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US wildfires have burned more than five million acres this year. And heat and drought are still spreading.

The temperature in South Korea is at a 122-year high. It has killed over a dozen people. It joins Europe and the US as extreme heat hot spots.

Almost 50% of Americans want to block the growth of AI data centers. They worry about electricity prices. But the chain of events goes beyond that. Many data centers are powered by fossil fuels. Less demand means lower use of these.

So far this year, America has had 45,000 wildfires. That is a record for this time of year. It’s mostly because of record drought and record high temperatures.

The largest wildfire is not in Europe or near Spokane. It is in the Unorganized Thunder Bay District in Ontario and has burned 800,000 acres. It is an example of how government does not bother to make an investment in ending fires far from populations

There is an effort in Brazil to use macauba palm trees to create biofuels to run jet engines. It isn’t just a theory. Investments in the process have hit $3 billion.

The U.S Drought Monitor shows that 80% of America has some level of drought. In about a third of the country, that drought is severe. If there is one reason for the high number of acres burned, it is that.

A new study shows that Tampa is among the 15 American cities where buyers have an advantage over sellers. The primary reason is excess inventory. One reason is that major hurricanes have hit areas around the city. That damages homes and drives up insurance rates.

According to GasBuddy, gas prices are at an all-time high for this year, at about $4,10 for a gallon of regular nationwide. People tend to shop for hybrids and EVs when this happens

The latest count is that there have been over 44,000 wildfires in the US this year. That is a record. Some are small. Others are huge, like those near Spokane

The largest AI tech companies plan to invest $1 trillion in data center construction over the next 18 months. They consider this key to their survival. Meanwhile, residents and politicians in areas where they are to be built are blocking them.

LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark are all shut down. The estimated cost to airlines across the country is $350,000

I’m in New York City right now. I’ve seen parts of Queens and Brooklyn that are several feet underwater. Not only will buildings be permanently damaged, but the city cannot afford the infrastructure to stop the flooding. They are an example of how climate change can alter the face of a city.

There are two insurance questions about the wildfires near Portland. The first is whether people are insured now. The other is whether insurance companies will almost certainly leave because of losses.

New Orleans is more vulnerable to hurricanes than other large US cities. The reason is that 50% of it is already below sea level. That can’t be fixed. Protecting the metro would cost hundreds of billions of dollars from the federal government.

We looked at electricity costs to keep a 2,500-square-foot home at 72 degrees F. Phoenix has at least 100 days each year when the outside temperature is over 100 degrees F. Electricity costs under these circumstances are about $2,000 a month, which is more than many mortgages.

People who want to power their homes with wind turbines, completely off the grid, could spend $50,000 or more to install. This assumes a 2,500-square-foot house in a temperate climate. Homeowners need to believe heating oil prices will be very high for years to pay back the difference.

The federal tax credit for residential solar power installations is gone. The cost to install full solar for off-grid use has gotten extremely expensive, and with all costs factored in, the price is $45,000. That assumes a temperate climate and a 2,500-square-foot home. Oil prices would have to stay very high to justify the cost.