Description

Longer periods of winter /spring drought have increased the risk of forest or woodland fires,this has happened where I live.Longer hotter summers with violent tropical type storms have meant local flash floods or even more serious flooding in certain areas of Piedmont especially when the drainage system is insufficient to cope with the excess water.Lack of heavy winter snow falls and the sudden rise in temperature or the shrinking of glaciers in the nearby alps has meant frequent dangerous spring/early summer avalanches and ironically a shortage of drinking water for both humans and animals from time to time. Spring bulbs normally planted in September are now planted in late November when the temperature falls and the earth is not sodden with sudden heavy rainfalls.The unstable seasons have meant a rise in the number of people with flu like symptoms resulting in frequent absences from work or study and this means a considerable drain on the local and national economy as a result.