WILDFIRE PRESENTATION

Fires

Wild

01

Summary on wildfires

Wildfires are defined as uncontrolled fires located in areas of flammable vegetation – such as woodland habitats, rainforests, grasslands and swamps. They most commonly occur in places with hot climates like Australia, Southern Europe, Central/South America, and the Western Cape of South Africa. Wildfires can sometimes happen due to natural causes, most often lightning strikes or extended time exposed to sunlight. However, most wildfires are caused due to human activity – careless use of cigarettes, disposable barbeques, matches and fireworks

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70,000 Wildfires occur in the US annually

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True

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Wildfires affect an estimated 4 million square kilometres of the earth’s land each year – about half the size of the United States! Wildfires occur all over the world. Forested areas, grasslands, and shrublands in places such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Western Cape of South Africa, and Southern Europe are particularly susceptible, especially if the area is experiencing an extended period of drought and high temperatures. California, and other Western states of the US, are particularly prone to wildfire. The region’s vegetation – pine needles, dry shrubs, and grasses – are more flammable than forests in other parts of the country, where moister trees, such as maple and beech, are found.

When is wildfire season

Prime time for wildfire depends on summer temperatures, rainfall, and wind. In California, most fires have historically occurred between May and October. However, recent data has shown that the season is lengthening, with wildfires starting earlier in the year and lasting well into the fall and winter months. Changes in climate are creating drier, warmer seasons, which create the ideal conditions for fires to burn. This not only increases the frequency of fires but their severity too. As experts study the lengthening wildfire season, many agree that a year-round fire season is becoming the new reality, particularly in Southern California where the first significant rainfall often does not take place until November or December.

Where are they most common?

In the US, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming suffer from the largest and most destructive wildfires. In 2021, just over 23,000 wildfires burned approximately 6.2 million acres in the West, compared with the over 35,000 fires that burned just under 1.0 million acres in the East. In recent decades, California has experienced some of the largest and most destructive wildfires in US history. The summer of 2020 was the worst fire season on record. A total of 10,431 fires occurred, causing more than 4 million acres to burn.

Effects

Impacts

For starters, wildfires could have negative effects on our climate and contribute by releasing carbon stored in vegetation and peat soild. Furthermore, the ecological assets and air quality would depreciate signifiacntly in the days after a wildfire.

In particular the 2021 California wildfires were although devastating, very eye-opening in the affect that wildfires has on civilations. Amongs the many consequences of the California wildfires, the worst were; the destruction of land and infrastructure, and a cumulative economic loss of anywhere between $70-90 billion.

Causes of Wildfires

03 - arson

02 - negligence

01 - Climate change

Rising temperatures due to climate change is thought to have played a large part in the 2021 California wildfires. This is believed to be true because of the increased numbers we have seen in wildfires in the past decade alone. This is another reason to prevent climate change as it kills millions of species each decade.

Rising temperatures due to climate change is thought to have played a large part in the 2021 California wildfires. This is believed to be true because of the increased numbers we have seen in wildfires in the past decade alone. This is another reason to prevent climate change as it kills millions of species each decade.

Smoking causes an estimated 30% of U. S. and 10% of global fire death burdens.

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USA and Australia's response

Australia

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The Unites States of America are hiring land management agencies to implement burning regulations and fire use restrictions into laws. They are also using tools such land use planning and zoning to limit the uses of hazardous machinery in vulnerable areas.

The Australian government have invested 200 million dollars into protecting the country from wildfires. They are using this money to help frequently clear house gutters of twigs and leaves, keep large patches of grass cut short and create designated spaces to store flammable materials. They have also put funds towards building materials to reconstruct houses, schools and hospitals that are damaged by wildfires.

How many wildfires do humans cause?

85%

90%

Fatalities of California Wildfires

Hauser Creek Fire, 1943 - 11

Tubbs Fire, 2017 - 22

Tunnel Fire, 1991 -25

Griffith Park Fire, 1993 - 29

Camp Fire, 2018 - 76