Major wildfires burned in September in Oregon, California, and Nevada, fueled by heat and ongoing drought conditions. These fires will add to the more than 7 million acres that have been charred by wildfires in the country in 2024 through the middle of September.
What's happening?
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there have been over 37,000 wildfires this year. They have burned a combined area almost twice the size of Connecticut.
Fall started with some large fires burning in the western United States.
The Line Fire in California's San Bernardino County has burned over 37,000 acres since starting on Sept. 5. The Shoe Fly Fire in Mitchell, Oregon, has burned nearly 27,000 acres. The Davis Fire in Washoe County, Nevada, burned nearly 6,000 acres in just one week after it started on Sept. 7.
The fires have prompted school closings and forced thousands to evacuate, according to The Washington Post.
Some of the more intense fires burning in September are in areas experiencing drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that more than 60% of Oregon, about a third of Nevada, and nearly 11% of California were experiencing drought conditions.
All three states also endured unusually warm summers. California had its warmest summer on record, five degrees above average. Oregon had its sixth warmest summer, and Nevada had its second warmest summer on record.
Why are Western wildfires important?
The warm and dry conditions in the West are fueling wildfires, which research shows will become more common as our planet overheats. Studies show our warming world will lead to longer, more active wildfire seasons. A study funded by the National Integrated Drought Information System linked climate change to California's record-breaking wildfires.
California experienced a fivefold increase in summer burned areas in the northern and central parts of the state from 1996 to 2021 compared to the period from 1971 to 1995. At least 10 of California's largest wildfires have happened in the last 20 years.
What's being done about wildfires?
New technology is helping to lower the risk of wildfires. An AI-powered platform could soon help electric companies reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Researchers from Ohio State University have developed a new tool that could help first responders combat wildfires before they spread out of control. Austin, Texas is taking advantage of a tool called Pano AI, described as an "actionable intelligence for wildfire management," to detect and respond to catastrophic wildfires.
We can all do our part to help prevent our planet from overheating. We can reduce the amount of heat-trapping gases entering Earth's atmosphere by walking instead of driving, driving efficiently when we have to drive, and taking advantage of public transportation.
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