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Elaine A. Powers, Author

MAKING SCIENCE BOOKS FUN!

How to Make a Monsoon

Here in the Sonoran Desert, changes in the weather occur before the monsoons arrive. Humidity and dew points increase. Replacing our comfortable dry heat – when sweat evaporates immediately. After all, in 100+ degree weather, the body needs to sweat. But sweat remained on my skin when I lived in the South, beading up and forming rivers flowing all over my body. We would say we were “glowing.” During this pre-monsoon period in the desert, I glow rivers. This misery is worth it if it causes the monsoon clouds to build.

How to Make a Monsoon

I search Pusch Ridge of the Santa Catalina Mountains daily, hoping to see clouds forming. Not the thin, wispy clouds, but mighty, towering clouds! Once clouds are spotted, I start communicating with these masses of water vapor.

A view from Elaine's backyard, clouds moving over the Catalina mountains.

With the first sign of the clouds behind Pusch Ridge, I start the conversation. I speak words of encouragement, cheering on the gathering. However, hours creep by, and the clouds build too slowly. The stimulating heat is lost if the rain doesn’t come before sunset, and the clouds must start again. Encouragement turns to complaints. Why aren’t you building faster? If you don’t develop more quickly, you won’t have enough energy to rain!

Early in the season, we have the danger of virga, when rain falls from the clouds but evaporates before it reaches the ground. No nonsense like that will be tolerated.

Wispy clouds emerge over the desert.

Patience and encouragement turn to impatience and cajoling. I stand in the yard, looking at the clouds with disgust and chastise, even ridicule, them! “You call yourself rain clouds? I’ve seen better rain clouds in a steamy bathroom!” I don’t know if the clouds care about my opinion, but I fool myself into thinking I was motivating them. Maybe they’d get riled up and rain on me in spite.

Sometimes, people get excited when they find clouds in the morning. But morning clouds actually inhibit the rain clouds. The monsoon storms need ground heating to build to their full potential.

Gray clouds converging over the desert.

Many people claim washing cars stimulates rainfall, but for me, the ultimate inducer is swimming in an outdoor pool. Yes, jump into the pool and wait for the thunder and lightning to appear. Lightning can travel 10 to 12 miles in a storm. Pusche Ridge is a lot closer than that! Don’t worry. I’m back inside my nice, grounded house when I see lightning or hear thunder.

I went into my pool for a swim as the clouds darkened, taunting them to strike me with lightning. But no lightning appeared, and I swam unimpacted in my 96-degree pool water.

As I took my post-swim shower, I heard some thunder, but certainly not sufficient to allow the chlorine to remain on my skin.

I returned to my laptop to work when I noticed the wind was increasing outside. The trees were undulating, then blown sideways as the gusts intensified. Was it coming? Was it indeed the beginning of the monsoon season?

The Real Reason for Monsoons

Okay, you’re probably wondering if talking to clouds doesn’t induce monsoon thunderstorms (the correct terminology for this atmospheric event); what does? During the summer, the winds across southern Arizona shift to a southern direction. This pushes moisture northward from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes near Baja, California, really excite me! They’re a great source of moisture, and here in land-locked Arizona, we don’t have to worry about the direct impact of these potentially destructive storms.

Combine this moisture with the extreme heating of the desert, producing rising air and surface low pressure, and you’ve got the events necessary for monsoon thunderstorms. The potential for development can be tracked with dew points above 50°F for several consecutive days and temperatures around 100°F. With the build-up in feel-able humidity and the high temperatures, people long for the relief of falling rain, which often drops the temps for a few hours.

It’s no wonder that people long for the rain. People in my neighborhood enjoy standing in the rain. It’s such a novelty in the desert.

It’s not only the people who long and count on the monsoon storms. All the Sonoran Desert plants and animals depend on them as well. The shriveled cacti plump up. The desert tortoises come running out and drink deeply. The life-giving water is welcomed by all the inhabitants of this dry landscape.

Rain pours into Elaine's backyard.

The ground and plants are so dry that within minutes of the vigorous rainfall, all the water is gone from the earth – not a puddle to be found.
This summer, the monsoon storms have been disappointing at my house. The rain shown above has been the only good rainfall. The clouds looked encouraging for several afternoons, but only a few drops fell.

