EDM Week in Review: April 4, 2016
Emergency and Disaster Management (EDM) Week in Review: April 4, 2016
A weekly recap of handpicked emergency and disaster management news, along with analysis and interpretation from our team of experts.
Refugees in Greece
The Greek government began deporting refugees as part of the controversial European Union deal that was struck in mid-March. Greece plans to send about 750 migrants back across to Turkey by Wednesday. This first wave of deportations sparked protests and Greek leaders said they are expecting violence.
Wildfires in Kansas & Oklahoma
The largest wildfire ever to burn in Kansas was 90 percent contained on Monday, flared again on Wednesday, threatening the town of Freedom, Oklahoma, before winds turned it briefly back to the south. The original fire left behind nearly 400,000 charred acres in Kansas and Oklahoma. The wildfire, which began in Oklahoma on March 22 and spread north to Kansas, destroyed at least 41 buildings and left at least 600 cattle dead.
@KFOR 4:50p Logan Co. Fire slowing to North. Less tree/dry grass fuel. 1 home lost. @NWSNorman @OKForestService pic.twitter.com/h5DZudLFQk
— Marc Dillard (@F5Video) April 5, 2016
The current fire, which started in Woodward County, OK, has already scorched 56,000 acres forcing the evacuations of hundreds, is being blamed on arcing power lines and is said to be burning out of control. Officials estimate the fire to be 15 miles long and 3 miles wide, indicating that it has consumed numerous structures and is currently only 20 percent contained. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency in 10 new counties as wildfires continue to ravage parts of the state.
Cyber Security
President Barack Obama extended the national emergency on cyber attacks that aims to protect the U.S. from "malicious cyber-enabled activities." President Obama originally declared the emergency one year earlier, in April 2015, and recently extended it for one more year.
Fracking & Groundwater
Stanford researchers recently discovered evidence of fracking fluids polluting groundwater in Wyoming. Researchers found a long list of hydraulic fracturing fluid chemicals in wells near Pavillion, WY, and cautioned that fracking could be causing widespread impacts on drinking water resources across the nation.
Human-Induced Earthquakes
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently released a report that revealed that up to 7 million U.S. residents have been impacted by human-induced seismicity. Human-induced quakes have increased in frequency in recent years due to activities like wastewater disposal, and oil and gas production from wells deep underground.
