美国国家公共电台 NPR For Some California Residents, Latest Wildfires Are A Tipping Point

 

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Wildfires in northern and southern California have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes. Some have endured wildfires, smoke, floods, blackouts and evacuations many times before. And while California's population is predicted to top 40 million this year, a few people are wondering, might it be time to flee for good? Lesley McClurg from member station KQED explains.

LESLEY MCCLURG, BYLINE¹: Just a few weeks ago, Philip Van Gelder's biggest chore was clearing crusty mud and debris² from his property.

PHILIP VAN GELDER: We've been through several flood situations there. This was the worst we've seen in 40 years.

MCCLURG: In February, record-breaking downpours drenched³ the vineyards surrounding Geyserville. The idyllic⁴ town a few hours north of San Francisco turned into an island. Water crept toward the front porch of Van Gelder's green, wooden cottage.

VAN GELDER: And, you know, we watched it coming up step by step during the day.

MCCLURG: Finally, the top step disappeared. The 74-year-old guitarist lost fruit orchards⁵, a woodshop, an art studio.

VAN GELDER: We'll be cleaning up from that flood for the rest of our lives.

MCCLURG: The property was just starting to look normal. When Van Gelder jolted⁶ out of bed last Thursday...

VAN GELDER: The fires were raging through the hills.

MCCLURG: Firefighters warned his family flames could level the town. His neighborhood was under a mandatory⁷ evacuation order.

VAN GELDER: And I said, I understand that. I said, I will remain vigilant⁸.

MCCLURG: He and his wife refused to leave the land they'd nurtured⁹ for decades. They weathered a few smoky days without electricity or gas. Then ferocious¹⁰ winds picked up again over the weekend.

VAN GELDER: And the hills exploded in flames, and the house was surrounded with soot¹¹ and ash blowing everywhere.

MCCLURG: Van Gelder and his wife snapped into action.

VAN GELDER: I wasn't panicky or even as emotional as I am now trying to recall this.

MCCLURG: Sheltered at his daughter's house in Oakland, he lowers the bill of his camouflage¹² baseball cap and stares at the floor. He says he can't relax. He questions his future in California.

VAN GELDER: I think the climate is definitely becoming extreme.

MCCLURG: Any ideas of where you might go?

VAN GELDER: No, not really. (Laughter) Well, there's lots of pipe dreams, you might say.

DANIELLE BRYANT: And it's right at the forefront. Where do we go?

MCCLURG: Danielle Bryant lost her house in the Santa Rosa fires two years ago.

BRYANT: We were victims to one of the most terrible events in history.

MCCLURG: Flames decimated her neighborhood and killed 44 people. The next year, a couple hours away, more than 80 people died in the Camp Fire.

BRYANT: It feels very scary. I just don't know where home is right now.

MCCLURG: Last weekend at dawn, Bryant and her husband fled again. They raced out of their temporary apartment. It's less than a mile from their old house.

BRYANT: It was like hitting a fog bank of smoke. It looked like we were driving through hell.

MCCLURG: They landed safely at a friend's house, yet Bryant felt frozen. She's lost her appetite. Bad dreams keep her up at night.

BRYANT: Is this the way it's going to be every year? - apocalypse.

MCCLURG: She and her husband are talking about selling the house they're rebuilding. Construction is way behind schedule.

BRYANT: I just don't know how much more I can take.

MCCLURG: Leaving isn't simple. Bryant grew up here. Her aging mother lives nearby, yet stress and trauma¹³ have taxed her marriage, her work and her health. Every day she thinks about relocating. At the same time, she wonders if it's possible to outrun climate change.

For NPR News, I'm Lesley McClurg in Santa Rosa.

(SOUNDBITE OF TOUMANI DIABATE SONG, "CANTELOWES")

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

3 drenched   

adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体）

参考例句：

• We were caught in the storm and got drenched to the skin. 我们遇上了暴雨，淋得浑身透湿。
• The rain drenched us. 雨把我们淋得湿透。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 idyllic   

adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的

参考例句：

• These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

5 orchards   

（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。
• Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

6 jolted   

（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。

7 mandatory   

adj.命令的；强制的；义务的；n.受托者

参考例句：

• It's mandatory to pay taxes.缴税是义务性的。
• There is no mandatory paid annual leave in the U.S.美国没有强制带薪年假。

8 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

9 nurtured   

养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长

参考例句：

• She is looking fondly at the plants he had nurtured. 她深情地看着他培育的植物。
• Any latter-day Einstein would still be spotted and nurtured. 任何一个未来的爱因斯坦都会被发现并受到培养。

10 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

11 soot   

n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟

参考例句：

• Soot is the product of the imperfect combustion of fuel.煤烟是燃料不完全燃烧的产物。
• The chimney was choked with soot.烟囱被煤灰堵塞了。

12 camouflage   

n./v.掩饰，伪装

参考例句：

• The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。
• The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。

13 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。