Breaking Denial When Facing the Flames
As humans, we often fail to grasp the true severity of a conflict until it engulfs our lives in flames, forcing us to confront the inferno of the mistakes we foolishly, repeatedly and ignorantly make. Blinded by what is tangible in the present, we fail to envision the inevitable consequences that our actions will have in the future.
Global warming has been one of those intangible and silent menaces threatening our planet, often overlooked because of the subtle traces it leaves behind. While our eyes may deceive us, the danger is still real and catastrophic.
As we’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating LA wildfires impacting us, our families, and our friends, the destruction is no longer concealed. Can we still justify our indifference when Mother Earth is crying out, bleeding from the destruction we’ve caused? Do we have any excuse left to remain passive?
Today, Los Angeles finds itself surrounded by smoke as wildfires take over Southern California. Among the most devastating are the Hughes and Palisades fires, which have invaded over 33,000 acres in just weeks.
The City of Stars is set Ablaze
The Hughes Fire, near Castaic Lake, has burned nearly 10,000 acres, while the Palisades Fire has consumed 23,713 acres and destroyed more than 500 structures. Over 200,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as flames come dangerously close to urban areas.
These fires are not just a natural disaster — they are an evident product of climate change. California’s prolonged drought, driven by increasing global temperatures, has dried out vegetation, creating highly flammable conditions. Paired with strong Santa Ana winds that reach speeds of up to 70 mph, these fires spread at an uncontrollable rate, making it nearly impossible to contain them while avoiding any damages.
The toll on the environment and human life is staggering. The fires have released millions of tons of carbon dioxide, heightening climate changes, while hazardous smoke has plunged air quality to dangerous levels. Ecosystems and wildlife habitats have been destroyed, leaving lasting wounds on Southern California’s landscape.
These wildfires are not isolated events but rather part of a worsening pattern caused by global warming. This is our reality. If we fail to take actions to mitigate climate change, we will only exacerbate these hazardous conditions within our environment.
Los Angeles’ wildfires are a wake-up call for every single citizen of this planet. It is time that we listen to Mother Earth’s urgent plea.
The Psychology of Ignoring Climate Change
Why do we continue to ignore a crisis that threatens our very existence and our very own homes? The science is clear, and the evidence is strong, yet as extreme weather intensifies, ice caps melt, and wildfires rage, many of us still turn a blind eye or downplay the urgency of this issue.
It’s a psychological mechanism—a form of self preservation against a truth that’s too hard and overwhelming for our minds to fully confront.
Climate change’s effects unfold over the years, making them easier to neglect. Psychologists call this “psychic numbing”—the tendency to become desensitized to large-scale suffering. The larger the crisis, the less urgent it feels. We don’t see climate change in our present lives, we see it in statistics, graphs, and news reports that feel detached from our own human experiences.
Another coping mechanism that comes into play is denial. Facing the truth and taking action to save our planet entails that we have to recognize that our lifestyles—our consumption, our comfort, our domains—are igniting this destruction. This puts us in a tough and uncomfortable spot, and therefore we would rather rationalize, delay, or change our responsibilities.
But now, after all that is said and done, the crisis is no longer distant. The destruction is here, forcing us to reckon with what we have long ignored.
What will it take for us to open our eyes? Will we wait until our world is unrecognizable, or will we finally confront the uncomfortable truth?
Fighting for Change is a Mindset
The biggest challenge to climate action isn’t a lack of solutions, but rather how we perceive the conflict itself. Denial, apathy, and the belief that our efforts won’t make a difference keeps too many of us from acting, even when the evidence is right in front of us.
Change begins when we stop seeing this crisis as a disaster that’s impossible to fix. We need to start recognizing the power of collective action.
Little choices we make in our everyday lives like reducing waste, supporting sustainable brands, and advocating for change, aren’t meaningless and invisible. They’re the foundation of a larger movement.
While we convince ourselves that climate change is a distant issue, affecting future generations or faraway places, we need to acknowledge the painful reality that climate change is already encompassing our world, in the wildfires, the rising temperatures, and the storms growing stronger every year.
We should make climate change more personal through local stories, firsthand experiences, and real consequences. This will help us turn our passive concerns into active solutions.
Fear can also paralyze us, making the crisis feel inevitable. But instead of focusing on disaster, we should focus on what we can control. We resist change when it disrupts our ways of life, but what we forget to acknowledge is that progress doesn’t demand perfection but only persistence.
When we break past these mental barriers, our actions become unstoppable. Will we let what happened to LA happen again ?
Mother Earth is pleading for change—will we finally listen before it’s too late?