Over the past two decades, the threat of wildfires as a significant natural disaster has been looming over the minds of all Californians. Although the wildfire problem is not unique to California, its amount is significantly higher than other states. This is due in part to the uniquely challenging landscape of the state. It combines the drought and dryness of the summer, with intensely high temperatures, and overpopulation to create these recipes for disaster.
During the months of May – October these and many more are the sole causes of fire disasters. Although wildfires can be started naturally (often with lighting strikes or light reflection) around 84% of them are caused by humans. Whether it was accidental, like the “Carr Fire” when a tire trim collided with asphalt sparking up the nearby vegetation, or it was caused by an ignorant person who threw their lit cigarette on the ground, these fires have dangerous consequences.
In recent years, wildfires have become more intense. The main problem is that once these fires start, they spread until they can’t find something flammable to catch onto. This means a higher risk for densely packed communities and large forest lands.
The steady increase in human population also does not help. (Currently $38 million) California cities are becoming more and more crowded, and to accommodate this, builders and realtors push the livable housing limit to the edges, interfering with wildlands and areas that experience high fire risk. It’s called the urban-wildland interface or homes being built on the forest edges causing more potential fires.
In the summer of 2021, the Dixie fire scorched the landscape of northern California. Plowing through the town of Greenville, this wildfire took months to take out, millions of acres burned, and thousands of structures were lost. The Dixie Fire is known today as one of the largest and most destructive fires in California.The Dixie Fire covered almost 1 million acres in California. Having analyzed Dixie’s growth trajectory, researchers concluded that the largest growth spikes occurred on days with high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds.
According to a report by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. the fire was first noticed on July 13th, 2021, when a worker at the Feather River Canyon area found blown fuses next to a large tree which had sparked and created a large fire.
Not even 24 hours later, the fire had grown to around 500 acres, and by the end of the second day, the fire had reached 2,200 acres of land. As the fire grew, a giant cloud of hot gas and lightning began to form creating a potential for even more challenges.
Half a month later, the fire had reached a whopping 240,595 acres which is when it merged with other fires and split in different directions along the way creating problems for its containment.
On August 4th, the fire reached the small historical town of Greenville California, decimating it in its path. The town of Greenville was 80% destroyed, and luckily all homeowners were evacuated in time.
The Camp Fire is known as the deadliest and fastest-spreading fire in California. it started on Nov 8th, 2018. For most of California, this day seemed like any other. But for the people of the town of Paradise, things would soon take a drastic turn.
The Camp Fire was started because of an ancient electrical transmission line. The Camp Fire is known as the deadliest and fastest-spreading fire in California. it started on Nov 8th, 2018. For most of California, this day seemed like any other. But for the people of the town of Paradise, things would soon take a drastic turn. The Camp Fire was started because of an ancient electrical transmission line.
Wildfires have disastrous and deadly potential and with these two major disasters in mind, let's look at the added math. The first major aspect of society that is disrupted by wildfires is the loss of structures and homes. Families lose everything through these tragic fires, including their lives. In the case of the Camp Fire, the people in the town of Paradise had a short margin of 4 hours to get out before the fire consumed them. Many were able to escape, but almost a hundred lost their lives that day. The cost of this type of destruction leaves families homeless and stripped of all of their belongings. Destruction is seen locally, but also regionally. The eastern United States also experienced the consequences of these deadly fires. In many cases, wildfires send smoke billowing into the sky causing major air quality, visibility, and weather issues throughout the United States.
Destruction is seen locally, but also regionally. The eastern United States also experienced the consequences of these deadly fires. In many cases, wildfires send smoke billowing into the sky causing major air quality, visibility, and weather issues throughout the United States.
In the summer of 2021, the Dixie fire scorched the landscape of northern California. Plowing through the town of Greenville, this wildfire took months to take out, millions of acres burned, and thousands of structures were lost. The Dixie Fire is known today as one of the largest and most destructive fires in California.The Dixie Fire covered almost 1 million acres in California.
Having analyzed Dixie’s growth trajectory, researchers concluded that the largest growth spikes occurred on days with high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds.According to FEMA, the United States is invested in the success of California in the fight against these devastating fires. They offer loans to families who have lost their homes, and supplemental funding to anyone effected by the fires.
In addition to that, they a working on expanding their team of emergency response crews each year as a preventive measure against the fires.Despite these efforts to prevent further damage from wildfires, the fear of climate change and global warming are ever so present on the minds of those who live in areas of high fire risk.
There is an environmental uncertainty to the trend of these fires and its anyone's guess as to how much potential they have in the future.Whether you think that the solution falls in the hands of the people and the ever-changing threat of climate change, the wildfire problem in California has shown extreme growth in the past decade, as it begins to pose a much greater threat than to the people of California.