Multiple wildfires in New Mexico, most prominently the South Fork Fire, forced residents out of their homes in the town of Ruidoso.
What happened?
The South Fork Fire was first seen at 9 a.m. local time on Monday, June 17, according to the Washington Post. By Tuesday morning, June 18, the fire had spread to almost 14,000 acres with zero containment. Residents were ordered by officials to evacuate immediately.
Ruidoso is a town of 7,700 people. All the roads were closed and state police barricaded entry points to keep people out of the dangerous area, which was already hazy with smoke.
Officials posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Please do not try to gather belongings or protect your home — GO NOW!"
Why is this weather event important?
Wildfires across the globe have been made more frequent and worse by our planet's rising temperature. There are isolated weather events all over, but experts study the overall pattern of extreme weather events to find the correlation between them and Earth's rising temperature. The scientific consensus is that human-induced global warming supercharges extreme weather events.
These events are already dangerous and sometimes catastrophic. As they're made worse by climate change, they become more powerful and leave increasing devastation in their wake within our communities and for wildlife.
What's being done about wildfires?
Researchers are conducting studies to help predict the intensity of wildfire seasons and where the most vulnerable areas are. Similarly, research is being conducted for other types of extreme weather events like hurricanes.
It's important to know what weather events are possible in your area and gather information for how to best prepare in case of an emergency.
To help combat climate change, every person can do their part, ensuring a safer future. Simple acts like lessening water consumption, growing your own food, and switching to electric vehicles can go a long way toward cooling down our planet.
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