It’s no secret that climate change plays a significant role in the emergence of natural and man-made disasters. Throughout the years, we’ve seen many ways in which climate change has affected our homes for the worst. Even in the previous year, my current home underwent damage caused by unfortunate natural disasters that destroyed parts of my city. This relates to the recent disastrous fires in Los Angeles that have destroyed countless homes, buildings, and wildlife in the area. Although the direct cause of the fire continues to be questioned, it is widely assumed that the fires were sparked by human activity. This doesn’t mean that climate change had no play in the matter. In fact, it’s shown that climate change altered the trajectory of the fire and the amount of damage it produced.Â
What caused the fire?Â
The fires were created by a combination of factors that include unusual weather, human activity, and climate change. It started with the rains in California from 2022-2024. Due to the heavy precipitation, large amounts of vegetation grew by the end of 2024, which is seen as fuel for the fires.
Despite the heavier precipitation in L.A. for two years, there was actually an incoming drought and warmer temperatures. Throughout November to December of 2024, there was an unusual drought during the wet season, making it the second driest start to a wet season since 1877. These factors make the vegetation more prone to fire.
In the beginning of January, powerful Santa Ana winds which took place Jan. 7 and 8 made the matters even worse. The issue with heavy winds is that once the fire began, it was extremely difficult to put out. These intense winds affected the ability of firefighters and prevented them from dealing with the fires in a quicker manner. This is because, unfortunately, the winds spread the fires at super quick speeds, leading to immense damages in Los Angeles.
Climate Change’s Impact
Although climate change was not the main cause of the fires, it certainly made its contribution. Scientists say that without the increases in temperature caused by climate change, the fires still would have started, but would’ve been smaller and less intense. Climate change has been shown to increase global temperatures that have direct effects on dry and warm conditions that produced these fires.
While it is critical to understand what led to the creation of the fires, it is also necessary to acknowledge the lives affected or lost. Homes were burnt, people and animals were hurt, and businesses were lost. In light of these events, it’s important to take a moment to be grateful for your blessings and do what you can to help others around you. If you personally want to donate to support the people affected, here are a few places you can donate: