The fires that have been raging in Los Angeles for weeks are a painful example of the consequences of the climate crisis. The damage will be paid not only by residents, but also by the air, soil and ecosystems in the area.
In early January, massive fires broke out in Los Angeles. According to California Fire DepartmentThe fire has since consumed at least 232 dunams, damaged more than 16 structures, and claimed the lives of 28 people. This is an extreme that characterizes the climate crisis: Heat and drought events are recurring and intensifying, causing the drying out of natural habitats and damaging their resilience to fire events. According to US Environmental Protection AgencyThe size of the areas burned annually across the United States has been on the rise for 40 years, a trend that has worsened in the last two decades – especially in California. Retirement The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement, perhaps the most important international agreement in the fight against the climate crisis, just moments after the inauguration of Trump, does not bode well in this regard.
Just recently published National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Data shows that in 2024, California weather was particularly extreme: February and March were wetter than usual, and June through October was drier than usual. Dryness, temperature, and wind are considered weather conditions that affect the risk of wildfires in the short term, their speed of spread, and their size. In the long term, prolonged drought creates more favorable conditions for fires. Therefore, rising temperatures and drying of the soil and vegetation extend the period of the year in which the risk of wildfires increases.
In addition to the heavy toll that fires take in both property and life, fires can have other devastating consequences. Here are 3 types of damage you may not have thought about that can occur following a fire:
Air Pollution
Beyond the emission of carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas causing the climate crisis, also For carbon monoxide There is a negative impact. Mapping of infections caused by giant fires showed that fires also emit polluting gases and compounds into the air. Carbon monoxide It is a toxic byproduct of combustion; it is colorless and odorless, and its inhalation can cause illness and even death. According to Dr. Naama Tesler, an ecologist and geomorphologist who specializes in forest fires, “In urban areas, fire releases hazardous substances as a result of the burning of houses, what is in them and around them,” for example, pollutants originating from burning plastic. In addition, fire emits nitrogen oxides, which when combined with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – which are found in forests, among other things – result in the byproduct of ground-level ozone – a toxic gas in itself. That hurts in the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) and is linked For diabetes mellitus.
Another kind of Air Pollution It comes from the creation of tiny particles called PM 2.5, which are smaller than two and a half microns in diameter. They can enter the human body through the respiratory system, and can also travel through the air for vast distances. Last year, during the huge fires in Canada, particulate pollution in New York City jumped 25 times the average"There may be other toxins that we don't even know about their effects on the air, soil and subsoil," says Tesler.
Fires also emit gases and polluting compounds into the air. Photo: pexels
Invading species
Article A recent study looked at the impact of fires on the spread of invasive plant species in Mediterranean environments, such as the Mediterranean basin and California. “The introduction of invasive plants into natural areas needs to be addressed [immediately] because they are changing habitats and affecting biodiversity,” says Tesler. The Mediterranean region is also vulnerable to more frequent fires due to the climate crisis. According to the paper, in the event of a fire, the smoke that fills the air improves the ability of some invasive species to absorb nutrients. In addition, the heat generated during combustion contributes to the growth of invasive trees and shrubs that are better able to cope with sudden increases in underground temperatures.
One of the most well-known invasive species in the regions Where a Mediterranean climate prevails is The blue-green method, which is also widespread in Israel. According to Tesler, in some cases, invasive species have strategies for coping with fire, "for example, a bluish system that regenerates very quickly after a fire - from the seeds or from the root collar," she explains.
In the world there is Additional impact: Some invasive species that have arrived from Europe, Asia, or Africa to Australia and America are considered more flammable than resistant native species, which they crowd out of the ecosystem.
Soil changes
Fire also affects the environment through Geomorphological processes – Processes that participate in shaping the landscape. “Fire damages the properties of the soil through chemical and physical changes, which cause an increase in the flow of surface runoff (water flowing on the surface, TA),” says Tesler. A fire event tends to accelerate geomorphological activity in the environment, at a rate that depends on the conditions prevailing there and the severity and frequency of the fires. For example, in mountainous topography, the possibility of landslides endangers the habitat that exists on the mountainside. Soil erosion is also more severe after a fire because the soil loses the vegetation that served as a stabilizing protective layer. “The burning of organic matter in the soil increases the way the soil, after a severe heat stroke, repels water. In addition, the soil remains more exposed to the blows of raindrops.” In steep topography, she warns, this encourages rapid soil erosion.
"The fires in California repeat themselves every year, and we need to learn from this. Dealing with fires in Israel is not easy either," says Tesler, who has previously written about The fires that burned in the Kiryat Shmona areaSome of the damage from fires can be reduced with the help of an appropriate budget, preventive measures, preparation for treatment, and the involvement of residents. One thing is certain – we should be prepared.
More of the topic in Hayadan: (Beresheet is the Hebrew name for the book of Genesis)