Consequently, my conversations with the clouds continue. I admit, My words have not been encouraging but more spoken in frustration and desperation. I eagerly await the storms that tell me to shut up and try to wash me away!

PS – You’ll want to avoid standing near me when lightning is about. There was a time when I thought Zeus was aiming directly for me. Many bolts came oh so close. But that’s a story for another blog.

Where’s Elaine?

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark-pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.”

–Carl Sagan

 

Ah, it’s wonderful to be putting words onto the page again. Were you wondering where I had gone to? I’ve been busy doing other non-writing activities for the past few months, but I’m back to what I really want to be doing, writing creatively, and attempting to create new books.

 

Where I’ve Been..

 

For the Tucson Festival of Books, I was in my “Grab an Adventure by the Tale” booth on March 4 & 5. I was joined by my fellow author and illustrator Brad Peterson, aka Anderson Atlas, as we sold our educational and entertaining books. I love speaking with kids who like science, especially when parents encourage them to read. Teachers seem particularly interested in the information contained in my books and homeschoolers frequently sign up for my newsletters and take my contact information. Both Brad and I sold books, appropriate for ages from kindergarten to young adult. We’ll be there in March 2024, so come visit us. It wasn’t the biggest festival attendance, but 130,000 visitors are very good, keeping TFoB the third-largest festival in the US.

Two weeks later, I was a co-chair for Left Coast Crime 2023: Trouble in Tucson. We’d been working on the conference for over 2 years, but I am pleased to say, it went very smoothly due to the volunteers of the Tucson Sisters in Crime. I didn’t understand why I had to stay at the El Conquistador Resort since I only lived 5 minutes away, but once the conference started, I understood. I enjoyed the experience very much but was glad when it was over. I’ll discuss some behind-the-scenes items in additional blogs.

One of my friends, Jeanette Mathias, strongly encouraged me to be a speaker at OLLI-UA, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arizona. OLLI is known for its 30+ years of Lifelong Learning. Their philosophy is “Feed your curious mind & passion for knowledge in-person or online. Stay connected & meet new friends in a community that shares your love of learning. Come explore hundreds of intellectually stimulating courses, field trips, and social activities – all at an incredible value.” I decided 3 lectures would give me sufficient time to talk about reptiles. My talks included live animals as well, of course. The people who attended seemed genuinely interested in reptiles and enjoyed the opportunity to meet and learn about my reptilian family members. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any snakes, only lizards, and chelonians.

During this time, I was experiencing teaching grade school students weekly as an after-school instructor for the Marana Unified School District. I have no training in classroom instruction. I was used to doing one-off lectures, and not coming up with activities for first to fourth-graders. Fortunately, I had several real teachers to help me corral the 30+ kids in the Animal Friends class. I explored various activities in the fall semester and felt I had prepared some nice lesson plans for the second semester. I hope to continue this program in the fall. If you’d like to see some of the sheets I prepared for this wide range of ages and abilities in one class, I am glad to share what I came up with. These activities would be appropriate for entertaining kids during the summer or after school.

I finished up my non-writing period on April 29 by being the speaker at the Friends of the Pima County Public Library Annual Members Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. In half an hour, I shared my experiences volunteering in iguana conservation and how that led to my writing career. From the response, I think I did pretty well. They were a wonderful audience and the work they do to support the Pima County library system is crucial. I was honored to receive a lifetime membership to the Friends.

Now, I am once again at my laptop and all is right with the world. Thank you for reading!

Join Me at TFOB!

The festival is coming! The festival is coming! On March 4 & 5, 2023, the best book festival in the country, the Tucson Festival of Books, will be held at the University of Arizona mall. If you’re a newbie to TFOB, or even a seasoned professional, planning your visit can be a bit overwhelming. Not to worry, I have some recommendations!

 

Join Me and My Fellow Authors

 

I’ll be sharing booth #325 with fellow author/illustrator Anderson Atlas. “Grab an Adventure by the Tale” will be in the Children’s section. We have books for kids of all ages, including those who are only kids at heart. Between the two of us, we have an incredible array of locally written and illustrated books. In addition, Atlas always comes up with an interesting decoration for the booth – you don’t want to miss what he comes with this year!

