In recent years, California has experienced two very rainy winters that have led to increased vegetation acting as fuel for fires. The west coast is currently facing devastating fires, with California experiencing its largest fire of the year over the weekend. The Post Fire started in rural Gorman, north of Los Angeles, and has burned over 5,900 hectares in just two days, prompting the evacuation of 1,200 people. Despite the efforts of 1,150 firefighters, the fire was only 8% contained as of Monday morning.
The fire spread rapidly due to strong winds, mainly affecting brush and grasslands in the mountainous region. However, homes have mostly been spared so far. This large fire may be a sign of an intense fire season in California, especially since around fifteen smaller fires broke out across the state over the weekend. Experts warn that July is likely to see a very active fire season at lower altitudes.
California’s consecutive rainy winters have led to the growth of dense vegetation that is now drying out as summer approaches. These past two years have been the wettest on record in Los Angeles, leading to concerns about dry vegetation due to early heat waves in the region. The record-breaking temperatures are a clear indication of global warming and experts warn that more frequent and intense heat waves will lead to more wildfires in future summers.
The rest of the United States is also facing high temperatures for this time of year, with a heat wave expected in the central and eastern parts of the country. Scientists believe that these extreme temperatures are a sign of things to come and predict hotter summers and longer heat waves as a result of climate change. With wildfires already raging in California and other parts of North America bracing themselves for a challenging summer ahead
