Extremely hot summers and autumns. Unusually dry winters. Dry forests. Dry vegetation on mountain slopes. Meanwhile, strong Santa Ana winds 'standing on the edge'. Recently, the whole world witnessed the 'horror of the Los Angeles wildfires'. Scientists say that if temperatures had not increased due to climate change, the fires would have been 'somewhat smaller and less intense'.
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California's 'Palymedes Fire'
The most destructive fire in American history - 'California wildfires'
Since 2000, the United States has suffered an average of 70,600 wildfires each year. Considering the recent scenario, Los Angeles, California has been devastated by multiple wildfires over the past few weeks (fires began on January 7). Three major fires are still burning in the region. Meanwhile, on January 24, a new wildfire broke out in Los Angeles, one of the richest cities. The fire has consumed more than 9,400 acres of land as of Wednesday (January 23) local time. The local administration has evacuated more than 31,000 residents from there.
In California, strong Santa Ana winds and dry conditions caused a series of wildfires to spread across Los Angeles in January. It began with the Palisades Fire, a brush fire that began in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on the morning of January 7. In just a few hours, the fire spread to an area of about 23,448 acres. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported that more than 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures were damaged or destroyed in the nearly two-week-long blaze. At least 28 people died in the blaze, some of whom died trying to save their homes. According to media sources, the Palisades Fire is the largest wildfire to spread in Los Angeles. Its extent of damage is more than 36.6 square miles.
Los Angeles County officials say at least 28 people have died in the fires, including 17 in the Eaton Fire and 11 in the Palisades Fire. More than 200,000 people were initially ordered to evacuate as firefighters battled to contain the blazes. In the days and weeks since, local officials have announced plans to rehabilitate some areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires. The devastating fires have destroyed entire neighborhoods and blocks in several areas, including the Hollywood neighborhood. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, leaving many homeless. According to GPR, insured losses from the fires could exceed $20 billion. The total economic damage to Los Angeles could reach $50 billion. According to available data, it is the most expensive wildfire in American history to date. The previous wildfire, the Camp Fire of 2018, caused about $12.5 billion in insured losses.
Scientists say human-caused climate change is one of the factors behind the most devastating fires in California's history. An analysis of the causes of the extreme dryness of vegetation when the fires started in Southern California shows that global warming is responsible for about a quarter of the dryness. They say extreme summer and fall heat has dried out shrubs and grasses on mountain slopes, which help them burn more intensely as fuel when they catch fire. Scientists say the fires would have been more extreme if not for the warming caused by climate change, but they would have been "somewhat smaller and less intense."
Climate scientist Park Williams (UCLA's Climate and Wildfire Research Initiative) and his colleagues Alex Hall, Gavin Madakumbura and others have prepared an analysis that states, "Three factors worked together to cause these devastating fires. Los Angeles's abundant fuel supply, extremely dry fuels (shrubs and dry vegetation), and the seasonally very strong Santa Ana winds have compounded Los Angeles' misfortune." They analyze the extremely dry conditions in Southern California, where there has been no significant rainfall for eight months.
A Los Angeles weather station recorded just 0.29 inches of rain between May 1 and January 8, the second driest since 1877. Researchers say Southern California's temperatures are partly to blame for the reduced "fuel moisture" of dead vegetation. They estimate that the unusual heat is responsible for about 25% of the dryness of the vegetation, while the lack of rainfall accounts for the remaining 75%. When strong Santa Ana winds arrive, it compounds all the factors for a high fire risk.
What is a wildfire?
A fire caused by excessive heat in dry forests that spreads throughout the forest is known as a 'wildfire'. The dense undergrowth and close contact of trees within the forest create a favorable environment for spontaneous combustion. In such a situation, a small spark is enough to turn the entire forest into a terrible ember. A 'wildfire' is basically like a stream of fire that can burn an entire area to ashes in an instant.
Why do Wildfires occur?
Wildfires can be extremely destructive to the planet, releasing carbon into the atmosphere, destroying vegetation, and harming human communities. Wildfires can occur for a variety of reasons. The main reason is drought, when there is no rain in an area for a long time. And this drought and dry vegetation create wildfires. Dry areas catch fire quickly. That's when wildfires occur. In most cases, the common natural cause of wildfires is lightning. Man-made causes include campfires, cigarette butts, or electrical appliances.
Harmful effects of wildfires
♦ Black smoke from wildfires releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is a major cause of climate change, and can damage or disrupt ecosystems, thereby contributing to global climate change.
♦ Wildfires affect people directly and indirectly. Researchers say that hundreds of people die in wildfires every year. Many more people (tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands) are displaced. In many cases, they are permanently displaced. In addition, air pollution is harmful to human health.
♦ Fires also cause extensive damage to animals. Most of the time, fires cause 'deforestation'. The destruction of the vegetation in these forest areas, which once served as habitat for animals, poses a threat to the survival of wildlife in the area.
♦ Wildfires can destroy homes, businesses, and other structures. Wildfires can damage the environment and ecosystems.
