California Wildfires Erupt Again
September 15, 2015
Over last weekend, September 12th and 13th, California once again became the top priority for the United States Forest Service, as destructive wildfires broke out in several regions in the northern part of the state. Spurred on by hot, dry, and windy conditions, the wildfires burned through about 61,000 acres (24,690 hectares) of tinder-dry forest within about 24 hours. By Monday, the fires had caused at least one death.
A wildfire is the uncontrolled burning of large areas of vegetation (plant life). Depending on where they occur, such fires may also be called brushfires, bushfires, or forest fires. Wildfires may be ignited by human activities or by natural causes. The size and intensity of a wildfire depends on the type of vegetation fueling it, the terrain, and the weather. Since January 1 of this year, wildfires in the United States have burned more than 8.7 million acres (3.5 million hectares), mostly in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This year’s fires have already burned more land than in any other year over the last decade.
In the hardest hit areas, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of California’s capital Sacramento, the fires consumed at least 400 homes and buildings and displaced thousands of residents. Many people had to flee from their homes with little or no warning. A separate fire centered about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Napa has devastated about 78 square miles (202 square kilometers) so quickly that it left fire officials astonished. Forest Service officials believe the wildfires, which were probably started by lightning, spread so fast because the vegetation in the area has been rendered bone dry after severe drought over the last four years, and more recently, by weeks of extreme summer heat.
Firefighters are trying to protect an ancient grove of trees in Sequoia National Park that are threatened by the raging wildfires in California. (National Park Service)
On Monday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Lake and Napa counties due to the raging wildfires. Because these fires are so close to major cities and towns, more than 1,000 firefighters have been deployed to combat the blazes. The firefighters also worked to protect an ancient grove of Giant Sequoia trees at Sequoia National Park. This grove includes the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume.
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