California Consequences — Society Marbella

2020, a year for the history books, it all started with the Australian Black Summer. Following what seems like a never-ending series of disastrous events, we now find ourselves in October and California is ablaze – it’s like déjà vu.

The first clusters of fires began in August, by September 7th, 718 fires had burned down 3.7 million acres of land, and there are still two more months of fire season to get through. It’s October now and as firefights concentrate all their efforts to contain the flames, it’s hard for anyone to analyse the full extent of the damage caused.

In Los Angeles, help is rallied from surrounding states in an attempt to contain the so-called Bobcat fire. To date, the fire has burned over 100,000 acres, making it the largest in the city’s history. Overall more than 20 people have tragically lost their lives, including a firefighter caught in the merciless blaze. Many are now left homeless with nowhere to turn to, people and animals alike.

As the fire engulfs all surrounding vegetation, it’s hard not to think of the countless animals that have permanently lost their natural habitat. The world looks on as locals are seen rescuing abandoned cats and dogs, confused farm animals have nowhere to go, and wild horses gallop away from the flames leaving behind what used to be their home.

The Global Warming Catalyst

While all this devastation goes on, human nature automatically wants to place the blame somewhere in attempt to rationalise. Some fault response times and evacuation orders, which were complicated by a major heatwave and the ongoing pandemic. However, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection may have an answer, drying and heating from human-induced climate change is said to be the main culprit here.

Rising temperatures and an increase in droughts create the perfect conditions for fires to grow larger and more devastating. Since the industrial revolution, temperatures have been on a steady rise due to the increase of carbon monoxide in our atmosphere. As long as we continue to burn fossil fuels, fires are bound to wreak havoc worldwide.

To put it into perspective, California’s temperatures have gone up by 3 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 1800s. It may not seem like a lot but even the slightest change can make the biggest difference. This is a major reason as to why the fires have got so out of hand, warm air sucks up every drop of moisture it can get, from plants, ground, trees, etc. The landscape has become incredibly dry leaving it vulnerable to the smallest spark.

Terrible Trump

In recent years, it seems like the world has opened their eyes to the effects of global warming. Activists like Gretta Thunberg have shed light on the fact that we can all do our bit to help, but ultimately real change lies with those in power.

Following presidential duties, President Donald Trump attended a briefing with California officials where they pleaded with him to recognise the role of climate change in the fires. During the conference, officials urged that the only way to combat the problem is to use the science of global warming. Despite the seriousness of the issue, in his usual half-joking half-serious style, Trump assured ‘it will start getting colder’ and that ‘science doesn’t know’. Some might say, a tactic to avoid facing this complicated issue.

To an extent, Trump’s sentiments are being echoed throughout news headlines as reporters shy away from connecting the fires with global warming. Thunberg recently took to Twitter in an attempt to expose the media: ‘Reporting is not enough. Connecting the dots is not enough. Mentioning the link to the climate crisis is not enough (even though it would kind of help…)’.

There is some hope as the Biden-Obama administration was strong on climate change, putting regulations in place in an attempt to control the situation. Since Trump’s inauguration, a lot of the work has been undone and replaced by weaker rules. Fortunately, there is some hope as presidential election candidate Joe Biden is the new favourite to take over in the White House.

What Next?

As we move into November, the last month of the fire season, the world must sit tight and hope firefighters will gain the upper hand. Nevertheless, next year’s season will soon come along and unless something is done about climate change, the fires could cause another round of devastation, potentially worse and even more life-threatening.

For those of us too far away to physically help, there are a number of ways to do so. You can donate on the following websites: www.redcross.org, www.cafirefoundation.org & uwba.org.