ceaseless terror among us

By Gustavo Ornelas

A wildfire is an unplanned, yet disastrous, and uncontrollable fire that can spread itself, which makes the fire more problematic. And unfortunately, they are specifically in areas where trees, plants, and vegetation are prone to them.

These wildfires usually don’t start on their own, and if so, it starts by thunder, or climate change (High temperature). But the main factors are the human habits such as deforestation, burning wastes, or simply just by smoking a cigarette.

But the problem with wildfires is the impact it has on climate change, diversity/biodiversity, community, air quality, and more.

As our society and environment have changed throughout the years, there has been a significant threat that happens every now and then. What is it? You guessed it, wildfires. Our place has gotten worse over the years, unfortunately but how are these wildfires such a danger to us? Well according to an environmental scientist who is a high school teacher, “Chung Khong” he went into a very deep and beyond conversation where he said, “If wildfires keep happening, the animals can go extinct.” And this more likely will happen since their habitats are getting burned, but not just their homes, but them as well.

One of the biggest concerns for many people as well as governors is the increase in climate change, and it's getting worse due to the human habits and if they still continue their threatening habits on earth, climate change will get even worse in these upcoming years.

“Climate change is getting worse due to human habits, such as deforestation, and car fuel consumption.” “Says Chung Khong.”

Climate change is something to worry about because it will cause more wildfires, which will burn people’s homes at one point, and not just that, but it is also increasing ocean acidification. And that will eventually ruin our economy since ocean acidification will destroy marine life.

Khong Said, “Ocean acidification is a symptom of climate change which causes fires, and the co2 from those fires causes ocean acidification.”

With that being said, these are only one of the few BUT important topics to us, but there is plenty of more yet to be mentioned, which I will mention as I continue. Coming now the number of acres of land burned, which in this case, it’s something horrible taking into consideration the impact it has on our air quality, AND ecosystems.

According to the New York Times about 5 Out Of The 6 Largest Wildfires In California’s History In These 6 Months by Michael Mcgough, Thousands of acres have been burned, “including the August Complex that has burned roughly 840,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire in California’s recorded history.”

You are probably wondering, well, what are the major impacts these burned acres have on us, and to answer that question, it’s simple. The amount of carbon dioxide being released from those huge wildfires that are burning those acres is going to the atmosphere. And apart from of course making the climate hotter, it is worsening our air quality, with some days being 150 AQI which is considered unhealthy, and a danger to those who suffer from asthma or any respiratory problem. The good news is that with change in the future it will get better.

“In the short term, it will get worse, but in the long term, the quality will get better.” “Said, Chung Khong.”

That being said, it also has some sort of a mixed impact when it comes to the ecosystem, with some pros and cons. With the number of acres being burned, yes it kills some animals, and burns a lot of trees, plants, grass, etc. But the pro here is that it benefits the ecosystem at the same time.

According to the gale encyclopedia of science/wildfires by Bill Freedman and K. Lee Lerner, it states, “Burning is essential for the ecosystem to replace and build new vegetation.”

Onto the last major two things with wildfires, is the impact on the community, and in short words, is their homes being burned, or having to evacuate where they lived their entire lives. Since wildfires keep happening, more homes are being burned. According to Michael Mcgough, “the wildfires are destroying thousands of structures.”

“Wildfires are melting the arctic, and biodiversity can take millions of years to recover.” said Chung Khong.

Most of these fires have happened in California, California is burning right now, with it’s increase in climate change, with the other factor being the fires are hard to take out since they can spread easily which creates even more and bigger fires. An example would be the L.A fires where people had to evacuate and the amount of acres that were burned. Everything that I basically mentioned is what is going through California right now too, and the fires are still getting worse. So this implies that California’s air quality will worsen, but will get better if we stop the fires.

So as you can see, wildfires are the opposite of inconsequential, and if they keep happening in California as well as other places, not only it will be the end of an era of living a life with no worries whatsoever, but it can potentially end the way we do things now, where going outside will be impossible, and resources won’t be available, which will lead to the end of humanity at one point.