The destructive power of wildfire has been a defining feature of a summer of climate extremes. Dozens of people on multiple continents have died.
The destructive power of wildfire has been a defining feature of a summer of climate extremes.
The toll on humans will be great. Beyond the immediate aftermath, experts say that exposure to wildfire smoke can cause long-term issues for human health, with respiratory effects like asthma and COPD as well as impacts on the function of the heart, brain and kidneys. The psychological damage, too, can be lifelong. People in the direct path of wildfires may experience post-traumatic stress or struggle with their mental health after losing their loved ones, homes or livelihoods.
The Greek government is planning tougher penalties for arson in the wake of the damage, but the extra heat from climate change is also to blame. And the fires only add to the cycle of warming: Greece saw its highest wildfire-related emissions on record this July, according to data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, part of the European Union’s Earth observation program.It started with a brush fire overnight in Kula.
Researchers say that climate change and land use changes amplified the cost of human error in this catastrophe, as wildfire, storms, floods and other disasters have been on the rise in Hawaii. Flash droughts, which happened this summer and are more likely as a result of global warming, can create an abundance of dry grass on the islands in a short amount of time. And as some plantation agriculture has shifted to ranching, more areas now act as kindling, fueling the problem even further.
Firefighters managed to limit the damage, with no injuries reported and no houses burned as of Monday, but access remains difficult, especially in steep and craggy mountainous areas. In the meantime, thousands of people on the island were evacuated or ordered to stay indoors.
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