The Wildfire Crisis
In California, Oregon, and Washington, a deep-red sun is setting every night and it's not a pretty sight. America's West is on fire and the effects are frighteningly real.
The Current Wildfire Outlook
In just the past week, more than 900,000 acres have burned in Oregon, a record amount of uncontained fires the state has ever seen. In Washington, around 480,000 acres of land have been ravaged this week. In 2020 alone, more than 3.1 million acres burned in California (yet another record amount of land destroyed), and we haven't even hit peak fire season yet. Hundreds of thousands of residents are being displaced, and an estimated 11 people are dead as a result of the fires, with more either missing or suffering severe burn injuries. The effects of these wildfires are a devastating example of climate change in action -- all at the cost of our lives, infrastructure, and billions of dollars that only represent a small fraction of the reality of our ongoing climate crisis.
Wildfires are a Natural Occurrence
In isolation, wildfires are actually a natural part of the Western ecosystem, even being considered essential. Wildfires rejuvenate natural ecosystems by reducing the density of forests, improving habitats for plant and animal species, and eliminating excess fire fuel such as leaves, branches, and dead trees.
Climate Change Effects
However, climate change has influenced the way in which wildfires impact ecosystems and our neighboring communities. Climate activity, such as earlier snowmelt and higher global temperatures has resulted in drier soils from increased evaporation, paired with increased vegetation water loss, resulting in a lengthened fire season in the American West. Man-made interference in wildfire-prone areas, such as increases in construction and infrastructure, as well as the removal of fire-safety policies, has also expanded the impact of fires across the region. Wildfires are starting sooner, spreading quicker, and creating more damage than ever before.
As these wildfires burn through our homes and fill our communities with dangerous smoke (during a respiratory-based pandemic, nonetheless), the cycle of climate change is furthered as well. When the fires spread toxic pollutants into our airspace, they also emit incredible amounts of CO2 and other pollutants that lead to a more volatile climate crisis. Ultimately, humans have transformed the natural process of wildfires and spread the associated dangers throughout our forests, communities, and entire regions.
Eliminating Carbon Emissions
At RyeStrategy, we know what we’re up against. Offsetting, reducing, and eliminating carbon emissions is a priority in the fight for a healthier, more sustainable Earth. Our hearts go out to all that have suffered and continue to endure the ongoing wildfires. It’s time for carbon neutrality to be the standard for businesses everywhere - our future depends on it.
Learn about our affordable carbon footprint solutions for small and medium-sized businesses
Book a free strategy session to discuss your climate goals with a sustainability manager.
About RyeStrategy
Based in Seattle, RyeStrategy is a CDP-accredited, mission-oriented company specialized in carbon accounting, mitigation coaching, and climate disclosure solutions for organizations at any point in their sustainability journey. Learn how RyeStrategy helped Salesforce, Ideascale, and Wazoku achieve their sustainability goals.
From exhaustive carbon footprinting and mitigation coaching, to setting science-based targets and reporting climate data to CDP, SBTi or custom reporting platforms, RyeStrategy acts as a hands-on extension of the team, custom-tailoring services to fulfill climate disclosure requirements easily and accurately.
Meet with a sustainability specialist to learn more about RyeStrategy solutions.
