Extreme Weather Emergency Tour visits Yuma
Madeline Murray
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – The Extreme Weather Emergency Tour made a pit stop in Yuma Friday.
The purpose is to highlight how climate change is making weather worse and work on solutions to make a change.
Charlene Fernandez, former State Director for Arizona, says, “There was a special emphasis and dedicated money to make sure that we address climate change.”
With the Trump administration rolling back on grants for climate protections, the tour shared concerns for how this is weakening disaster response.
Speakers provided recent examples of how the issue has been affecting the nation through extreme heat, fires, and floods.
Arizona State Representative Mariana Sandovol (D-District 23) shared how it’s affecting our community.
“Look around you, look at how things have changed, and how hotter it is, I mean we have record heat last summer, here in Yuma, like over 110 for like over 30 days,” says Mariana Sandoval.
Some locals agree and are as concerned as the representatives on the tour.
Carolyn Millers, a Yuma local, states, “I notice my APS bills rising, and I do believe that climates are changing.”
Others believe there is nothing to worry about, with Yuma residet Jim Flagg saying, “There is no problem at all. I don’t believe in it, no. There’s no change except going to different states, but the climate is the same.”
While some locals don’t believe that climate change is real, the event coordinators disagree, saying that climate change is no longer a distant threat. We are living in it.