Having just experienced the hottest summer ever on record, it’s becoming more and more clear that the world is on fire. This is especially true for the North American West – this area is seeing more and bigger wildfires. They’re destroying millions of American homes, causing millions worth of damage, and the more widespread they’re becoming, the more houses are in the line of fire.
Grass Is one of the Culprits
In the West, resilient grasses are fueling an alarming rise in wildfire activity. Grass may seem harmless, but under dry conditions, it acts like gasoline for fires. As climate change brings warmer temperatures, these grasses dry out quickly, making fires easier to ignite and harder to control.
But that’s not all, after a wildfire the grass is typically the first vegetation to make a comeback. This means that the new grass could fuel another wildfire before trees, shrubs, and bushes are far from recovered (this could take years!)
Wildfires Are Spreading Faster
Wildfires in the Western United States are not only more frequent, but they are also spreading faster.
In dry, windy conditions, grassfires can race through landscapes, outpacing firefighting resources. Homes near wildlands are increasingly vulnerable as fires travel quickly through grasslands, reaching urban areas in a matter of hours.
Twice As Many Houses Destroyed by Wildfires
The number of homes destroyed by wildfires has more than doubled in the past three decades. Most of these homes are lost to fires in grasslands and shrublands rather than forests. In the West, more than two-thirds of homes destroyed by wildfire were in grass and shrub fires.
44 Million Homes in High Risk Areas
As more people build homes near fire-prone wildlands, the risk of fires increases. The wildland-urban interface has seen exponential growth since the 1990s, with 44 million homes now in these high-risk areas. This expansion makes it more likely that wildfires will ignite and cause significant damage.
80% of Wildfires Are a Consequence of Human Activity
Over 80% of wildfires are caused by human activity, such as unattended campfires and discarded cigarette butts. With more homes being built near forests and grasslands, the risk of accidental fires increases.
Simple and mindless human actions can lead to devastating consequences for communities living near fire-prone areas.
Climate Change Fuels the Perfect Storm
Climate change is creating a perfect storm for wildfires. Warmer temperatures and prolonged droughts dry out grasses and other vegetation, making it easier for fires to spread. In the Plains, where grasslands dominate, these conditions lead to more frequent and intense fires, especially during dry and windy seasons.
Forest Fires Are Growing Larger
Forest fires in the West are getting bigger, with 1-million-acre fires becoming increasingly common. Just a few decades ago, fires of this magnitude were rare. Back then, a 30,000 acre was classified as a huge fire – today, that’s just peanuts.
Today, as forests dry out due to climate change and poor land management, massive forest fires are becoming the new normal.
Grass Reinvades Burned Areas Quickly
One reason wildfires are spreading so rapidly is the quick regrowth of grasses. After a fire, grasses often return within days or weeks, providing fresh fuel for future fires. In contrast, trees and shrubs take much longer to recover, leaving areas vulnerable to repeated wildfires in short time spans.
Wildfires Causing $3.3 Billion Worth of Damage
Wildfires are causing billions of dollars in damage each year. The 2020 fire season saw five of the largest fires on record in California alone, costing over $3.3 billion in damage. As fires become more intense and destructive, the financial burden on communities and governments continues to grow.
Boreal Forests Are Burning
Boreal forests, which store 30%-40% of Earth’s carbon, are also experiencing larger fires. In 2023, wildfires in Canada burned nearly 7.8 million hectares of forest, releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide.
In this way, it becomes a vicious cycle: hotter weather following climate change causes boreal wildfires, and these fires release carbon dioxide which in turn fuels climate change.
Homeowners Face Increased Wildfire Risk
In today’s housing market, 75% of buyers consider wildfire risk before purchasing a home. Wildfires are becoming more common in places not traditionally associated with fire risks, such as Florida and New Jersey.
Wildfires and Insurance Issues
As wildfires become more frequent and intense, homeowners in fire-prone areas are facing increasing difficulties in securing insurance coverage.
Many insurers are using stricter wildfire risk assessments, making it harder to insure homes near fire zones. In fact, insurance companies actually refuse to insure houses in certain areas that are particularly prone to wildfires.
The Future of Wildfires Looks Grim
If current trends continue, the future looks grim for the West. North American Wildfires are expected to grow in frequency and intensity as climate change progresses. By 2052, 32 million Americans will live in high-risk fire areas, and massive fires burning millions of acres could become an annual event across the West.
All in all, the North American West is on fire, along with the rest of the world. While we can fire-proof our homes and communities all we want, that won’t help in the long run if we don’t urgently do something to mitigate the impeding climate change.
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