Earth week continues and we have our spring wildfires here in New Jersey. Evidently a passing train sparked a cluster of wildfires along a ten-mile stretch near Winslow, a semi-rural mid-size community in Camden County. It doesn’t take much to start a brush fire from a train due to carbon sparks from the diesel exhaust.
One would have thought with all the rain we’ve had, the ground would still be wet, but not so. Over 400 acres of Wharton State Forest burned yesterday, but is now contained. Other, smaller, fires are also raging and being put under control
Although many fires are caused by careless humans, the increase in the severity of wildfires is clearly attributable to the climate catastrophe we are now experiencing. It’s cool now, but the heat is coming We need to take action to preserve what we have or we will pay the price in environmental impact.
Prayer for the Day
The cool early morning comes fast upon us, O God,
As now we see tree branches waving in the breeze;
But we know that the heat of summer will be upon us soon,
And we brace ourselves for stories of wildfires and drought.
Hold us close, O Holy One, as we work to sustain the earth,
And give us perseverance against the greed of overdevelopment.
In the name of the One who is our strength,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Nature is not a luxury; it is a necessity for living in New Jersey, and in the planet as a whole.
Michele Byers, Landworks Advisory Group, LLC
Preservation priorities must also include wetlands, wetland buffers, floodplains, and flood hazard areas. Although environmental regulations protect these lands, many are privately owned and vulnerable to encroachments and violations. Permanent preservation through public ownership and strong, enforceable deed restrictions are required to fully preserve these lands.
From Nature for All: a 2050 Vision for New Jersey
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Psalm 90: 1-2