Wildfires.11.28.23
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Wildfires
State at least four facts about one of the following types of weather disasters:
-
A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in the wildland vegetation, often in rural
areas. Wildfires can burn forests, grasslands, savannas, and other ecosystems, and have
been doing so for hundreds of millions of years. (Stanley)
-
Smoke from wildfires, even from wildfires tens or hundreds of miles away, can
significantly affect your health, especially if you have existing lung or breathing
problems. (US EPA)
-
Climate change, including increased heat, extended drought, and a thirsty atmosphere,
has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United
States during the last two decades. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
-
Wildfires can start with a natural occurrence- such as a lightning strike – or a human-
made spark. However, it is often the weather conditions that determine how much a
wildfire grows. Wind, high temperature, and little rainfall can all leave tress, shrubs,
fallen leaves, and limbs dried out and primed to fuel a fire. (Stanley)
Summarize facts about four different weather events that occurred between 2018 and 2023
based on your selected type of weather disaster:
-
Devastating wildfires destroyed the historic town of Lahaina on Maui Island of Hawaii.
Winds from Hurricane Dora exacerbated the wildfire as it spread on the island of Maui,
making it the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century. (NOAA National Centers
for Environmental Information (NCEI))
-
The calf canyon and Hermits peak fires in New Mexico merged in April of 2022
consuming over 34,000 acres. This became the largest and most destructive wildfire on
record in New Mexico – damaging or destroying over 1,000 structures. (NOAA National
Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI))
-
The Dixie fire consumed over 960,000 acres making it the second-largest wildfire on
record in California while also destroying more than 1,000 structures. (NOAA National
Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI))
-
In 2018 California experienced its costliest, deadliest, and largest wildfires to date, with
records back 1933. The Camp Fire is the costliest and deadliest wildfire – destroying
more than 18,500 buildings.
(NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI))
Based on your research, do you believe climate change is impacting the weather? Explain
why or why not.:
Based on my research, I do believe that climate change is impacting the weather as more
wildfires are caused by high temperatures, winds, and little to no rainfall. As these climates
continue to persist it leaves trees, shrubs, fallen leaves, and limbs dried out and even more
susceptible to starting a fire. While wildfires can sometimes occur by human interaction, weather
conditions determine how much a wildfire grows. Therefore, even if the wildfire was man made,
climate change still plays a major key role in how wildfires begin and even how far and long
they spread.
Cited Sources
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Wildfire Climate Connection.”
Www.noaa.gov
, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8 Aug. 2022,
www.noaa.gov/noaa-wildfire/wildfire-climate-connection.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). “Billion-Dollar Weather and
Climate Disasters .”
Www.ncei.noaa.gov
,
www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/events/US/1980-2023?disasters. Accessed 2023.
Stanley, Morgan. “Wildfires | National Geographic Society.”
Education.nationalgeographic.org
,
National Geographic, 20 May 2022,
education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/wildfires/.
US EPA, OA. “Wildfires.”
US EPA
, 4 June 2013, www.epa.gov/natural-disasters/wildfires.
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