California Wildfires: Are They Caused by a Deadly Blend of Human Built Environment and Climate Change?

Scenes of utter destruction and rising death counts caused by wildfires raging in North and Southern California are heartrending. Entire neighborhoods turned to ash and debris, fires ravaging far from wilderness areas like Malibu situated on the sea, thousands fleeing the flames in terror and searching for missing loved ones. That’s the apocalyptic environment many Californians find themselves in currently. And, the prognosis is not optimistic.

“The wildfire threat in California is far from over. With thousands of acres already burned and a climbing death toll this is anything but good news. Dry and windy conditions are expected to continue for much of California over the next week or so, setting the stage for additional wildfires to break out. The high pressure settled over the western United States is creating strong Santa Ana winds that will cause any wildfire that ignites to spread very quickly.” says Stephen Strader, an assistant professor in Villanova’s Department of Geography and the Environment.

Why is this happening repeatedly and year-round? An expert on the interaction of climate change, natural hazards, and society, Strader says, “In terms of WHY California seems to be a tinderbox over these last few years, there are some facts that we have to face. 1) Wildfire frequency is increasing; 2) Wildfire fire size is increasing; 3) Drought frequency and severity is increasing, leading to ignition-prone vegetation landscapes, 4) The number of people living in wildfire prone regions is increasing; 5) Developed land area is increasing in wildfire regions; 6) Humans are the primary cause for wildfire ignitions and this trend is increasing, 7) Wildfire disasters are getting more numerous and costly, 8) The Camp/Paradise wildfire is now the deadliest wildfire in California history.”

He continued, “The most important thing that we know is that the combined effect of a changing climate and society are leading to more wildfire destruction and deaths than ever before. Unless we act fast and immediately, this process is doomed to repeat itself year after year in the western United States. Officials, policy makers, developers, environmental mangers, etc. have to enact land use, zoning, and management laws that protect future populations from these disasters.”

“And, we as a society we have to start changing our lives to combat the negative effects of climate change. If we don’t, disasters like the California wildfires, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Harvey, and the Joplin, MO tornado will become a staple atop the newspaper headlines for the foreseeable future,” he concluded.

To speak with Strader, click on his headshot above, e-mail mediaexperts@villanova.edu or call 610-519-5152