As you stroll around the mall, be sure to stop at the Arizona State Poetry Society, booth #413, and Tucson Sisters in Crime, #427. All of these booths will have books for sale by Arizona authors. Whether you prefer poetry or mysteries, these organizations will fulfill your desires.

Unfortunately, this amazing event only lasts one weekend. Clear your calendar and come on out. If you want to hear your favorite author, search for that one special tome, or enjoy learning some science, the Tucson Festival of Books is the place to be. Oh, and the funds raised go to support local literacy programs.

What Strange Food is This?

I recently wrote a blog about popcorn for National Popcorn Day. Microwave popcorn is very popular these days. Microwave ovens often have a designated popcorn button built into them. In addition, various foods have been produced specifically for cooking in microwave ovens. I understand the need for speed when preparing meals. Most people need to get out the door early in the morning, or in my case, I had 30 minutes to get changed after work, eat supper, then get to a theater rehearsal. I greatly appreciated the convenience of those rapid preparations that sometimes left me time to look through my mail, too! The other day, in my local grocery store, I saw a microwave food product I didn’t know existed. I had to try it and obviously had to blog about it.  

Cuisinely Curious

I’m, what I like to call, cuisinely curious. I was raised by a father who had the philosophy of “if someone else can eat it and not turn green, so can I.” When I travel, I prefer to eat the local foods to fully experience the culture. After all, food is essential to each area’s identity. I like to taste local dishes, learn about their origins, and how the food reflects the daily lives of the locals.

But this blog isn’t about any far-flung locale, No, this blog is about a discovery during a routine shopping trip. Microwaveable pork rinds! I didn’t know my usual grocery store carried microwaveable pork rinds. I’ve purchased regular pork rinds in bags next to the potato and corn chips, but never seen this intriguing creation: microwaveable pork rinds! I had to try them.

Time for a Taste Test

They came in the usual microwave popcorn paper bag and cellophane wrapper.

A bag of Lowrey's Microwave Pork Rings, original flavor.

And like the popcorn bags, the paper bag had instructions, which I followed very carefully. Unlike popcorn, pork rinds don’t have any popping sound indicators to signal it is cooking or when it’s cooking is finished.

The pack of microwave pork rinds, fresh out of the microwave.

I admit I was a little surprised at the result. I peeled open the bag, cautiously. After all, the contents were hot. They actually looked like the bagged, popped pork rinds. Ah, but how did they taste?

A bowl of the microwaved pork rinds, their appearance is exactly like bagged pork rinds.

They tasted like bagged pork rinds. Amazing!

About This Snack

Pork rinds, or chicharrones, are usually made of pork belly, but when I was a child, they were made from real pork skin. My father would bring home a strip of pig skin with an inner layer of fat. He would cut it up and fry it until the skin was crisp and the fat was cooked through. I enjoyed scraping the tasty fat off with my teeth and then chewing the crispy skin. It was a rare treat but one I still treasure today.

Today’s pork rinds today are puffed-up, airy pieces of protein. They are certainly crunchy with good flavor. I find them more satisfying than potato or corn chips and they are considered a “healthier” snack option. Okay, pork rinds may be better than chips, but they still can’t beat an apple or carrots.

Unfortunately, the microwavable pork rinds were relocated to the “reduced for quick sale” section of my local grocery store. If I had known about this product before it became a close-out item, I would have been a frequent purchaser. I may never again get to experience the remarkable microwave pork rinds. Unless it’s sold online…

Author Elaine A. Powers Featured on Tucson Environmental Community Partners

Elaine A. Powers was recently featured on Tucson Environmental Community Partners. This felicitous editorial aligns with Elaine’s aim as an author, conservationist, and biologist to spread science and fun through her stories.

Tucson Environmental Community Partners’ mission is to share the ‘purpose and passion’ of Tucson environmentalist residents, enthusiasts, professionals, educators, business owners, and volunteers.

The group touts Elaine’s “refreshing approach to teaching kids about reptiles & land conservation.” And while they love the fact that “Elaine does not shy away from scientific Latin names to identify the animals,” they also call her books “humorous’ and “leave an impression in [children’s] minds.”

