Since the beginning of this year, a number of wildfires have been burning in the state of California, which got progressively worse over the course of the past few months, causing millions of dollars worth of property damage and several deaths. A Red Flag Warning is in effect over the eastern Sierra from Modoc County in the north down to Mono County in the south for gusty winds and low humidity, bringing critical fire weather conditions to the area.
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SEASON
The largest and most intense wildfire season ever recorded was the one experienced this year, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. However, from a historical perspective, the average annual acres burned prior to 1850 were probably significantly larger than years since reliable fire records began.
While wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape, the fire season in California and across the West is starting earlier and ending later each year. Climate change is considered a key driver of this trend. Warmer spring and summer temperatures, reduced snowpack, and earlier spring snowmelt create longer and more intense dry seasons that increase moisture stress on vegetation and make forests more susceptible to severe wildfire. The length of fire season is estimated to have increased by 75 days across the Sierras and seems to correspond with an increase in the extent of forest fires across the state.
WHEN DID THESE FIRES START?
The months of January and February, 2020, were unusually dry, which did not bode well and indicated the occurrence of wildfires. There was a concern that the fire season this year would be potentially longer and more intense, owing to the extra dryness. On March 22, a state of emergency was declared by California Governor Gavin Newsom due to a mass die-off of trees throughout the state, potentially increasing the risk of wildfires.
Map showing the locations of the wildfires
Despite previous concerns, the months of March and April received adequate amounts of rainfall, which alleviated the arid drought-like conditions to some extent. Despite this, Northern California was still expected to have severe wildfire conditions due to the moderate or severe drought conditions in the area, whereas Central and Southern California were expected to have serious fire conditions later in the year due to the late wet season and precipitation.
HOW DID THESE FIRES START?
Prior to the large scale development that takes place in the present, California forest fires burned large swathes of land. The recent years have seen an aggressive suppression of wildfires, which is counter-intuitive and eventually leads to deadlier and more prolonged fire seasons due to fuel buildup, increasing the risk of large uncontrollable forest fires. There is broad scientific consensus that there should be more controlled burning of forest in California in order to reduce fire risk. A 2020 ProPublica investigation blames the culture of Cal Fire, greed on the part of fire suppression contractors, and risk aversion on the part of the U.S. Forest Service from preventing appropriate controlled burns from taking place.
Leading climate scientists argue that climate change increases the temperature of wildfires in California, the risk for drought, and potentially also the frequency of such events. Both Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have attributed the severity of this season’s fires to climate change, pushing back on President Donald Trump’s assertion that the fires were due to poor land management. Temperatures have been at an all-time high, and coupled with a lack of sufficient precipitation, conditions have only gone downhill.
More than 7700 wildfires are raging at this point of time. However, one fire in particular has caught the attention of everyone and became a hot topic on social media – On September 5, an explosion of coloured smoke revealed the gender of a Californian couple’s soon to be born child, and simultaneously set light to over 10,000 acres of the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yuaipa. Gender-reveal parties, relatively unheard of just a few years ago, have now become an important rite of passage for expectant parents in the US. The passing years have witnessed increasing instances of one-upmanship, with celebrations becoming more ridiculously extravagant, complete with numerous posts on social media. So when it was one of these over-the-top gender reveal parties that ignited the El Dorado wildfire, it was bound to set fire to the internet and spark off a barrage of posts ridiculing this custom.
DO FORESTS HEAL AFTER THE FIRES ARE EXTINGUISHED?
Depending on the intensity and the duration of the wildfire, forests may either repair fairly quickly or take some time. The low-intensity “prescribed fires” used by forest managers, for example, are intended to add nutrients to the soil and rejuvenate plant life. For fires that are larger and cause large-scale devastation, active recovery efforts are undertaken by the forest department to restore flora and fauna in the region.
The rain also breathes life back into the remaining landscape, allowing new vegetation to grow in the charred areas. Seeds stored in the forest floor begin to germinate. Some trees begin to sprout branches from basal buds of dead trees. And some species rely upon wildfire for propagation. For example, the seeds of jack pines and lodgepole pines (native to the Yellowstone area) are sealed by a resinous bond which can only be cracked open by the high temperatures associated with wildfire.
The natural pattern of recovery after a wildfire is referred to as “ecological succession.” This is the process whereby the land, plants and wildlife move through various ecological stages in order to return to a state of relative stability. Recovery from large wildfires may require some help. But forests will, in time, heal themselves.
THE TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
Over 17,400 firefighters remain on the frontlines of 26 major and three extended attack wildfires in California. Since the beginning of the year, there have been nearly 7.900 wildfires that have burned over 3.4 million acres in California. Since August 15, when California’s fire activity elevated, there have been 25 fatalities and nearly 5,400 structures destroyed.
THE WILDFIRE FALLOUT
NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), aboard the Aqua satellite, captured carbon monoxide plumes coming from California wildfires. There were 28 major wildfires burning across the state as of Sept. 14. This includes the August Complex Fire, which started on Aug. 17 and has since burned over 471,000 acres, making it the largest fire on record in California.
Carbon monoxide is released alog with smoke and ash when wildfires burn, and is an extremely toxic air pollutant that can persist in the atmosphere for about a month and can be transported great distances. It is relatively harmless at high altitudes but strong downwards wings can carry it to altitudes that will cause us harm by significantly degrading the air quality.
IN CONCLUSION…
Climate change is real. No matter what people choose to believe, human exploitation of nature and destruction of copious amounts of forest lands have tipped the scales of natural balance. The air quality is degrading with each passing day and entire species of flora and fauna are being wiped out. All of this is causing various dangerous things like forest fires and melting glaciers. Wildfires occur naturally and are quite normal. Trying to suppress their occurrence is more detrimental than useful, as evidenced by this year’s intensive wildfires.
Finally, holding over-the-top celebrations without proper fire precautions and using inflamable items irresponsibly is tantamount to criminal negligence and arson. There can only be one definition for such activities – human stupidity.
