California wildfires spark the irony of human greed
Sometimes considered a part of Mother Nature’s ‘cleansing’, what percentage of wildfires are caused by humans?
10% of wildfires… occur naturally. That’s right, 90% of wildfires are caused by humans.
What are some examples human-caused wildfires?
Well, something as simple as a spark from a train can cause one. Or something more blatant like a lit cigarette butt thrown into a hot, dry forest can morph into an formidable forest fire.
Cali fires also occur from a combination of frequent droughts, flammable native shrubs and trees, high winds, invasive grasses that act as kindling, more human civilization near wild areas, and homes that burn easily.
Basically, Cali is a perfect shitstorm for wildfires.
As a result, area burned by wildfire in California increased more than five-fold since 1972, from a five-year average of 236 square miles (611 square kilometers) a year to 1,394 square miles (3,610 square kilometers) a year according to a 2019 study by Williams, Balch and others.
Burning down the house
Another fire season = another tragedy = more lives lost.
