Wildfires Continue to Torch the West Coast

Photo+Courtesy+of+California+State+Police

Photo Courtesy of California State Police

Trevor Baggett

The West Coast is experiencing the worst wildfire year in history as 7,600 plus fires torch through two and a half million acres. This  leaves hundreds of people homeless and causes millions of dollars in damage. With extreme heat and gusting winds, wildfires continue to leave their path in all of California and parts of Oregon and Washington.

 

Firefighters all across the west coast have been battling the wildfires non stop, and it does not seem to be letting up, according to New York Times. Fire departments are encouraging people to evacuate and make smart decisions. 

 

Fires continue to get worse every year, and the damage is skyrocketing with roughley 80,000 people moving to fire prone areas, stated Susie Kocher to CNN News, forestry and natural resource advisor in the state of California. 

 

“Climate change and human activities are major contributors to the yearly increase in wildfires,” she added. 

 

In this year’s most recent wildfire, the death toll was recorded as seven with dozens more injured.  On top of this, whole neighborhoods were burned down to the ground and businesses and forests were torched, stated CNN News. 

 

“This has been the worst year by far,” said the Oregon Fire Protection Program regarding the massive records they are setting with this year’s fires. 

 

As Oregon continues to battle the flames, the numbers keep rising. The death toll this year alone is 10 with north of 37 injured and as of September 9th, there are still more than two dozen people missing.

 

Oregon state police stated that the damage is absolutely horrific. The wildfires have paid their toles. This caused  over 4,200 buildings and structures destroyed and north of 800 million dollars in damage. 

 

Many think the only way to prevent these from continuing to happen is to fight climate change and limit human activity in heavily forested areas, said a group of citizens from Oregon when asked by the local news.

 

“This is just horrible and there needs to be a solution” they added.

 

New technology has allowed for researchers to use cameras to predict and prevent wildfires from starting and spreading. They have also put millions of dollars and thousands of hours into developing and stocking up on newer and stronger equipment. 

 

Even though all of this work is being done, the numbers continue to rise as firefighters work around the clock in order to keep a hold on these wildfires.