“Humanity should not remain insensitive to the forest fire or wildfire every year. Unless we act, the loss of biodiversity and extinction of herbs, birds and animals and the pains of the trees, birds, animals and the poor is also alarming signal for the extinction of humanity itself.”
Amit Ray, Nuclear Weapons Free World Peace on the Earth
Introduction
When will it end is a question I ask myself in a daily basis. When will the pollution of earth stop? Are things going to get so bad that the earth literally self distracts? There are three levels to this composite image. The first is the smoke cloud at the bottom. This cloud represents the fumes from chimneys of industrial plants, this thick grey smoke is literally poisoning us and depleting the ozone layer. Next the smoke makes it is way into the forest and merges with the trees and plants. When the fumes and vegetation merge the environment for a wildfire is set and all it needs is a spark for everything to light up.
We provided the fumes by smoking and burning trash, We set the flames by leaving campsites unattended, Now the flames are at our doorsteps, and we are surrounded by them every day. One day we will be engulfed in a furnace and combust to dust. - Edidiong Idong Bassey
This year has been a whirlwind of emotions, pain and uncertainty, but I am convinced our actions or inactions will lead to the destruction of our planet. There are over 48,858 cases of wildland fires worldwide in places like the Amazon Rain Forest, California, and Mount Kilimanjaro and each case left devastating effects to the ecosystem. I think it is very important to deal with the issues because they have serious health implications. For example, the smoke and smog contain nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and non-methane compounds which are harmful chemicals that cause suffocation, lung disease or death in an extreme case. Also, I am passionate about this because future generations do not need to grow up expecting a wildfire every year. This reduces their quality of life because the air will be unsafe to breath in, students and scientists can’t research on plant or animal species because they are extinct or endangered. Economic wise rebuilding after a wildfire is a very expensive. According to thumbtack.com, the average cost to rebuild a house after a fire can be $3,500 to $5,000 for a small fire and more than $50,000 for larger fires that damage a home’s structure or roof. The average person cannot afford to rebuild their house every other year and it is not feasible. Tourism options become limited and this will affect the economy because the government has to allocate money to rebuild after a forest which will lead to budget cuts. After all is said and done taking care of the environment is beneficial for our survival and livelihood.
Wildland Fires
There are over 200 cases of wildfires around the U.S. as a direct result global warming and air pollution caused by human beings. I think it is apparent that climate change should be taken seriously because thousands of people lose their homes, businesses and memories are burned. In addition, thousands of species are endangered and may go extinct. As Amit Ray said if we ignore global warming and pollution while it’s still manageable humanity is at risk of extinction.
From the chart above it is obvious that wildland fires have increased over the years. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, this year from January 1 to November 6 here were 48,858 wildfires compared with 45,244 wildfires in the same period in 2019, About 8.6 million acres were burned in the 2020 period, compared with 4.6 million acres in 2019. Wildfires in California have burned a record 4.2 million acres, damaging or destroying 10,500 structures and killing 31 people.
As many as 90 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by people, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Some human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, downed power lines, negligently discarded cigarettes and intentional acts of arson. The remaining 10 percent are started by lightning or lava.
The devastating effects of careless actions are depressing. According to Verisk’s 2019 Wildfire Risk Analysis, 4.5 million U.S. homes were identified at high or extreme risk of wildfire, with more than 2 million in California alone. To read the full article click on the button below.
Cause and Effect
According to scijinks.gov, wildfires are uncontrolled fires that spread quickly and can destroy homes and the environment nearby. They start from a spark caused by burning ember that blows from a campfire, heat from the sun, lightning and not surprisingly human error.
If a spark happens in the presence of oxygen and fuel—such as dry grass, brush or trees—a fire can start. And conditions in the weather and environment can cause the fire to spread quickly. The weather can also make fire worse. For example, drought, winds and extreme heat can make a fire bigger, faster and more dangerous.
To read the full article by Scijinks.com click on the button below.
We are constantly bombarded with information about the major consequences of global warming and pollution which involves talk about doom and destruction of earth, but have no fear there is hope! We can be stop this doom by being responsible for our environment.
In the video above, Xiuhtezcatl is lamenting about the climate and how unfair living in this world is. I agree Generation Z is not enjoying the earth like should. He discusses how advocacy on social media has been effective in raising awareness to climate issues. I think we can all be grateful about the awareness for wildland fires and other environmental problems.
The Fix
The documentary takes you on a journey about the reality of battling a forest fire. Every year firefighters risk their lives battling flames and some are not able to go back home to their families. The message of the video is this war against wildfires is for all of us. The videos challenges people to think of ways they can prevent a wildfires.
According to AccuWeather.com, there are several ways to prevent wildfires.
1. Report unattended fires. If you are ever out and about and notice a fire that is burning out of control or is unattended, immediately call 911 or your local fire department.
2. Extinguish fire pits and campfires when done. Many people wonder how to prevent wildfires, but the easiest way is to be careful when having a campfire or using a fire pit. A fire should never be left unattended for any period. Also, when you are done with the fire, then make sure you completely extinguish it.
3. Do not throw lit cigarettes out of your moving car. Never throw lit cigarettes, smoking materials, or matches out of your car, or on the ground. Make sure any cigarettes are completely extinguished before you throw them in the trash.
To read the full article click on the button below.
Citation
1. 7 simple steps to prevent wildfires: https://www.accuweather.com/en/accuweather-ready/simple-steps-to-prevent-wildfires/686346.
2. How Do Wildfires Spread: https://scijinks.gov/wildfires/.
3. Facts + Statistics: Wildfires https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statisticswildfires#:~:text=2019%3A%20In%202019%20there%20were,million%20acres%20burned%20in%202018.%20noopener%20noreferrer.
4. https://youtu.be/1LYSdM7ysH8
5. https://youtu.be/1L4Vq8x_-Vo
6. https://youtu.be/6y0__CZI-Cw