To read the article visit https://tucsonenvironmental.com/project/elaine-a-powers-author-biologist-conservationist/.

About Tucson Environmental Community Partners

Tucson Environmental Community Partners is a resource for Tucsonans to engage in the community of diverse events, activities, education, volunteerism, outdoor and eco-driven businesses, and to locate many opportunities to participate and get involved in supporting and making practical, restorative, and powerful environmental change and care.

A BIG Book Celebration in Tucson, AZ

The authors are coming! The authors are coming! Once again, we’ll be celebrating books and literacy in person in Tucson at the 2022 Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB)! Learn more about this Tucson book celebration staple and how you find me there. 

A Brief TFOB History

The first festival was held March 14-15, 2009 with 450 authors and 50,000 visitors. The number of visitors has grown to 135,000. Yes, little ole Tucson has the third-largest festival in the country! They have an amazing team of volunteers who keep everything moving smoothly.

One aspect that I particularly enjoy is the annual festival mascot. Each year’s mascot is a resident animal of the Sonoran Desert. Creatures included so far have been the Gila monster, hummingbird, tarantula, Sonoran green toad, butterfly, Gambel’s quail, bobcat, jackrabbit, roadrunner, javelina, and coyote. I’ve written books about many of them and others are my companions in our desert home. I’ve been trying to get a photograph of a jackrabbit for years. They’re HUGE! This year’s mascots are prairie dogs or rather (as I suspect), round-tailed ground squirrels. I’m partial to ground squirrels (Squirrels of the Sonoran Desert).

Elaine smiling from her booth at the 2019 TFOB

Here I am at a previous Festival with some of my books. I’ve published a bunch more since then. 

The 2022 Tucson Festival of Books!

This year’s festival will be on March 12-13, 2022, at the University of Arizona Mall. I’ll be in the children’s section at booth #322. Look for Grab an Adventure by the Tale! Author-illustrator Brad Peterson, aka Anderson Atlas, will be joining me. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your personally signed books by either or both of us! We’ll be there all day, both days.

My books are all published through Lyric Power Publishing, LLC. One of my fellow LPP authors, Gene Twaronite, will sell and sign his books at the festival. He will be moving around to different locations for his signings. He starts at the Indie Authors – Children’s Author Pavilion on Saturday, from 10 am to noon. Then at the AZ State Poetry Society booth (#410 from 1-3 pm). On Sunday, at the ASPS booth again from 10 am to noon. And finally, at Young Adult Author Rendezvous (booth 451) to display his two young adult fantasy novels. 

Something for Everyone

Even though the festival is an opportunity for authors to sell their books and readers to meet the authors in person, TFOB has much more to offer. There are talks, performances, the science pavilion, non-profit agencies, parks, and food vendors. Tucson has the best food trucks. However, the festival is a celebration of literature to increase literacy rates among children and adults. Any money left over after the expenses are contributed to local literacy programs. So far, they have donated over $2 million.

So, mark your calendar for March 12th and 13th. Here’s a chance to get out and restock your reading pile with autographed books after meeting them in person. And remember to stop by booth #322. You’ll be glad you did, and so will I!

For more information on this festival, check out their website: https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/

 

Tucson Festival of Books Event Image courtesy of Digital Bookmobile

The Laws of Physics (According to Horses)

I started horseback riding after I retired. Before that, I’d never been particularly fond of horses, despite being a biologist. I preferred reptiles, crustaceans, and mollusks. However, life has a way of leading me down unexpected trails. Although no matter the trail I find myself on, I always find a little science. Even with a biology major, I had to take physics classes. I particularly liked those that dealt with the physics of living beings. But I still had to learn about the general laws of movement and such. But once I started riding horses, I quickly began thinking about all of the laws of physics. 

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

There’s the obvious law of gravity that I’m reminded of every time I climb on the back of a thousand-pound animal. Should I be jostled off, gravity will without fail take me to the ground. Yet, it’s gravity that keeps me on the horse. By balancing above the horse’s center of gravity, I will stay on her back. Once on board, the laws of motion are very apparent. 

