Alisha Subhahnoor
New York City, USA
A multitude of fires have broken out recently, sweeping across the United States. Unprecedented dry conditions in parts of the U.S. have heightened concerns about future wildfires. Los Angeles has long been prone to wildfires due to its dry summers. Wildfires are devastating fires that spread very fast in forest or brush. They can get out of control in dry areas, and they spread very fast in states such as California, where conditions are ideal for this kind of occurrence.
23,400 acres and 6,000 homes, businesses, and other structures have been destroyed in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas alone. The total economic loss suffered of the fire-scorching of Southern California now stands at over 250 billion dollars has translated into travesty for the 50,000 or so residents under evacuation.
As mentioned above, California, and especially Southern California, tends to have extended spells of drought, which dries out plants. California is also famous for its strong, dry Santa Ana winds. These are typically felt in the fall season and fire rapidly, making fires difficult to stop once they are lit.
Additionally, California is home to extremely diverse ecosystems, including chaparral and grasslands. These areas are thickly populated with flammable vegetation. During dry seasons, they are highly susceptible to being set on fire.
Human activity has also contributed to a large extent to the effects of fires in this region. As the city of Los Angeles expanded, the building of houses near wildland regions has left them vulnerable to burnout. Many of the causes of ignition including campfires, cigarette embers, power lines, and arson, have also been attributed to human activity.
Statistics have shown that wildfires have destroyed twice as much forest cover as 20 years ago, to a considerable amount of CO2 emissions being created in recent years. Wildfires can lead to loss of life and loss of property. They also release smoke that can cause a health risk, as it contributes to respiratory and other illnesses in state residents, even those not in the vicinity of the fires. The ash and smoke contaminate the air, disrupting air quality in large areas.
Wildfires can also destroy local ecosystems, burn habitats and remodel landscapes. The frequency and intensity of fires that have afflicted California in recent years exceed even the recovery capacity of fire-adapted ecosystems, much less those that are not.
Furthermore, repeated wildfires have a large economic cost, as huge amounts of money are spent on combating them. Wildfires strain state and local budgets and resources. They also lead to increased insurance claim that are borne by homeowners and insurers.. Wildfires strain state and local budgets and resources. Wildfires lead to increased insurance claims that are borne by the homeowners and the insurers.
Firemen, local, state, and national governments often unite to combat wildfires. Ground troops, aerial firefighting, and controlled burns for vegetation management are some of the efforts to combat wildfires. Many communities also have fire readiness programs, which are implemented to educate individuals on evacuation planning and creating defensible space around a residence. Stricter building codes are implemented to ensure new structures become fireproof, especially in vulnerable areas.
The Los Angeles wildfires are complex phenomena triggered by natural and human causes. With climate change leading to more areas having the right conditions for wildfires, to communities, policymakers and emergency management to work together to develop effective prevention, response, and recovery plans. Prioritizing education, preparedness, and sustainability would allow Los Angeles to better respond to the threats posed by wildfires and protect its people and ecosystem.
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