The 2024 wildfire season has already been the most destructive one on record for the state of Oregon, OregonLive reported. Even worse, the season has likely not even reached its peak.
What's happening?
The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, which has data going back to 1992, as reported by OregonLive, says this season has seen more acres burned than any in the last 32 years.
Seventy-one large fires have burned more than 1.4 million acres since the 2024 wildfire season began (which, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, happens in mid-May). Those fires have also destroyed at least 30 homes.
Historically, the state has seen the most wildfires in September, which means that the final numbers could eclipse previous state records.
Why are wildfires concerning?
The issue of widespread and destructive wildfires is not limited to Oregon — these fires have caused devastation all over North America, thanks to rising temperatures and drought conditions that have left behind a surplus of kindling.
Research has shown that the overheating of our planet has caused more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, and it has also ramped up the wildfires in recent years, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In addition to the destruction these fires have caused, they have also led insurance companies to abandon customers in places that are deemed a wildfire risk — effectively making their homes uninsurable when they need that insurance most.
What's being done about wildfires?
Oregon state officials stressed that people should be extra careful about fire safety this time of year and avoid accidentally starting fires. Although the conditions that have led the fires to spread are due to climate change, more than 70% of fires are started by people, according to the Oregon Wildfire Response & Recovery website.
"It's really important to get that prevention message out there," Northwest Interagency Coordination Center spokesperson Kyle Sullivan told OregonLive. "There's a lot of things we can do to stop human starts."
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