Scientists Think East Coast Is Now At Major Risk For Wildfires
Because of certain climate conditions, the East Coast of the United States is now facing possibly severe wildfire risk
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Scientists warn that the East coast could be in for a new threat: Wildfires. Global temperatures are approaching 1.5 degrees Celcius, a level of warming which could transition to worse climate change impacts.
A new threat for the east coast of America is on the horizon. Usually, this side of America is impacted by wilder hurricanes and flash floods, but now due to global warming, they are at risk for wildfires. These towns are not prepared for the multiple weather threats currently consuming them.
“Wildfire risk is increasing so much faster than even flood risk is across the U.S.,” said Ed Kearns, chief data officer for First street foundation, a non-profit that maps climate risks. “And it’s likely to affect areas that aren’t considered wildfire-prone areas right now but will be soon.”
Western America, such as California, has become used to dealing with catastrophic-scale wildfires in the face of global warming. The weather has increasingly become more suitable for such disasters to occur with record high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds. Now, this similar threat is spreading across America to the east coast.
North Carolina saw 5,151 wildland fires in 2021, the third highest after California and Texas. Both North and South Carolina have some of the largest properties threatened by wildfire after California and New Mexico.
Since preindustrial times, the earth’s temperature has risen more than 1.2 degrees Celcius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit), with fossil fuels being the primary driver of that increase. These temperatures are still rising despite global companies and governments pledging to reduce emissions and carbon footprint.
Scientists warn that the 1.5 degrees Celcius tipping point could be passed within a decade, which could cause irreversible ecological tipping points, including crop failures, more extreme weather, species extinction, and migrations.
With communities in states like North Carolina concerned about worsening storms, floods, and sea level rise, as this is all they have known for so many years, it is hard to get any traction on becoming prepared for wildfire risks.
River Duncan, the executive secretary for Grassroots Wildland firefighters, said focusing on all threats was a challenge in an area with “competing catastrophes.” “It’s the hurricanes and the rising water – they’re right in (residents’) face all the time, and wildfire may not be.”
Which disaster do you put your time and energy into? How do you change your management of fires?
Wildfires are not a massive issue until they are. East coast residents are coming around to the idea of “good fire” that can reduce threats by removing dry vegetation that burns quickly, said Kayla Barnes, a Dare County Ranger for the state’s forest service. But people at the National Park Service said it might not be easy to communicate this to people who have never seen a big wildfire.
With global warming and changing weather impacting our daily lives, hopefully, residents on the east coast can learn how to manage this new potential catastrophe and stay safe.