Newton’s Laws of Motion

First Law of Motion: an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. I have to convince the horse to move forward. Sometimes, the horse prefers to just stand. That’s the difference between a bicycle and a horse. Fortunately, most of the time when I ask nicely, the horse will move forward. When the horse moves, I feel my body being thrown back – that’s my body trying to remain at rest. The faster the horse goes forward, say to a canter, the more my body is thrown back. Hopefully, I can remain seated and not thrown completely off the back of the horse! Every time the horse changes its pace, I have to adjust my center of gravity. There’s no sitting passively when on top of a moving horse!

Second Law of Motion: acceleration of an object depends on the net force and is directly proportional to the magnitude of the force, while being inversely proportional to the mass of the object. A rider’s center of gravity is critical for horseback riding. If I’m centered on top of the horse’s center of gravity, we are in balance. I can use my balance to communicate to the horse how I want it to move. By shifting my balance back, gently pulling on the reins and relaxing my legs, this net force moves the horse’s mass to slow down or stop. This also happens when a horse jumps, combining the horse lifting its legs and gravity pulling them back down.

Third Law of Motion: when two bodies interact, they apply forces to one another that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. When I’m sitting on the horse, my body is pushing down on the horse (poor horse), but at the same time, the horse is pushing up on me (thank you, horse) with the same amount of force. The reason I bounce in the saddle is due to the force with which its hooves push on the ground, creating the upward force that causes me to bounce in the saddle. Of course, my coming off the horse, being thrown, involves this third law. That’s when the force of the horse is a little more than my force.

Centrifugal Force

Centrifugal force: an object moving in a circle behaves as if it’s being pushed outward.  Another aspect of departing the back of the horse involves centrifugal force. So, when I’m riding in a circle to the left, I feel like I am being flung to the right. Sometimes, if the horse makes a sharp turn, my body continues outward by centrifugal force. Sometimes, this force is sufficient to fling me off the horse, where gravity takes over.

To allow me to stay on the horse, friction can help. Holding my legs against the horse creates friction. This also helps keep me in the proper posture. The horse is creating its friction between her hooves and the ground.

Many other aspects of physics are involved in the more advanced riding that I haven’t experienced since I’m a “young” rider. The ones I’ve experienced so far have been sufficient. 

I’ve learned a lot since I started horseback riding, horse behavior, my body and its muscles and a refresher course in the physics of motion. Check out my other science based books, with an animal flair. And now it’s time to meet my physics instructors!

A chestnut horse with a white stripe running down it's head, Elaine leads it on a rope in the pasture.
Button
Elaine sits on a tan horse.
Lady

What Makes Sunsets So Spectacular?

Sunsets can be spectacular in Tucson, Arizona. Bright colors predominate, such as the red one above. Sometimes, they’re dark red, sometimes orangish-red like on this night.

Why are these sunsets red? Because of particulates in the air. The colors of a sunset are caused by the scattering of light’s wavelengths. Stuff in the air like dust, smoke, pollution, and water change the intensity of the light, i.e. scatter the light. However, the wavelengths don’t scatter equally.  The short wavelengths, blue and violet, scatter away easily, so we can’t see them. The other colors of red, orange and yellow are able to make it through.

The dust from the Sonoran desert monsoons can enhance the red color. It’s good to know that the dust has a positive purpose.

Even though our sunsets result merely from light scattering, their brilliance can be quite enjoyable.

photo of sunrise in tucson az

The same scattering effect happens at sunrise. The light at sunrise has even farther to travel through the air because the sun is low on the horizon.

It’s nice to know why the sky can be so colorful. Understanding the science doesn’t diminish our enjoyment of the bright colors at all, does it?

The Sonoran Desert has inspired me to write many fun science books. Check them out on the My Books tab today.

A collage of book covers indicating the categories of books at elaineapowers.com
My Books By Category

Uh, Oh! A Green Iguana Found in Sweetwater Wetlands Needs a New Home

Here is Albert finishing up his recovery in foster care. By the way, he’s very adept at using his magnificent tail for defense!

The Sonoran Desert is not known for its wetlands. That’s why the Sweetwater Wetlands are so special. This isn’t a natural wetlands, but was created by the City of Tucson’s reclaimed water system. Reclaimed water is used exclusively in the wetlands. Visitors have access to the wetlands and the inhabitants through 2.5 miles of pathways.

