Lessons from the Flames: Wildfires and Climate Change
The sky turns a haunting shade of orange. Ash rains down like snow. The air thickens, making it hard to breathe. We’ve seen these scenes unfold repeatedly across California, Australia, Greece, and the Amazon. And now, yet another wildfire has left Los Angeles scarred.
In January of 2025, Los Angeles experienced its third major wildfire, in which flames consumed 5,000 acres of land near Malibu. The firestorm ravaged Malibu and adjacent communities as it ignited 5,000 acres of land. Many households evacuated their houses while firefighters struggled to manage the unstoppable blaze. High winds escalated the fire as they mercilessly acted to spread the flames at an even greater speed. The devastating destruction took place for the second consecutive time. This isn’t just bad luck. Year after year, the situation deteriorates as wildfires spread more rapidly.
Wildfires now spread across multiple geographical areas that were traditionally unaffected. Different regions across the United States, Canada, Australia, Greece, and the Amazon rainforest currently experience never-before-seen wildfire levels. Canadian wilderness suffered its most destructive year in history through wildfire in 2023, when the flames destroyed more than 4.1 million hectares. Research suggests wildfires will surge 50% throughout the world as we approach the end of the century. This global environmental crisis amounts to a major human catastrophe.
So why is this happening? Scientists reveal that climate change is the cause. The current climate patterns of temperature rise and drought are allowing wildfires to spread rapidly. The previous eight years maintained the status of hottest known to science at the same time that severe heatwaves exceeded 45°C across various global regions. The western United States remains caught up in an unending drought, which has turned its forests into the driest conditions it has ever faced. The fast-spreading wildfires become easier to trigger whenever strong winds such as the Santa Ana from California or the Mistral from Europe appear.
Total devastation remains after firefighters finalize their work of extinguishing flames. The aftermath lingers for years. Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfires perpetrated a catastrophic outcome that resulted in the killing of billions of animals. Wildfires disperse particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, which can create respiratory problems. Approximately 20,000 Americans lost their lives prematurely because of wildfires that produced smoke in 2020. The financial damage caused by these disasters exceeds all other aspects of destruction. The 2018 Camp Fire wildfire in California caused damages that reached $16.5 billion. Some towns never recovered.
Can we stop this? Not entirely. Wildfires have existed as natural elements from the beginning of history. We possess the capability to handle and control wildfire intensity. Every minor increase in global temperature pushes us to have even stronger climate policy measures. Smarter land management-controlled burns and early-warning systems that leverage artificial intelligence technology are essential to handle this situation. Future city developments require reconsideration of construction methods that promote fire resistance.
Every wildfire is more than just a disaster. It’s a warning. A glimpse into the future we’re heading toward. The flames are speaking. The question is, are we ready to listen?
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About the author,
Devanshu
A B.Com Honours graduate, this boy brings a calm, composed, and optimistic approach to everything he does. With a background in Statutory Auditing and a passion for watching anime, he enjoys exploring the structured world of finance and the imaginative realms of storytelling. Balancing his academic pursuits with a love for creative escapism, he always seeks to blend the best of both worlds.
