Photo by Anasmeister on Unsplash
Reasons for California Wildfires Continuing to Burn
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| High pressure ridge and dry climate | The current high pressure ridge puts California in a stable and dry climate environment, which helps the fire to spread. The air sinking caused by the high pressure ridge makes the ground dry, and strong winds further promote the spread of the fire |
| Extreme weather | Southern California has experienced prolonged high temperatures and dryness, and these extreme weather conditions combined with ample combustible materials significantly increase the risk of wildfires |
| Houses near forests | As people gradually choose to build houses in suburban or forest-adjacent areas, this makes it easier for fires to spread to homes. This change in living patterns makes the concept of a safe distance no longer effective, increasing the threat of fires to residences |
| Lack of rainfall | California has experienced an unusually hot summer, but has not received normal autumn and winter rainfall, leading to dry ground that becomes combustible material. This situation makes fires harder to control and may persist for a while |
Why do California wildfires continue to burn even though the distance between houses is not very close?
Even if there are roads between houses and no trees, wildfires can still continue to burn and spread to homes.
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Strong winds promote fire | Strong winds can blow flames and embers further away, even crossing roads. Wind speeds can reach up to 130 kilometers per hour, causing the fire to spread rapidly, surpassing the original firebreaks |
| Extreme dryness and high temperatures | California’s climate conditions are extremely dry, the lack of rainfall makes the ground and surrounding vegetation very dry, becoming combustible materials. In this environment, even without trees, any combustible material (such as grass, shrubs, etc.) can quickly ignite a fire |
| Surrounding combustibles | Even if houses are spaced far apart, there may still be other combustible materials nearby, such as dry grass or shrubs. These materials can quickly ignite and expand the fire under high temperatures and strong winds |
| Diversity of fire sources | Whether it is naturally ignited (such as lightning) or human factors (such as outdoor barbecues, electrical failures, etc.), any fire source in such an environment can potentially ignite large-scale wildfires. The current high-risk conditions make these fire sources more likely to lead to severe consequences |
| Difficulty in extinguishing | When facing multiple simultaneous fires, firefighters may not be able to control the flames in time. Authorities report that several fires are currently out of control, which means that even houses that are relatively far away may be threatened |
These factors together lead to the situation where wildfires can continue to burn and cause damage even when houses are separated by roads.