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The 'global impact' of wildfires
Wildfires can cause significant damage to global climate. Wildfires can be caused by natural causes, but human activity and climate change have increased their frequency and intensity. In 2023, there were 15 major wildfires worldwide, destroying 9 million hectares of forest that year. 2023 was the worst year since the turn of the century. That year, Canada saw the largest wildfires, releasing billions of metric tons of greenhouse gases. The first major wildfire of 2024 began in the Amazon, known as the lungs of the world. That year, major fires were seen in British Columbia. Wildfires are frequently hitting regions in Europe. According to the Global Wildfire Information System, wildfires consume millions of hectares of forest every year. The figure below shows the total annual damage caused by these natural disasters since 2012:
There is no denying that ‘climate change’ is making the number of wildfires around the world worse. According to the United Nations, the number of wildfires could increase by almost 50 percent by the end of this century. While Western America, northern Siberia, central India and eastern Australia are already facing significantly more fires than they did a few decades ago. Here is information about the ‘devastating wildfires’ in history:
The history of wildfires on planet Earth is not new. According to scientists, the oldest recorded fire on Earth occurred about 420 million years ago. It has been identified from rocks and charcoal formed at the end of the Silurian period. In the history of human civilization, 'wildfires' have caused a large number of deaths in many countries of the world. Of these, two of the most deadly fires occurred in America. In the Great Fire of 1871, about 3,000 people lost their lives in the sporadic Peshtigo Fire, Chicago Fire, Michigan Fire, and Ontario Fire. On the other hand, the Great Fire of Connecticut in 1910 claimed 85 lives. The death toll in the Cloquet Fire in Minnesota in 1918 stood at 453. In the Great Fire of Canada in 1919, 11 people lost their lives. In 1987, the Black Dragon fires in China and Russia killed 211 people. In 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia killed 173 people and the Miramichi fires in Canada killed 160. In addition, the Manitoba wildfires in Canada in 1989 destroyed 1.3 million acres of land. Even the Richardson Backcountry Fire in 2011 burned down about 1.7 million acres of boreal forest. The 2019/2020 Australian bushfires destroyed thousands of buildings and claimed the lives of 3 billion animals, including dozens of people. The loss of 61,000 koalas was extremely heartbreaking. The 2024 Texas wildfires in the United States burned about 1 million acres of land. These records of such terrible fires or fires still shake the foundation of confidence in the development of civilization. It is worth noting that forest fires are considered a common natural disaster in certain regions. For example, Siberia (Russia), California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Florida (USA), British Columbia (Canada) and Australia. Areas with a Mediterranean climate or taiga biosphere are especially vulnerable to fires. Generally, if any fire is under control, it is considered part of the ecosystem. When it gets out of control, it becomes devastating. Experts say that the biggest reason why fires have become destructive in recent times is climate change.
Thomas Fire
Cedar Fire
Another wildfire in California, USA, also took a devastating turn in 2003. The fire originated in the Cleveland National Forest in the state. According to the fire investigation team, the fire, due to dry weather and strong winds in Southern California, spawned more than a dozen wildfires; which spread to San Diego County from October 25, 2003 to November 5, 2003. The fire burned more than 270,000 acres and claimed 15 lives. At the time, the Cedar Fire was the largest and most destructive wildfire in California.
The Great Fire (In 1910)
The Great Fire is one of the most famous disasters in the United States in the 19th century. It was the largest wildfire in US history. This great fire, also known as the Big Burn or the Big Blowup, had devastating consequences. The wildfire burned 3 million acres of land in the western United States (east of Wallace, Idaho). It killed 87 people, most of them firefighters. The fire affected the country's Forest Service, which led to the creation of fire protection laws. Smokey the Bear was also involved.
Black Friday Bushfires
The 1939 'Black Friday' bushfires are considered one of the worst bushfires in Australian history. They destroyed nearly 5 million acres of land in the state of Victoria. The fires, fueled by years of drought, high temperatures and strong winds, spread across three-quarters of the state and killed 71 people, making them Australia's third deadliest bushfires. They burned from 13 January to 18 January 1939.
Siberian Taiga Fires
When a wildfire breaks out, it doesn't necessarily burn everything in a matter of hours or days. A prime example is the Siberian Taiga Fires. They started in the taiga forests of eastern Siberia during a hot summer. They have been burning in small sparks since May 2022. They have spread across Siberia, eastern Russia, northern China, and northern Mongolia. They have destroyed 55 million acres (22 million hectares) of land. They have released around 450 million tons of carbon dioxide.
Chinchaga Fire
This fire, also known as the Wisp Fire or Fire Nineteen, burned in northern British Columbia and Alberta from June 1950 until early autumn. It is considered one of the largest fires in North America. Its impact on people was limited because the area was sparsely populated. However, it continued to burn freely. It burned about 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares) of boreal forest. The smoke from it is called the Great Smoke Paul because it blocked out the sun for about a week.