Preparedness Expo
Saturday, August 10th is the Beat the Wave Preparedness expo. The annual presentation is for the general public to learn about what to have ready in the case of a disaster. Several years ago the information released by governing agencies was to be three day ready. In recent years that has changed to two weeks. The Expo at the Florence Events Center will help to make residents aware just what is needed to be ready. The Western Lane Emergency Operations Group is hosting the event filled with vendors and information talks including a presentation from Aaron Groth who is a coastal Oregon regional fire specialist with the forestry and national resource extension fire program. Jenna Bartlet is one of the organizers of the event
“He’s gonna be talking about how to stay safe and care for your community during a wildfire season.”
Bartlett points out that while the event is Beat the Wave, there will be representation from several different sources as the coast is saddled with the potential for disasters from tsunami, earthquake and fire. Another area of preparedness is medical. Members from Peace Harbor Medical Center are offering a suturing session where you can learn how to stitch up someone that has been cut. This however requires a sign up and $20 as there are materials that have to be ordered. To register you can call the Siuslaw News at 541-997-3441.
Dog Park Shelter
A local man who, along with his late wife Melody, has a passion for dogs is on a campaign to raise money for a weather shelter at the dog park on Kingwood. Chip Asplund says he has donated over a thousand dollars to the city several years ago with the hopes of a future build. Asplund’s wife suffered with COPD and would stay in the car during inclement weather. He says a shelter would help those who want to spend time with their pets in an outdoor surrounding be able to. He says it will take about $15,000 in order to make this happen and hopes the animal loving community would step up to help fund the shelter. He says donations can be made directly to the city at city hall.
Florence Festival of Books
The annual Florence Festival of Books is coming up in September. The event will be on Saturday September 28th and organizers have been actively recruiting new exhibitors while also planning new workshops and kid’s activities. Rachel Pearson with FACE says they are working to create an atmosphere similar to their winter music festival but for readers, authors and publishers. The event costs $2.00 to attend and slightly more for keynote speakers. Students 18 and under are free. The Florence Festival of Books will be at the Florence event center.
Wildfire Smoke Effects Plant Life
New research suggests humans aren’t the only ones experiencing negative effects from wildfire smoke. Researchers are studying Ponderosa pines, which inhabit much of the western United States, and they’re finding that smoke may be affecting trees and many more kinds of plants – including food crops. Research coauthor Delphine Farmer is a chemistry professor at Colorado State University. She says they don’t yet know the full extent of the effects of wildfire smoke on plant life, but they do know it can impact the economy in some surprising ways.
“Oregon has some amazing wine, and in the wine that’s grown there, there are a lot of concerns about smoke taint. And that’s when the gasses and particles of smoke actually get into the grapes and impact the taste and flavor of the wine.”
She says they’ve found smoke can cause plants to close their pores and even pause photosynthesis. This may mean shorter and slower growing periods, with unpredictable consequences for crop growth and output. Farmer adds the best solution is to work to manage the effects of climate change.