The Evolving Relationship Between Wildfires and Climate Change

Written by Jane Marsh

Various wildfires consume Northern California this summer, placing residents and regional species at risk. The Dixie fire already burned through hundreds of thousands of acres, generating adverse ecological impacts. Around the country, citizens are noticing personal effects from increased levels of dense smoke.  

Emergency response professionals work on taming the fire, limiting further destruction. Decreasing the severity and frequency of environmental disasters requires climate change prevention measures rather than solely relying on response efforts. Before evaluating how one can reduce wildfire risks, we must examine the connection between natural disasters and climate change.

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse gas emissions are the driving factor of climate change. When we drive gas-powered cars or use fossil fuel-derived electricity, we generate contributing elements. Fossil fuels release air pollutants into the atmosphere during combustion, disrupting Earth's natural temperature control process.

Organically, Earth absorbs sunlight, produces heat, warms the surface, reabsorbs excess energy and sends it to space. The procedure maintains life-sufficient temperatures on the surface, supporting the global ecosystem's functionality. Without the assistance, life on the planet faces endangerment.

As greenhouse gases invade the atmosphere, they increase the sunlight-to-heat conversion rate. Additionally, they contain excess energy in the environment, radiating more warmth. Over time, the entrapment and overproduction of heat increase Earth's temperature.

The Environmental Response

When the global temperature increases, Earth experiences various alterations. One effect of climate change is the rising evaporation rate. The elongation of summer months and higher temperatures generate water displacement, depleting specific supplies.

As water supplies diminish, the global level of dehydration increases. The decreased access to freshwater also places limitations on agricultural development. Currently, malnutrition affects nearly 821 million individuals.

Professionals expect global hunger rates to increase as evaporation drains agricultural resources. Water displacement also increases precipitation in certain regions, causing flooding and structural damage. Other areas experience elongated drought periods, generating higher wildfire frequencies.

Wildfires' Effect on the Environment

Wildfires also generate adverse environmental effects, creating a vicious cycle of ecological degradation. During mass burnings, forests release vast quantities of smoke into the atmosphere. The smoke contains brown carbon, which has similar environmental impacts as black carbon.

More brown carbon particles can reach high points in the atmosphere, accumulating in larger portions. It traps and overproduces heat, like conventional greenhouse gas emissions, raising the global temperature. Additionally, mass burning decreases the surface's natural ability to filter air pollution.

One acre of trees can absorb and filter nearly six pounds of sulfur dioxide. It can process an additional nine pounds of nitrogen dioxide, limiting stress on the atmosphere. Similarly sized regions can absorb over 100 pounds of carbon emissions, releasing pure oxygen in return.

Without abundant vegetation on the surface, the atmosphere experiences overwhelm and significant composition alterations. Wildfires also alter the safety and wellbeing of local species. Mass burns generate food, water and shelter challenges for many animals.

Unlike many individuals' predictions, few animals know to flee their habitat when wildfires take over. The inhalation of smoke and injury directly cause mortality among certain species. Deforestation caused by fires also creates significant struggles.

Habitat demolition leaves animals without shelter and protection against predators. The increased vulnerability also displaces species, leaving them lost without a common meeting ground. Fires additionally deplete local food sources, increasing malnutrition and death among specific packs.

Concentrated, increasing heat levels from wildfires also drastically expand localized evaporation rates. Without water, many animals die from dehydration. Resource depletion also limits a region's ability to grow back food sources, leaving an area uninhabitable.

Engaging a Community in Ecological Conservation 

Communities can help prevent wildfires and the enhanced greenhouse effect by minimizing emissions. The transportation sector produces a significant amount of air pollution, increasing the global evaporation rate. Public transit systems can adopt electric vehicles to eliminate tailpipe emissions, improving atmospheric conservation.  

By building community gardens, regions may also limit pollution from agricultural transportation and food waste. When individuals live near their food sources, they shrink their diet's carbon footprints and personalize their consumption quantities. Over time, maintaining natural atmospheric conditions can significantly reduce the risk of wildfires and decrease their contributions to climate change.