Wildfire Smoke Engulfs the Nation in September

September is the month of wildfires on the west coast. Fires have raged in California, Oregon and Washington State this past month, where little precipitation factored into the intense burns. Although the fires mainly affected western states with land and property damage, and poor air quality, the entire United States saw smoke in their skies as well.

Officials in California say the fires are caused by an end of summer heat wave paired with a dry period, as well as man-made fires which burned out of control.

The Hot Bed

In California, fires ravaged hillsides and natural areas. Thousands of fires have pushed Hot Shot crews to their limits, and around 27 fires are still active in the state.

In Los Angeles County, the Bobcat Fire has burned over 113,000 acres of mountain terrain and was only 39% contained as of September 23. The fire began September 6 near the Cogswell Dam, and CNN reports that federal investigators requested information from utility providers about a near by overhead conductor. Southern California Edison, the utility provider, claims that although the conductor may have had a circuit break just before the start of the fire, their equipment is not involved in the blaze. The United States Forest Service will continue their investigation into the cause while fire crews work to contain the massive outbreak. The Bobcat Fire is believed to be one of the largest in Los Angeles County history.

The El Dorado Fire was sparked earlier in the month by a pyrotechnic device used at a gender reveal party. One fire fighter, Charles Morton of the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad, was killed while battling the fire. More than 22,500 acres burned in San Bernardino County, with the fire 74% contained as of September 23.

The fires aren’t just contained to Southern California. In the Northern part of the state, the North Complex Fire quickly consumed more than 300,000 acres and killed 15 people. Reports from CAL FIRE say that more than 1,947 structures were destroyed in the path of the fire.

The impact of coronavirus on the state has severely limited the state’s ability to combat the fires. Many of the state’s wildfire crews are conscripted from prisons and jails, where coronavirus has hit the incarcerated especially hard. Fifty three incarcerated people have died from coronavirus in prisons across the state. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that would allow formerly incarcerated individuals to seek jobs as professional fire fighters following their release. Those with felony convictions were previously barred from working as fire fighters in the state, even though they received training while serving time.

In The West

In Washington State, the town of Malden burned to the ground with only a few structures saved. The rural town is known for regional agriculture. The fire, which started on Labor Day, had burned through the town by September 8 with no injuries reported by NPR.

The state saw severe air quality warnings due to wildfire smoke drifting up from California during the week of September 13. Buildings in downtown Seattle went from visible to completely shrouded in smoke in a matter of days, and public health officials warned all residents to remain indoors until the smoke cleared days later.

Midwest and Northeast

Air quality warnings were issues throughout the northeast during the week of September 18 as the jet stream carried smoke across the country. According to NASA, smoke travelling across the country poses a huge health impact because it can carry particles of methanol, benzene, or toxic chemicals like ozone. States like Ohio and Illinois saw moderate air quality warnings, while residents in Washington DC experienced a few hazy days with a red sun. The diffusion of light through the smoke particles brought red sunrises and sunsets to the East Coast that week.

Looking Forward

During a recent visit to Northern California on September 14, President Donald Trump spoke with California Governor Gavin Newsom and state officials about the national response to wildfires. State Secretary for Natural Resources, Wade Crowfoot, urged the President to take climate changes seriously and not focus on vegetation management as the first response to wildfires. The President previously stated he believes that vegetation management, like cleaning up underbrush, is the best way to prevent forest fires.

In response to Crowfoot’s comments, the President replied that “It’ll start getting cooler. You just watch.”