Why in News?

In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles, including Hollywood Hills, claiming 10 lives, displacing 130,000 residents.

What are Wildfires?

Wildfires are uncontrolled fires that burn in natural areas like forests, grasslands, or prairies. They can start due to natural causes such as lightning or volcanic eruptions, as well as human actions like discarded cigarettes, unattended campfires, or slash-and-burn farming.

Causes of Wildfires

• Human Activities: Actions like illegal campfires, fireworks, and urban expansion near forests (Wildland-Urban Interface) increase fire risks.
• Dry Winters: Minimal rainfall in regions like Southern California creates dry vegetation prone to ignition.
• Santa Ana Winds: Strong seasonal winds in California intensify fire spread.
• Climate Change: Prolonged dry seasons and vegetation stress amplify fire risks.

Impacts of Wildfires

• Wildfire Emissions: Wildfires contribute to air pollution by releasing harmful pollutants like PM2.5, NO₂, and black carbon, along with greenhouse gases such as CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O, impacting health and worsening climate change.
• Climate Effects: Wildfires emit CO₂, worsening global warming.
• Social & Economic Losses: Destruction of homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods; forced evacuations.
• Soil Damage: Loss of organic matter, soil organisms, and increased erosion reduce land fertility

Wildfires and Climate Change: A Connection

Climate change plays a significant role in the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires. Rising global temperatures lead to prolonged dry seasons and reduced rainfall in many regions, creating conditions that make vegetation dry and highly flammable. This lack of moisture stresses plants and forests, making them more vulnerable to ignition.

Additionally, climate change contributes to the intensification of weather patterns, such as stronger winds and higher temperatures, which can cause fires to spread more rapidly. Wildfires, in turn, release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, further exacerbating global warming. This creates a vicious cycle where climate change intensifies wildfires, and wildfires accelerate climate change.