What the Los Angeles fires are telling us about climate change
By Danielle Cho
The Eaton and Palisades fires lasted for more than twenty days. (Graphic Source: New York Times)
Some individuals believe that climate change is fictitious, but recent events clearly prove otherwise. The wildfires on the west coast of the United States are a clear consequence of significant global warming.
Climate change has been a pressing issue in the world for a prolonged time; however in recent years intense storms, increasing temperatures, dying ecosystems, and changing regional climates have rung the alarm. The change in temperature around the world has been rising at an alarming rate; according to NASA, the planet’s average surface temperature has risen about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the industrial age. And according to the World Meteorological Association, 2024 was the warmest year with a temperature 1.5 degrees above those in the 19th century-pre-industrial age.
Furthermore, shocking spikes in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been observed since 1911, and the quantity is only increasing. It is clear that the warming of the planet is an indisputable fact.
Because it causes environments to be dryer and warmer, precipitating the ideal conditions for the spreading of wildfires, the increase of wildfires has been attributed to climate change. According to C2ES, a 1 degree Celsius increase could cause a 600% increase in the areas burned per year. Some southeastern modeling of the U.S. demonstrates that the area burned in wildfires caused by lightning will increase by 30% by 2060.
BBC states that the fluctuations between dry and wet conditions in Los Angeles contributed to dry vegetation that increases the chances of fires. The heavy rain California received in 2022-2023 changed to very dry weather towards the end of 2024. These unstable, wavering conditions are nicknamed “whiplash” conditions; studies additionally show that they increased globally from the mid-20th century on, and that climate change is one of the key factors as to why this is so.
Mr. Luo, an AP Environmental Science teacher and the faculty advisor of the Green Club, simply describes this relationship: “When it gets hotter, more water evaporates, so we lose the moisture in forests and soil.”
LA had devastating wildfires in January in the Altadena and Pasadena areas (the Palisades and Eaton fires). Spread by strong gusts of wind, they started on the 7th and burned for nearly a month. In the end, the fires tragically injured and took the lives of many, causing destruction of structures in their wake. As of now, this region of California is in a drought condition and the dry spell continues.
Mr. Luo had firsthand experiences with wildfires and recounted that they “impacted the safety of [his] job at the time because [they] just couldn’t go into certain areas” while he was working for a forest service. He later expressed that “There are very few safe places left in the country” from different and unpredictable weather conditions such as wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, and blizzards.
Human activity is the primary reason why these disasters, resulting from climate change, are so prevalent today; burning coal, oil, and gas, deforestation, and fluorinated gases are only a few of the causes of rising emissions and global warming. Because of these actions, the conditions of the Earth are changing.
Many may wonder how to slow up climate change that is so brutally afflicting the planet. Mr. Luo explained that dealing with climate change is “becoming harder and harder…as our populations grow, as people get a bit more disconnected from everything, so it’s not easy.”
However, he added that energy consumption is the number one driver of the increase in carbon dioxide concentrations. He advises that “the more you can reduce your energy consumption in the winter, that would be…the amount of heating that you do,” the more the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will decline. The small efforts people put into minimizing energy consumption, like “[surviving] in January with it being 65 degrees instead of 75 degrees,” can make a big difference when many people contribute.
Although the world is becoming warmer and warmer, there is a ray of hope for the planet. If humans work together to fight climate change, its effects may slow. On a positive note, Mr. Luo states that “If we stop climate change by… one degree centigrade or 0.1 degree centigrade, it makes a difference on how many other people are going to be affected.”
As awareness about the condition of the planet is spread, more and more people may care and take action to reduce their impact on the environment and the world. In ensuing years, people hope that devastating disasters such as the LA fires will be no more.