Surface water attracts wildlife in the desert, so many can be seen in the Sweetwater Wetlands. Being particularly fond of reptiles, I’m curious about what kinds might be there. Several reptiles are known to inhabit the wetlands, such as the Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus), Western Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata), Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affnis) and the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox).

However, recently a reptile was seen that definitely did not belong there. It’s bad enough that Red-eared Slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) have been introduced there, and the Sweetwater Wetlands does not need Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana).

Unfortunately, green iguanas have become invasive in many ecosystems around the world because people release them where they don’t belong, like the Sweetwater Wetlands. Part of my work in iguana conservation is to help people identify green iguanas. If you’d like more information on iguanas, please visit my website and contact me through elaineapowers.com.

After several reports were received about a male iguana in the wetlands, the Animal Experts were called. They had to wade through the water to reach the tree where the iguana was hanging out. Definitely, an incredible adventure. The men were able to successfully retrieve the lizard. You can follow their story on Animal Experts on Facebook.

The iguana was taken to a local reptile veterinarian who discovered he had a large bladder stone. It is suspected that this is why he was released. The staff named him Albert. Surgery was performed to remove the stone and Albert was put into foster care to recover.

photo of large bladder stone removed from iguana
Photo of the bladder stone removed by Dr. Jarchow of Orange Grove Animal Hospital.

A GoFundMe account was set up to help pay for Albert’s medical costs. As soon as he has healed, Albert will be put up for adoption. Hopefully, Albert will find a forever home soon.

Book Note: I wrote a book called Silent Rocks about the critically endangered rock iguanas of Cayman Brac, and how they need the help of humans to survive. If you’d like to help, book information is here and it is available at Amazon.com.

white book cover with rock iguana photo on cover
The endemic Sister Isle Rock Iguana of Cayman Brac is critically endangered. This poignant book shows why* and how we humans can help. Includes many photographs of these magnificent large lizards.
*Silent Rocks can be used to teach how humans endanger many species.

Natural Fire: Helpful or Destructive?

Fire can be a wonderful or terrify thing. In many ecosystems, fires are important for keeping them healthy. These are low intensity fires that clear the ground of brush and scrub. However, invasive plant species like buffelgrass cause fires to burn hotter destroying the ecosystem, instead of nurturing it.

May and June in the Sonoran Desert are high fire periods. This is the dry season between the winter rains and summer monsoons. Plants dry, grass turns brown. It is very easy to accidentally start a fire, so open fires are restricted. Sudden, heat-generated storms are produced, containing a lot of lightning, and nature uses the lightning to ignite fires during this time.

One such storm ignited the dry vegetation on Pusch Ridge, near my home, on June 5. Pusch Ridge is in the Santa Catalina Mountains, north of Tucson, AZ. The three peaks are between 5,000 to 6,000 feet high. At the lower elevations are the iconic saguaro cactus, while juniper and pines are found higher.

Picture by Elaine A. Powers early on in the Bighorn Fire

Natural low-intensity fires clear out the ground debris allowing for new growth that support animals, such as bighorn sheep. Unfortunately, the introduction of invasive plants, like buffel grass, have changed the nature of the fires. The dried invasive plants fuel much larger, higher intensity fires, resulting in the destruction of the ecosystem instead of enhancing it.

Sadly, the Bighorn Fire on Pusch Ridge is one of the destructive fires. This destruction is the results of man’s altering of the environment. Buffel grass was introduced for erosion control and cattle forage. The buffel grass thrived and forced out the natural plants. Buffel grass-fueled fires also destroy buildings.

Image courtesy of www.wildfiretoday.com; Photographer not credited; photo undated

The fire is still raging today. According to The Arizona Daily Star, “Firefighters spent most of Sunday strengthening fire lines in the Summerhaven area and burning down the ridge line north of the town as they continued to fight the 58,500-acre Bighorn Fire,” officials said. 950 people are fighting the fire that is about 16% contained.

It is hoped that some of the areas will be able to rejuvenate with native species, but the loss may be irreparable or last for many years. Unfortunately, humankind has never been able to quickly stop its destructive behaviors.

NOTE: Staying indoors with children? Check out my science-based, fun and educational books; and the science workbooks and activity sheets at Lyric Power Publishing, LLC.

image of MY Books Page