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Wildfires in California

Last updated on January 11th, 2025 Posted on January 11, 2025 by NEXT IAS Current Affairs Team  13

Syllabus: GS3/Environment, Conservation

In News 

  • The US declared an emergency in Los Angeles as the wildfire spread to nearly 3000 acres.

What are Wildfires?

  • A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie.
  • Wildfires are triggered by both natural events which include lightning and volcanic eruption etc and human activity which includes unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, arson, slash-and-burn farming.

Factors causing wildfires

  • Anthropogenic Activities: Increased development near forested areas, also known as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), heightens fire risks from human activities. Careless actions, such as Illegal campfires or bonfires or use of fireworks during dry conditions.
    • Also, loss of forests reduces natural fire barriers and heightens fire risk.
  • Dry Winter: Southern California experiences negligible rainfall from October onwards, leading to extremely dry vegetation prone to burning.
  • Santa Ana Winds: They are common in California in this season, but this year, they are unusually strong.
    • Thus, once a fire started in the prevailing dry conditions, the strong winds made the flames get bigger and spread faster.
  • Climate Change: Longer and more intense dry seasons increase vegetation stress due to lack of moisture, exacerbating fire risks.

Impacts of Wildfires

  • Toxic Pollutants: Wildfire smoke contains harmful pollutants like PM2.5, NO₂, ozone, and aromatic hydrocarbons.
    • These pollutants cause respiratory and heart issues, especially in vulnerable populations.
  • Climate Change Intensification: Wildfires release large amounts of CO₂ and methane, contributing to global warming.
  • Social & Economic Losses: Destruction of property, infrastructure, and businesses. Communities prone to wildfire areas are often forced to evacuate, losing homes and livelihoods.
  • Soil and Land Degradation: Destruction of soil organisms and loss of organic matter.
    • Increased soil erosion, leading to loss of fertile land.

Way Forward 

  • Enhanced Monitoring and Early Warning Systems: Expanding satellite technology and GIS tools to improve early detection and monitoring of fires in real time.
    • Ex: The Forest Survey of India developed VAN AGNI, a portal that provides alerts and real-time data on forest fires.
  • Global Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Strengthening international cooperation to share data, research, and best practices in wildfire prevention and response.
    • Forming partnerships between governments, NGOs, and private sectors for coordinated efforts in fire management.
  • Addressing Climate Change: Implementing policies to combat climate change and reduce global temperatures, which contribute to prolonged fire seasons.
    • Focusing on carbon sequestration strategies, such as forest conservation and reforestation, to mitigate the long-term impacts of wildfires.
Forest Fires in India
– India witnesses around 50,000 to 60,000 forest fire incidents annually, particularly during the dry season (March to June).
– The fires are mainly concentrated in states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
– Dry deciduous forests are most prone to severe fires.
1. Evergreen, semi-evergreen, and montane temperate forests are less prone to fires.
– Fire-Prone Forest Areas: Over 36% of India’s forest cover is prone to frequent fires.
1. 4% of forest cover is extremely prone, and 6% is very highly fire-prone.
2. 54.40% of India’s forests are exposed to occasional fires.

Source: IE

 
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