The Effects of Wildfires - 1348 Words

Fire at any level can be devastating, yet the effects that wildfires have on every worldwide country really has left its mark on the land. As written by world renowned wild fire spokesperson Smokey the Bear, â€Å"Every year, wildfires sweeps through parts of the United States setting wilderness and homes ablaze. On average these raging infernos destroy about four to five million acres of land a year. But in 2012, wildfire burned more than 9.3 million acres, an area about the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined† (U.S. Wildfires). Destroying homes, crops, towns and of course forests. Yet the effects of these fires can be seen from a negative perspective as well as some positive. Plus there are natural causes as well as manmade that†¦show more content†¦The idea that if the wind changes or the fire begins to close in is constantly in the mind of a firefighter, and may change the outcome of these hero’s mission. The effects the fires have on the body are unbearable to trained experts along with every day evacuee, massive amounts of smoke inhalation and the extreme heat causes fatigue and extreme stress on the body which can cause fainting as well as loss of oxygen and possibly lead to death if not treated. Yet that is not even the most dangerous part of trying to evacuate or even fight wildfires. With the potential for the fires to travel at extreme speeds exceeding twenty miles per hour without wind, a running human can never get away from the wall of destruction chasing them, becoming completely engulfed in the flames, and ending up as a fire ball of death. If the instant effects forest fires have on the body aren’t enough the later aftermath effects on the body are seen as even more extreme. Contained in the smoke of these massive blazes is the deadly gas carbon monoxide, once inhaled the effects can be permanent with potential for instant death if inhaled to long. This along with inhaling the smoke alone is a major i ssue for the elderly as well as the extremely young, especially ones that already have current respiratory issues, including COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), or asthma. Along with the effects on the lungs once the smoke and carbon monoxide have entered the body the potential for it to spreadShow MoreRelatedWildfires And Its Effects On Our Environment977 Words   |  4 Pageswe segue into a fifth season. Wildfire Season. Wildfires can wreak havoc! Millions of dollars are spent annually, preparing for Wildfires. Money is allocated for education, training, and preparing to fight Wildfires. Money is spent fighting them and protecting structures that might be in the way. Wildfires can be costly, but they also impact us in other ways. Wildfires tax our resources. They impact our structures and influence where we build and how we build. Wildfires affect our health, especiallyRead MoreThe Effect Of Temperature And Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Associated With Wildfires1374 Words à ‚  |  6 Pagesamount of sediment entering watersheds, which can alter both temperature and dissolved oxygen levels throughout the system. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration associated with wildfire, how these changes can be controlled, how effective these controls are, and what more can be done. II. Temperature Fire can alter stream temperature in several different ways. First, and probably most short lived, is the immediate temperatureRead MoreA Brief Note On Wildfires And Its Effects On The Environment2061 Words   |  9 PagesEvery year, thousands of forest or wildfires are caused by humans, which affect thousands and thousands of acres of land and wildlife all over the United States. Many of these fires that are caused by human error or negligence, occur at many of the beautiful camp sites, that are located around the country. In these cases, these fires not only affect the land and the wildlife, it puts the lives of other camper s, in jeopardy as well. Especially since with wild or forest fires, there is no way ofRead MoreThe Effect Of Temperature And Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Associated With Wildfires1386 Words   |  6 Pagesamount of sediment entering watersheds, which can alter both temperature and dissolved oxygen levels throughout the system. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration associated with wildfire, how these changes can be controlled, how effective these controls are, and what more can be done. II. Temperature Fire can alter stream temperature in several different ways. First, and probably most short lived, is the immediate temperatureRead MoreFighting Fire With Fire Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pagesand efficient ways to prevent and stop wild fires. Wildfires are naturally occurring events that will happen despite any effort to prevent them. The thing people can do is reduce the severity and amount of wildfires by many different tactics. There are organizations all over the world from federal to private with the goal to reduce wildfires. The most widely known organization uses the iconic bear, Smokey, who says â€Å"Only you can prevent Wildfires†(â€Å"About The Campaign†). Fires need three factors toRead MoreSan Diego Wildfires - Smoke And Ash Debris A Public Health Concern Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesSan Diego Wildfires: Smoke and Ash Debris a Public Health Concern San Diego Wildfires The county of San Diego is a unique haven to hundreds of state and federally recognized endangered, threatened, or rare plant and animal species (The Nature Conservancy, n.d.). San Diego is also a territory with a long history of environmentally catastrophic wildfires. The Cedar and Witch Creek Fires are two of the most recent and notorious wildfires in California history for their degree of damage in terms of acreageRead MoreFires Essay954 Words   |  4 Pagesgenerated a $100-million â€Å"relief fund† to support individuals that are affected by the fires. As well places like The Canadian Red Cross are helping collect donation in various ways to help wildfire evacuees. Official say that there were 97 fires that started on July 8th, 2017 on its own and there are currently 220 wildfires going on in BC, due to this over 9,500 people have been told to evacuate their homes since July 8th, 2017. As of July 7th 2017 BC has spent 46 million trying to fight forest fires sinceRead MoreWhy Wildfires Are An Threat Of Safety, Economy And Environment1567 Words   |  7 PagesWildfires are an increasing threat to safety, economy and environment. Remote sensing technologies offer a large diversity of environmental information to help fire risk prevention services. In this regard, the European Copernicus program integrates a suite of space-born and in-situ datasets to support a wide range of applications, including fire risk assessment. This chapter provides an overview of the Copernicus products and services that are currently used to evaluate fire risk conditions, andRead MoreHistory Of A Fire Regime And Where We Are Today1285 Words   |  6 PagesJillian Spies , Assignment #1, FRST 547- Forestry in British Columbia Wildfire in British Columbia: The History of a Fire Regime and Where We Are Today The extraordinary wildfires that burned in 2015 worried many British Columbians. That year, 304,460 hectares of land was burned by wildfires in the province (Lori Daniels, personal communication, Oct. 30, 2015). Compared to the 10 year average of 115,000 hectares per year (Lori Daniels, personal communication, Oct. 30, 2015), this is a staggeringlyRead MoreWildfires And How Do They Start Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesWhat are wildfires and how do they start Forest wildfire burn in the U.S. is projected to increase by over 50% by 2050 Wildfires emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide, increasing the rate of global warming. That warming then increases the number and severity of wildfires. We may be underestimating how much carbon future fires will contribute to the atmosphere. The biggest concern I have is that it is possible that we are underestimating the positive feedback of fire to the climate system and