This has been a summer of extreme weather events followed by natural disasters such as flooding and wildfires — not only in North America but globally. Whether we’re talking about wildfires near Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories or the devastation in Maui’s seaside community of Lahaina, everyone agrees that this year so far has been the worst one on record for wildfires. In addition, one has the flooding throughout the American south and northeast, and the earlier floods that greatly damaged Halifax and its surroundings in Nova Scotia, Canada. In several cases, we were not adequately prepared for the consequences of such extreme weather patterns involving droughts and severe storms, often a deadly combination. Severe storms are frequently followed by or include tornado activity, which also has proven to be deadly in many cases.
Those of us who live in regions which for the most part have avoided such calamities should be thankful for what we have, and not complain about poor vacation weather or extreme heat. Even lengthy periods of extreme heat can be deadly as witnessed in the southern U.S. and west coast of Canada. Yes, we will complain of smoke flowing in from our wildfires. However, while poor air quality at certain levels can be hazardous to our health, we can do something ourselves to mitigate the impact. The same cannot be said for those directly facing wildfires, flooding and tornadoes.
Then there are the enormous costs to all of us as a result of natural disasters. In the case of Maui, damage estimates already range in the 6 to 7 billion dollars U.S. The current evacuation of Yellowknife’s population, some 20,000 people, involves the largest single airlift of people in Canadian history. Fighting the wildfires across Canada will amount to hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. For individuals in high risk zones for natural disasters, the cost of insuring their property has gone sky high. In some cases, insurers are even refusing to insure many properties in such areas. Food costs will also increase as a result of the negative impact of climate weather on farming and agriculture in general. Certain harvests will certainly be affected this year, including grain, fruit and vegetable crops. Then there is the immediate impact on tourism dollars, such as in Lahaina where tourism represented about 70 percent of their local economy. Nova Scotia has also seen a significant downturn in tourism as a result of the earlier wildfires and recent floods.
Let’s not forget the physical and mental toll on individuals facing such disasters. Many are losing their homes and places of employment. The consequential stresses will increase demands on our health care sector. Then there are those on the front lines, especially those fighting wildfires. In Canada, four individuals working in related fire services have already died this past spring and summer. The health and moral of first responders is probably at an all time low. There is also the impact on our military, who often are asked to help in rescue missions, flood prevention and with logistics for evacuations. The Canadian military is already stretched thin because of international commitments, all this adding to additional costs that they have to bear.
While many of us sit and complain about poor weather for vacations, we should remember that there are our follow citizens who are greatly suffering from the impact of natural disasters on their communities. As I have argued in the past, governments, industries and non-profit agencies, such as the Red Cross, need to adapt in a timely manner in the face of continuing challenges associated with the eventuality of more extreme weather events. Failure to do so will only result in more costs, both economically and on a personal level. For now, affected communities will require our continuing assistance and support. Those of us who are fortunate enough to avoid such disasters need to stop complaining and find ways to support these communities and their people.
FROLITICKS 
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