The United States is currently facing a wildfire crisis unlike anything in modern history. As of Thursday, October 22nd, wildfires are burning in over five states and have destroyed over seven million acres. In states like California and Colorado, they are seeing the most massive wildfires in state history. This article will show how these wildfires affect everything from ecosystems to both states and individuals’ financial stability.
The Biological Toll of Wildfires
In states like California, they have seen the destruction of their forests. Earlier this month, the wildfire August Complex grew so large that it was officially determined to be Californias first gigafire. A gigafire is a new term coined by scientists to describe a fire that spreads beyond one million acres. While August Complex is more than half contained, the damage reached such a level that it could be viewed from space.
Scientists like Dr. Dominick DellaSala are worried that the ecosystems affected by wildfires, like August Complex, will not recover from the damage. Dr. DellaSala, Chief Scientist of the Geos Institute in Oregon, has written several opinion pieces of the fears he has about the ecosystems affected by wildfires. These fears are not ungrounded. According to a biologist team in Washington, the recent wildfires have killed over 50% of the endangered pygmy rabbits. This reduction in the population can have an irreversible effect on the overall health of an ecosystem.
The Health Toll of Wildfires
Wildfires can do a lot more than destroy ecosystems and property. The lingering smoke and damaged property can cause serious health concerns for a large percentage of the population. According to Dr. Sarah Henderson, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Health Services in British Columbia, we are now getting a better understanding of wildfires’ health risks. According to Dr. Henderson, short term effects of wildfire smoke can range from eye irritation to heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Henderson states more research needs to be done to determine the long-term effects of wildfire smoke. “I would argue that in western North America, we are now in a position where that much time has passed. We had major wildfires in 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009. We’re starting to get enough data to look at it.” While the long-term effects of wildfire smoke damage remain unknown, it is imperative to keep highly populated areas safe from wildfires.
The Economic Toll of Wildfires
During wildfire season, the last thing someone should worry about is the financial cost. However, in states like Colorado, they are spending millions of dollars a day fighting wildfires. According to a report conducted by the National Interagency Coordination Center, Colorado has spent $214 million since the wildfire season started. The report also claims that Colorado will continue to see an increase in costs through the remainder of the year.
Economic issues are not exclusive to state governments. Homeowners in California are seeing their home insurance policies being dropped by their providers. According to a report by The California Department of Insurance, more and more insurance providers are dropping customers who live in high-risk areas. The report states that the number of nonrenewals grew by 61% for individuals living in a high-risk area. Ricardo Lara, the California Insurance Commissioner, believes insurance companies are becoming weary of California wildfires’ mounting costs. During the 2018 wildfire season, insurance companies in California had to pay $25 billion in insurance claims. The 2020 fire season is already looking to shatter that number.
Helping Those in Need
This wildfire season has caused millions of individuals to lose everything they hold dear. If you are interested in helping those in need, several organizations are out to make the lives of those affected by wildfires a little easier. For example, The American Red Cross has set up a donation page to help the nation respond to wildfires. You can also visit ca.fire.gov to learn fire safety so these fires can be prevented in the future.
Bibliography
Elizabeth PennisiSep. 30, 2020, et al. “As Wildfires Continue in Western United States, Biologists Fear for Vulnerable Species.” Science, 30 Sept. 2020, www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/wildfires-continue-western-united-states-biologists-fear-vulnerable-species.
Fedschun, Travis. “California Wildfires Result in Insurance Companies Dropping Homeowners at Faster Rate.” Fox Business, Fox Business, 22 Oct. 2020, www.foxbusiness.com/money/california-wildfire-insurance-homeowner-nonrenewal-fire-weather-danger.
Kam, Katherine. “Could Wildfires Have Long-Term Health Effects?” WebMD, WebMD, 25 Sept. 2020, www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200925/could-wildfires-have-long-term-health-effects.
Kaur, Harmeet. “California Fire Is Now a 'Gigafire,' a Rare Designation for a Blaze That Burns at Least a Million Acres.” CNN, Cable News Network, 6 Oct. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/10/06/us/gigafire-california-august-complex-trnd/index.html.
