The U.S. Forest Service has ordered all national forests in California to close until at least September 17 due to the state's ongoing wildfire crisis.
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'Any new fire starts have the potential for large and rapid-fire growth with a high risk to life and property. The conditions dictate the need for this region-wide closure order. Forecasts show that conditions this season are trending the same or worse as we move into late summer and fall,' said the U.S. Forest Service in the news release.
The USFS's decision is just the latest sign that we are living through a climate emergency. Footage here shows clips of the Caldor Fire this week. That wildfire was initially sparked on August 14 and has ballooned to approx more than 190,000 acres, making it already one of the 20 largest blazes in state history. The fire is only 15% contained as of August 31. In total, 6 of the 7 largest wildfires in California history are from either 2021 or 2020.
Rising average temperatures and a historic drought in the western U.S. have created arid conditions in many forested lands, which makes trees drier and therefore more flammable. There is widespread consensus among scientific experts, including in a recent UN climate report on August 9, that the climate crisis is making many extreme weather events, such as wildfires, both more frequent and more severe.
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