Heat, Drought, Fire, Smoke
Action is our hope
By Winona Bateman
Photography by Craig Collar (@craigwcollarphoto) of Robertson Draw Fire in Red Lodge, MT on June 15, 2021
This has been quite the summer in Montana. In the east, farmers and ranchers confront stunted hay crops, parched fields, and cattle too expensive to feed. In the west, smoke has blanketed communities for nearly a month or more, causing poor air quality and constant adjustments to summer plans and camp schedules for families. Some families have loved ones on the many fire lines across the West, and other families stand ready to evacuate their homes (or have been evacuated) from the countless wildfires. If we don’t act, it will get much worse.
Fossil fuel emissions are driving increased temperatures by thickening our atmosphere and trapping more heat. We must eliminate them, and implement the innovations we have on hand, like solar and wind energy along with storage, for our energy needs as fast as possible, among other changes. This would create jobs and boost our economy across Montana. We must also support the families and communities that currently rely on the fossil fuel sector in this transition. They should not be left behind.
Montana is a hot spot for climate change. Our state has warmed 2-3 degrees since the 1950s, more than the global average. In the next 19 years, depending on global warming emissions, we’re on track to warm a total of 4.5-6 degrees. Almost anywhere in the state this summer, Montanans can look out their windows to see where things are going if we fail to take effective action to address this crisis: more heat, more drought, more fire, more smoke. None of us want that. We must take real action now. It's all hands on deck.
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Winona Bateman is the Executive Director of Families for a Livable Climate in Missoula, Montana. FLC’s mission is to create community for climate action in Montana, reaching out across differences, and engaging in events and one-on-one conversations to build community will for climate action. With a background in communications, Winona sees climate art and storytelling as a regenerative practice, a way to make connections with each other, create meaning in our lives, and envision an equitable and livable future.