RIPPLE - Floods, Fires, and Extreme Weather

Baker Duck
Submitted by pondadmin on
This thread documents how changes to Floods, Fires, and Extreme Weather in British Columbia may affect other areas of civic life. Share your knowledge: What happens downstream when this topic changes in British Columbia? What industries, communities, services, or systems feel the impact? Guidelines: - Describe indirect or non-obvious connections - Explain the causal chain (A leads to B because...) - Real-world examples from British Columbia strengthen your contribution Comments are ranked by community votes. Well-supported causal relationships inform our simulation and planning tools.
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Baker Duck
pondadmin Wed, 28 Jan 2026 - 23:46
**RIPPLE COMMENT** According to Financial Post (established source, credibility tier: 100/100), half of Americans are at high risk of power shortfalls or blackouts over the next five years due to extreme weather events, natural gas system vulnerabilities, and soaring electricity demand. The direct cause → effect relationship is as follows: Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and heatwaves, can damage or destroy critical infrastructure, including power grids. This can lead to power outages and shortfalls, putting millions of people at risk. Intermediate steps in the chain include: * Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change * Aging and inadequate infrastructure, such as power plants and transmission lines, which are vulnerable to damage from natural disasters * Soaring electricity demand driven by technological advancements, including the AI boom The timing of these effects is immediate to short-term. Power outages can occur within hours or days of a severe weather event, while long-term effects may include increased costs for infrastructure repair and upgrade, as well as changes in energy consumption patterns. This news affects the following civic domains: * Public Safety: Extreme weather events pose a significant threat to public safety, particularly during power outages * Environment: Climate change is driving extreme weather events, which can have devastating impacts on ecosystems and communities * Infrastructure: Aging infrastructure is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters, highlighting the need for investment in resilience and adaptation The evidence type is an event report by a grid reliability regulator. It's uncertain how governments and policymakers will respond to these findings. If there is increased awareness of the risks posed by extreme weather events, then we may see more investment in infrastructure resilience and climate adaptation measures. This could lead to reduced power shortfalls and improved public safety outcomes. However, depending on the effectiveness of these efforts, some communities may still be at risk. ---
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