Essay on California Wildfires

A wildfire is a destructive and uncontrollable fire that burns down the forest. Wildland fires erupt worldwide in different seasons and are caused by various issues. Even though fires can be beneficial, uncontrolled occurrences have proved harmful to both people and the environment. Examples of countries that have been victims include South Africa, Brazil, and Canada. Like all these, California has written its history based on the numerous forest fires that have been occurring, putting the country at risk of losing all its natural heritage. 2007, 2008, 2017, 2018, and 2020 have been the toughest on California as the country has witnessed some of the largest fires in history, losing more than 100,000ha of land (Keeley & Syphard, 2021). These occurrences continue to affect California in many ways regarding environmental degradation. Thus, this essay on California wildfires seeks to present the issue of wildfires in the country and focuses on establishing the history of the fires, their mechanisms, and the possible methods that can be used to prevent them.

History of California Wildfires

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the country has witnessed more than 10,000 incidents of wildfires. Incidentally, the statistical records held by the agency from the time of its inception, which is 1932, allude to an exponential increase in the number of forest fires over an 80-year timeline. Almost all the fire scenarios have consumed hundreds of hectares of land forests, leaving the country to deal with severe cases of environmental damage. The most significant case to have been recorded in the history of California is the 2020 August Complex Fire. In this incident, 38 separate fires, which have since been classified as one, ravaged over 418,000ha (Keeley & Syphard, 2021). The same scenario was witnessed with the LNU complex fire, even though it did not result in a merger. However, the results of their occurrences have forced the citizens to live with the repercussions of environmental and property damage.

California’s cases of wildfires call for the initiation of research studies, especially in identifying the probable root causes. According to Li & Banerjee (2021), California has been experiencing wildfires for more than 80 years. Surprisingly, only 1% of the reported instances can be considered large fires. However, this does not rubbish the fact that all the cases have contributed to the loss of property and lives. Hence, the quest to establish real causal factors remains, and all government agencies and citizens must work together to ensure they are curtailed. Keeley & Syphard (2021) claims that most forest fires can be linked to rapid changes in climate. Perhaps this argument might hold some ground. However, whether the variations have been constant for the entire period remains a mystery, as notable changes in the size of the forest fires have been seen in the last decade. In contrast, California has had to battle wildfires since the early 1900s. Thus, more critical research studies deserve to be conducted to ensure the findings being presented to the public are accurate and a true reflection of the state of the country’s situation.

Mechanism

California’s woes with wildfires demand that we understand two fundamental mechanisms, which perhaps have been vital in the ignition and propagation of the fires. First, CAL FIRE’s research holds that human factors play a significant role in the occurrence of wildfires, starting in more than 95% of the cases. These factors include unchecked or improperly put-out campfires, cigarette butts, and in some cases, arson. A sample case of arson is the 2003 Old fire, which the pyromaniacs started, which led to the destruction of large forest reserves (Keeley & Syphard, 2021). Such occurrences, among other human causes, have contributed to the massive destruction of the forested land. Despite the statistical proof that human factors have been the primary cause, it is also evident that some natural causes have played a role in the number of wildfires in the country. For example, the McDonald fire, which consumed more than 1000ha of land in Lassen County, was started by light. Thus, the larger cause must be curtailed to bring about a reduction in the incidences.

Another mechanism worth exploring is the propagation of fires. According to Li & Banerjee (2021), climate change is the primary promoter of forest fires. Specifically, California has been witnessing many dry conditions, with the strength of wind continuing to increase each passing day. As a result, any slight occurrence of fire, whether small or large, is easily propagated. The Diablo and Santa Ana winds are the greatest culprits in this case, especially since they play a role in stroking the fires, leading to more damage. These scenarios communicate the urgency with which the government must act to ensure proper climate intervention measures are implemented, specifically to ensure forest fires are minimized.

Prevention and Mitigation

California’s wildfires have proved to be a nuisance to the environment, endangering the people’s health and putting the country’s economy at risk. However, developing the most workable solutions is impossible without in-depth research into the issues. Li & Banerjee (2021) have attempted to focus on this aspect, presenting an elaborate statistical analysis of the causes of wildfires from a sample of century-long occurrences. The results show that climate change has been responsible for most large fires, giving the government a chance to leverage a targeted approach to the issue. In essence, the numerous reports published by CAL FIRE can complement the study’s recommendations to ensure a workable solution is obtained.

Most wildfires start due to human negligence. Therefore, California’s government has come up with a multi-agency team to conduct extensive monitoring and inspection of the environment to ensure all the possible causes of wildfires are thwarted. Also, there has been mass sensitization of the public to ensure that people can understand the implications of their actions on the environment, especially concerning the continuous occurrence of fires.

Ultimately, CAL FIRE, in collaboration with various other teams, including the Forest Management Taskforce, has come up with environmental conservation programs. The programs have involved the removal of dead tree remains and the clearing of bushes. Even though these measures may appear minimal, the impacts are pretty noticeable, specifically when it is considered that these dry materials and light bushes have been contributing to the rapid propagation of wildfires. Hopefully, these measures will contribute to reducing the fires and allow the citizens to reclaim the lost glory.

Conclusion

This essay on California wildfires presents the issue as a critical part of history, especially when it is considered that the country has had to battle them for more than eight decades. The fires are caused by human factors and are fueled by the rapidly changing climate. Therefore, proper control of the situation demands that CAL FIRE develop procedures to eliminate the root causes and implement strict management measures.

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References

Keeley, J. E., & Syphard, A. D. (2021). Large California wildfires: 2020 fires in historical context. Fire Ecology, 17(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-021-00110-7

Li, S., & Banerjee, T. (2021). Spatial and temporal pattern of wildfires in California from 2000 to 2019. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88131-9

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