and Palma Vecchio of Venice. Its believed Michelangelo himself may have been influenced by the Florentine painter, Luca Signorelli who also rendered a holy family tondo about 1491 having some similar sculptural qualities which Michelangelo seems to have admired. However in no way does Signorellis work match the brilliance of color we see in the Doni painting, and later, even more forcefully in the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. The mystery seems to be why a man who was so GOOD at it, seems to have ABHORRED painting so much

My Gift To You The World Essays - My Gift To You,

My Gift To You The World My gift to you is somewhat strange, it's hidden and silent, alone and unheard, but it still lives beneath the darkened sun, it's love and hope and joy and sight, it's knowing what's right and wrong, it cried for life, and I heard it cry, I've tried to lift its spirits high, to let other people wonder of its glow, its burn for eternal happiness, our burn for eternal peace. To give these it's hard, to respect them it's harder, I've watched others, and seen them turn inside out, lying through the pain of their gritted teeth, do they know of love? can they feel the hope? have they ever cried silent tears? I myself have cried those silent tears, alone and scared and silent, my pain was great, my anger uncontrollable, can you feel my hardship, my hunger of exit to this world? to have materials and possessions, I could never have used, but to have what I give, perhaps I could have coped, and that time would now be forgotten, so now I give, what I want in return, I give the golden rule. I've tried to lead others to peace as is I, but for this you need their total trust, and they would not risk it all, so the act of good came to a stop, and my hope was just left hanging, now I still give, and I do with all my heart, I bring a gift to everyone, to make sure I please the sun, but after the deed I always feel loved, and I realize once again, "To give is to be born, nd to receive is to remember.

Overview of Autism essays

Overview of Autism essays Detected in approximately four to five of every ten thousand births (Powers 10), autism is a widely misunderstood disease. General knowledge of autism, often mistaken, is derived from films such as "Rainman." These unrealistic films feature autistic characters who are portrayed as being excessively intelligent. In reality, however, only twenty percent of people diagnosed with autism have average or above-average intelligence (Autism Primer 2). Actually, the majority of autistic people suffer varying degrees of mental retardation. A lifelong developmental disability, autism is a disease which affects the way people see, hear, relate, and communicate to others around them. Although the disease is incurable, progressive steps can be taken to help an autistic person function more independently in society. Autism is categorized as part of a larger group of disabilities called Pervasive Developmental Disorders, or PDDs. Among other PDDs, such as Down syndrome and schizophrenia, autism rates as the fourth most common (Powers 10). General symptoms of PDDs include impaired social interaction and communication skills. Symptoms, however, range on a continuum from mild to severe. While mild behavior is in no way dangerous, severe behavior can be very aggressive and can even result in self-injury. No single factor has been determined as a cause for autism, but researchers have come up with several theories. One probable cause is an abnormality in gene structure, which is acquired genetically. These genetic conditions affect brain development. Another possibility is that autism is the result of a diet lacking some vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Both of these hypotheses can contribute to neurological abnormalities. The affected areas of the brain include the cerebellum, hippocampus, an d amygdala. The neurons in this part of the brain develop to be smaller than normal, and the nerve fibers are stunted. Two other theori...

Pre-Islam, Bedouin customs and religious beliefs Essay

Pre-Islam, Bedouin customs and religious beliefs - Essay Example For example, there are three major features of Bedouin religion which are quite absent from the Muslim beliefs. In fact, these practices are actually abhorred in Islam with punishments for disobedience of the same. Idol worship, polytheism and accepting that god has children are three things expressly forbidden by Islam while these things were expressly accepted by the Bedouin tribes. Additionally things which were part of the Bedouin religion of the time included the worship of stars, the worship of ancestors and other influences from Christianity as well as the Judaic religion (Henninger, 1981). In fact, the connection between Christianity, Judaism and Islam seems to be far greater than any connection between pre-Islamic Bedouin religions. For example, Mohammad accepted Christ as his brother but does not accept that Christ was divine. He also accepts the prophets of the Jews as rightly guided individuals and even follows the customs of the Jews until Islam is able to define customs for itself as a new religion. Moreover, the idea of animal sacrifice to appease or win favor with God comes from Judeo-Christian traditions and the idea of animal sacrifice is accepted by Islam as well (Henninger, 1981). While Mohammad was able to find some allies in the shape of Christians who were his friends and relatives, we know for a fact that Mohammad and his followers were all persecuted for their religion by the pagans (Hines, 1999). The Muslims must have said harsh words against the pagan religions of the tribes in Mecca which led to the negative reaction. Had there been no discrepancy between the two ideas for religion it is doubtful that Muhammad would have to go into exile from Mecca to save his life. One important connection between the pre-Islamic religion of the Bedouin and the religion of the Muslims is that the concept of the supreme god remains pretty much the same (Wikipedia, 2006). However,

What does Katznelson mean by white affirmative action How do U.S Essay - 1

What does Katznelson mean by white affirmative action How do U.S. government policies effect non-white Americans - Essay Example Katznelson points out that African Americans were legally excluded from government programs such as; unemployment insurance, social security, grants, assistance of elderly and poor. The blacks were segregated through; theological justification, harsh enforcement, economic compulsions, political institutions, social conventions, and racist ideas (Katznelson 5). The age of whiteness was marked by restricting Black Americans from crossing the set social boundaries, and this was implemented by the police state that had the authority. In addition, the author mentions that; although, Europeans and African Americas fought alongside each other at the Second World War, some eastern and southern Europeans, through the white affirmative action, got full rights at the expense of African Americans. This paper discusses the meaning of â€Å"white affirmative action† from Katznelson’s point of view, and address how U.S. government policies affect non-white Americans. When Katznelson talks of â€Å"white affirmative action†, he refers to the way in which various government programs, which were constituted in the 1930s and 1940s segregated the blacks. The authority of white affirmative action was prescribed in the constitution, society, and peoples’ minds. In his context, when the government programs segregated the blacks, they worked on the opposite direction and favored the whites. Therefore, the government programs became affirmative actions for the white race. White affirmative action was seen when the government used; the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) and National Labor Relations Act (1935) to formulate worker reform, which would result in getting rid of domestic, as well as, agricultural labor (Katznelson 62). In this manner, Black Americans became segregated in that they could not find employment. The white affirmative action within the U.S. government was propelled by