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Need to know ~ Topics & Events
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Why current?
2020-09-22
The western part of the United States is going up in flames. Wildfires from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest have burned millions of acres, leaving devastated communities in their wake. So far, more than 30 people have died and thousands have lost their homes and businesses. Search teams are working around the clock, looking for the missing and aiding the injured. Meanwhile, firefighters are risking their lives to battle the intense and unrelenting blazes.
As the immediate danger of some of the fires gets somewhat contained, the problem of smoke is becoming more apparent. The normally clean air of the Pacific Northwest has become the worst in the world.
Scientists agree that a main cause of these wildfires is climate change. Lengthy periods of very dry, very hot weather, combined with forceful winds, set the stage for the disaster. In August, lightning strikes started some of the fires, and the conditions made it easy for the blazes to intensify and spread quickly over the region. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed the climate crisis as “a hoax,” has largely disputed the idea that climate change has anything to do with the unprecedented wildfires. Instead, he says that improper forest management is responsible.
Sources: The National Interagency Fire Center; BBC News.com; “California and Oregon Wildfires in Maps, Graphics and Images,” September 22, 2020.
More about wildfires
wildfire –
As is clear by the name, a wildfire is an out-of-control fire. Wildfires usually occur in wilderness areas, but, as the world has experienced lately, they can also be sparked in, and move quickly through, populated areas.
“the fire triangle” –
There are three elements which combine to create fire: (1) fuel; (2) oxygen; and (3) a heat source. When explaining the causes of wildfires, firefighters refer to the coming together of these elements as, “the fire triangle.” A fire cannot continue to burn if one of the three parts of the “fire triangle” is eliminated.
- (1) fuel: Any matter that can burn is called fuel. When it comes to wildfires, fuel can include trees, shrubs, and grass, as well as man-made structures.
- (2) oxygen: Air provides fires with oxygen, and fast-moving air makes wildfires severe. Wind not only helps blazes spread more quickly but also dries surfaces, making them more flammable.
- (3) heat source: A heat source is what brings the fuel to high enough temperatures to burst into flame. Lightning strikes, dropped cigarettes, and campfires that are not properly extinguished are all examples of heat sources that could spark wildfires. 90% of wildfires in the U.S. are started by people’s negligence. Weather conditions like prolonged dry periods or droughts can also contribute to the likelihood that a fire could ignite.
on the move –
Wildfires can move across an area with terrifying speed – up to 14 miles (about 22 km) per hour. In other words, a wildfire can move a mile (1.6 km) in about 4 minutes. That’s faster than most humans can run. Also, forest fires move more rapidly uphill than downhill, and the steeper the slope, the greater their speed.
the Australian bushfires of 2019 and 2020 –
At the end of 2019 / beginning of 2020, Australia experienced wildfires of unprecedented size and intensity. Not only was the impact on humans severe, but animals were killed and displaced in numbers that can hardly be comprehended. About 46 million acres (72,000 square miles) burned and nearly 3 billion animals lost their lives or their habitats during these cataclysmic fires. It is said that the primary cause of the wildfires was a mix of high temperatures, long periods of dry weather, and powerful winds.
the aftermath of wildfires –
Hazardous air conditions remain, even once a fire has been contained. In addition, the threat of flooding is high after a wildfire has moved through an area and burned vegetation. Normally, the roots of trees and other plants keep the earth from being washed away in heavy rains. But when a wildfire destroys vegetation, downpours can wash over the land unrestricted, causing flooding and landslides.
the benefits of naturally occurring wildfires –
Despite the fact that wildfires are considered destructive, when they occur naturally, they actually help nature rejuvenate and “cleanse” itself. There is often a lot of rotting plant material on forest floors. When this material burns, it releases nutrients that were previously trapped within the decaying matter, back into the earth. This in turn helps to promote new growth on the forest floor. Fires also get rid of plants that might be diseased, thus “disinfecting” wooded areas and encouraging the development of healthy vegetation. Finally, wildfires naturally thin out forests, allowing sunlight to reach seedlings struggling to grow on the forest floor. Healthy forests that are occasionally aided by naturally occurring wildfires actually help prevent more extreme wildfires.
the role of climate change –
Certain regions of the world are expected to get drier and hotter over the coming years, due to climate change. Inextricably linked to these changes is the increased risk of more large, destructive wildfires.
Sources: Dosomething.org,“11 Facts About Wildfires,” https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-wildfires; nhmu.utah.edu; “Wildfires FAQs,” https://nhmu.utah.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/Wildfire%20FAQs.pdf; Wolters, Claire, “Here’s How Wildfires Get Started – and How to Stop Them,” National Geographic.com; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/wildfires/, December 5, 2019; Aljazeera.com; “Nearly 3 Billion Animals Killed or Displaced by Australia Fires,” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/28/nearly-3-billion-animals-killed-or-displaced-by-australia-fires/#:~:text=Nearly%20three%20billion%20animals%20were,wildlife%20disasters%20in%20modern%20history%22, July 28, 2020.