WILDFIRE IN LOS
ANGELES: ENVIRONMENT
NEWS: Los Angeles
wildfire: DC-10 tanker drops 10,000 gallons of fire retardant to restrain
devastation, video goes viral
WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?
The US declared an emergency in Los Angeles as a
wildfire spread to nearly 3,000 acres, fueled by dry conditions, strong winds,
and climate change. Wildfires, triggered by both natural and human factors,
pose significant environmental, social, and economic challenges globally, including in
India.
1. What
are Wildfires?
Definition:
Wildfires are
unplanned, uncontrolled fires that occur in natural areas, such as forests,
grasslands, or prairies.
Triggers:
- Natural Causes: Lightning
strikes,Volcanic eruptions.
- Human-Induced Causes: Discarded
cigarettes,Unattended campfires or bonfires,Arson and slash-and-burn
farming practices.
2. Factors Causing
Wildfires
- Anthropogenic Activities:
- Expansion of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI):
Increasing development near forests increases fire risks.
- Careless behavior: Illegal bonfires or fireworks during dry
conditions.
- Deforestation: Reduces natural fire barriers and increases
vulnerability.
- Dry Winters: Southern California, with negligible rainfall from October,
leads to highly dry and flammable vegetation.
- Santa Ana Winds: Seasonal, strong, dry winds in
California that spread fires rapidly during dry periods.
- Extended and intensified dry seasons due to global warming.
- Vegetation stress from reduced moisture increases fire
susceptibility.
3. Impacts of
Wildfires
a. Environmental
Impacts
- Wildfire smoke contains harmful pollutants such as PM2.5,
nitrogen oxides (NO₂), ozone, and aromatic hydrocarbons.
- These pollutants worsen respiratory and cardiac conditions,
especially in vulnerable populations.
- Climate Change Feedback Loop:
- Wildfires release massive amounts of greenhouse gases like CO₂
and methane, exacerbating global warming.
b. Social and Economic
Impacts
- Destruction of Property and Infrastructure:
- Homes, businesses, and public infrastructure are often
destroyed.
- High costs of rebuilding and firefighting operations.
- Evacuations displace residents, leading to loss of livelihoods
and psychological trauma.
c. Soil and Land
Degradation
- Destruction of Soil Health:
- Soil organisms are killed, and organic matter is lost, reducing
fertility.
- Burned land becomes prone to erosion, leading to loss of topsoil
and desertification.
4. Way
Forward
a. Improved Monitoring
and Early Detection
- Satellite technology and GIS tools for real-time wildfire
monitoring.
- Example: Forest Survey of India’s VAN AGNI portal
provides alerts and real-time data on forest fires.
b. Strengthening
Global Collaboration
- Data and Knowledge Sharing: Governments,
NGOs, and private sectors need to cooperate on wildfire prevention and
response strategies.
- International Partnerships: Collaboration
for resource allocation, research, and capacity building in fire
management.
c. Addressing Climate
Change
- Mitigation Policies: Reduce
greenhouse gas emissions to tackle global warming and its effects.
- Forest Conservation:Promote
reforestation and carbon sequestration to reduce wildfire risks.
5. Forest
Fires in India
a. Frequency and
Seasonality
- India experiences 50,000–60,000 forest fires annually,
mainly during the dry season from March to June.
b. Fire-Prone Regions
- States with high incidences of fires: Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
c. Vulnerable Forest
Types
- Highly Prone: Dry deciduous forests.
- Less Prone: Evergreen, semi-evergreen, and montane temperate forests.
d. Forest Fire
Coverage in India
- Extremely Prone Areas: 4% of India’s forest cover.
- Very Highly Prone Areas: 6%.
- Occasional Fire Exposure: 54.40%.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/los-angeles-wildfire-dc-10-tanker-drops-10000-gallons-of-fire-retardant-to-restrain-devastation-viral-video-9774917/