Up in Flames

By Nova Deitering

“Wildfire”: a word we have heard too much recently. With wildfires raging in the west, including in the states of Washington, Montana, Idaho, and harder hit states like California and Oregon, 7,375 acres have already been burned. However, that’s just one fire. One of the most unruly fires, the California Bond fire has destroyed over 47 structures and forced 25,000 residents to evacuate their homes. Milder conditions allowed firefighters to somewhat gain control of part of the fire, though it spread at its fastest rate yet on Thursday. Though the west’s wildfire season is from July to November, the wildfires are still raging. Not only does this affect the people and firefighters, it also affects the animals. Biologists fear that this could cause the numbers of more vulnerable species to drop dramatically. “It’s too soon to see how many species the fires have put in jeopardy,” scientists reported. One of these animals is the white-headed woodpecker, a highly endangered species. The fires swept through the pine woods which they call home. Unfortunately, it is too early to tell how many were lost. Researchers say that the white-headed woodpecker is only one of the many animals that will need our help, and it will take many years for the ecosystems to bounce back. Not only do wildfires affect plants and animals, they also affect global warming. The unnatural orange skies caused by wildfires puts natural gasses and chemicals that are dangerous for us to breathe into the air. Why did the wildfires start? There are many reasons, including lightning and other natural causes. But truthfully, the wildfires started because of us. We are the ones who are devastating our ecosystems, killing wildlife, causing global warming and doing nothing. We can change, so why don’t we stop setting illegal fires or leaving campfires alone? We can change, so why don’t we?