There are several environmental threats in humanity today. These environmental threats affect every aspect of human life, including social and economic aspects. Wildfires are among the most devastating of environmental threats with adverse effects on the affected regions and the world at large. The region of North America has been a region prone to wildfires in history. A wildfire is also referred to as a wildland fire, grass fire, forest fire and vegetation fire. Therefore, the vast vegetation in the regions of North America is a key factor that influences the experiences of wildfires in that region. A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that often occurs in wildland areas or areas of combustible vegetation. These wildfires often begin unnoticed and end up spreading quickly igniting the vegetation or buildings that are in proximity.
There are several causes of wildfires including pyroclastic clouds from active volcanoes, arson, volcano eruptions, lightning and human carelessness. Other causes include droughts, heat waves and cyclical climate variations. The regions of North America like Canada, California, Colorado, Arizona and Alberta among others are more vulnerable to these wildfires because of the immense vegetation in those regions. Fuel loads, the weather and the topography of the region play an important role in wildfires. Wildfires spread considerably fast depending on the type of fuel and the quantity of fuels surrounding them. Therefore, the region of North America being highly forested contributes a lot towards the magnitude of forest fires experienced in the region. Weather conditions especially the winds and temperature also play a key role in wildfires. Winds supply additional oxygen to the fires, dries the potential fuels faster increasing their ignition and push the wildfires faster across the land. For instance, the Santa Ana winds in California have been playing a major role in the magnitude of the fires experienced in that area. These winds are hot and dry, thus aggravating the dangers of the wildfires in bushlands and the forests in that area. The topography of North America also plays a key role in the magnitude of the wildfires in that region. The area has the Great Plains, plateaus and cordilleras. Additionally, the western region is mountainous with the Rocky Mountains and Canadian Shield. Furthermore, the Appalachian Mountains are also found here. The steep slopes increase the speed of the fires. Furthermore, the wildfires can preheat the fuels further up the mountains and hills because of the smoke and heat, which rise towards that direction.
Challenges of Wildfires
Wildfires pose a great challenge to the North American region and to the whole world. Firstly, wildfires lead to great destruction of property and massive loss of lives. These wildfires consume everything in their course including homes, buildings and people. For instance, the Cloquet-Moose Lake wildfire saw 450 lives lost with more than 38 communities destroyed (Garbe, Suzanne). The Taylor Complex fire in Alaska also saw the burning of more than half a million acres of the forestland. This massive destruction of property and resources details the economic expansion and development of the affected regions. Many influential people to the society lose their lives from these forest fires. These people could be doctors, teachers, business people, parents and children among others whose value to the communities would be immense had they lived.
These fires destroy people’s homes living them homeless. They also lead to family separations as people are displaced from their homes during emergency operations and commotions during the outbreak of the fires. Rebuilding of new homes or looking for new settlements by those affected by the wildfires could prove expensive, and since it is unplanned, many people suffer a great deal in setting. Some of them end up living in streets because they cannot afford new settlements.
There are several national parks within the region of North America. These national parks and game reserves contain animals and different plants that attract tourists, and that have significant influence on the regions. Therefore, destruction of wild game poses a great challenge to the tourism sector in those regions. Sometimes people lose their jobs as some of these parks and reserves close down for maintenance. For instance, the wildfire at the Yellowstone National Park saw the closure of the park as the fire consumed more than 36% of the park (Gedalof 10).
These wildfires also have health effects to the people. The release of hazardous chemicals and effluents into the environment by the burning fuels significantly affects the health of humans. Most of these chemicals are released to the atmosphere in the form of smoke. The degree of the exposure of the wildfire smoke to a person depends on the proximity, duration, severity and length of the fire. Communities are exposed to the wildfire debris, which can contaminate water supplies the soil. The firefighters are also at great risk of acute, chronic health effects because of their exposure to wildfire smoke.
Wildfires consume vegetation destroying important habitats and food resources for animals. This destruction in turn leads to the collapse of the food chains especially in the continental and forested regions leading to extinction of certain rare species. The destruction of the rare species hinders scientific research and advancements.
Global warming is the most significant global effect of wildfires. These wildfires emit enormous amounts of gases into the atmosphere. These gases mostly comprise of carbon (IV) oxide, carbon (II) oxide and methane among other chlorofluorocarbons. Since the smoke emitted from these fires is usefully huge because of the severity of most of these fires, the gases spread across the entire atmosphere. As these gases spread across the atmosphere and form a blanket in the atmosphere, they absorb both terrestrial radiation and radiation from the sun. The intense of amount of heat absorbed by this blanket is then radiated back on the earth surface. The intense heat then causes drought effects and even more wildfires as the extreme heat accelerates the ignition of the fuels in the forests.
Dealing with Wildfires
Dealing with wildfires is a process that has had some successes. These successes are attributed to the suppression policies and prevention measures by organizations and governments in the North American region. In most cases, firefighters use a Pulaski in putting out the fires. When the fires are too large, helicopters and jets fly overhead the fires while dropping water and specific chemicals, which smother the flames. Canada, which is prone to many of these wildfires, uses some of the fire-retardant chemicals through the sky Jell-O in putting out the wildfires (Hayasaka 18).
What People Have to Know Concerning Wildfires
The issue of wildfires has several aspects and components that people should know. These aspects are elemental in reducing adverse effects of the wildfires to the societies. One of the aspects of wildfires that people have to understand is the wildfire safety tips before, during and after the wildfires. Before wildfires, it is important for organizations and governments to have elaborate disaster plans. People should also know whether they are in wildfire-prone areas or not. For those individuals in wildfire-prone areas like the North American regions, they should plant fire resistant trees and shrubs around their homes to minimize the spread of fire. People should also prepare disaster supply kits for their homes and cars. Moreover, they should constantly listen to or watch the news to be up to date with the latest information concerning wildfires in their areas.
During wildfires, people should follow instructions immediately. For instance, when asked to evacuate, they should do so immediately. They should also wear protective clothing and choose safer routes away from the wildfire hazards. Lastly, people have to stay away from wildfire areas after the fires until they are safe.
Personal Reactions to Wildfire Issues
The issue of wildfires is an important element especially in the wildfire-prone regions like North America. Wildfires in that region occur like seasons, thus reflecting on the adverse effects of these wildfires, the region needs ample management and preventive measures to minimize the effects. People should also establish settlements away from forested regions. For long, individuals have been moving into forests and establishing settlements because of the stress on the land because of increasing population. Moving away from forests decreases the effects of the wildfires on humans and promotes safety measures in handling the fires.
Works Cited
Garbe, Suzanne. The Worst Wildfires of All Time. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2013. Web.
Gedalof, Ze’ev. "Climate and Spatial Patterns of Wildfire in North America." (0): Print.
Hayasaka, Hiroshi. "Forest Fires and Climate in Alaska and Sakha Forest Fires Near Yakutsk." (0): Print.
