Sunburned apples, stunted cherries: The Pacific Northwest heatwave has fruit growers concerned about crop damage
An unprecedented heat wave has been rippling through the Pacific Northwest since Saturday, setting new record highs in the region and leaving residents sweltering even when indoors. At fruit orchards, temperatures are threatening to damage some of the state’s biggest crops, including apples and cherries, The Seattle Times reports. Scorching weather has forced employers to work their crews on limited schedules, though many expressed anxiety that the heat would ultimately disrupt the biological growing process of portions of their crop. If only there was something we could do about this crisis, such as disallowing pipeline companies from doubling down on the nation’s fossil fuel infrastructure.
