Why a wildfire broke out in NYCPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min read8 hours ago-- Were back!Issue #210: wildfires in unlikely places, insights from an ER triage nurse, and your brain on iconsTwo weeks ago, a wildfire broke out in the unlikeliest of places: New York City.A 2-acre fire erupted in Prospect Park, close to the geographic center of Brooklyn and probably my favorite park on earth. For the first time in history, the FDNY launched a brush fire task force to put it out (its been snuffed now!), but it was only one of 271 brush fires across the city during the first two weeks of November. Meanwhile, there are at least 11 major wildfires burning up and down the East Coast right now, from Boston to Virginia.My coast is not usually on fire, and the causes (as I understand them) seem pretty straightforward: drought + heat = flames. It hasnt rained more than a half-inch in NYC since September 29, and its been hotter than usual for November. As of a few weeks ago, a majority of U.S. states (especially in the northeast and upper Midwest) hadnt seen any rain since September. Its almost like the atmosphere dumped all its moisture on us during Helene and Milton, and now its on PTO.Wherever there are (a) trees with dried-out leaves, and (b) a stray cigarette, there may be fire. On Medium, a New Jersey resident who lives close to the Jennings Creek Wildfire in Passaic County still raging, though 90% contained is thinking of moving, following in the footsteps of millions of indigenous people whove migrated to rainier climates over thousands of years. Historically, drought is a more powerful motivator to pack your things and go than flooding and researchers predict even more drought-induced migration this century.Related to that, I appreciated this map of climate risks by census region: It combines 184 datasets to show you the specific risks (flooding, drought, blackout, etc.) associated with each location. I found a spot outside Lincoln, Nebraska, that looks pretty safe see yall there? Harris Sockel 1 sentence, 1 storyTurns out hips dont lie started as something Shakira said in the studio when a song wasnt working if it were, her hips wouldve been moving. (Kim Witten, PhD)An ER triage nurse shares lesser-known symptoms that can predict serious conditions (never ignore flashing lights in your field of vision). (Andrea Romeo RN, BN)The Apple designer responsible for only requiring one icon size on iOS shares how your brain puts simple shapes together to visualize complex icons. (Edward Sanchez) Your daily dose of practical wisdomSometimes, being punctual can be impolite especially, as Matthew Clapham explains, in communities that view time as more of a communal resource than an individual one to be hoarded. If youre late because you were helping a neighbor out, thats better than being precisely on time.