There used to be a time when fires here were rare, but due to many factors, such as the change in the land and plants, fires have spread rapidly and intensely. Big Island has had lots of larger fires than normal this year, too. Where else can you think of?
Ecuador is having a similar problem. When I first arrived in the Sierra (Andes) of Ecuador, there seemed to be fires every day. From the start of 2023 to the end of August, there were 1,086 forest fires! In early September, there were 22 forest fires in one day in the region surrounding Ecuador's capital, Quito. When I talked to my host family about this, they told me that it was not normal. The summer months had been a lot dryer than usual. Without rain, lots of plants died. Piles of dead plants grew and grew and grew until it was like a match waiting to be struck. Since most of the land was converted to pasture where I was living, a lot of grasses that were not native or possibly not adapted to the region would burn quickly and spread the fire. Eucalyptus, an invasive tree species in Ecuador brought from Australia, also contributed to this problem. Since eucalyptus likes to soak up so much water, it can damage the surrounding environment.
There are lots of potential reasons for wildfires. Dryer air, faster winds, less cloud cover, lightning, overabundance of nonnative plant species, land change, and general climate change can all have an effect. One of the even more common, but less talked about, causes of wildfires is human activity. Unattended campfires, burning trash or farmland, throwing away still-lit cigarettes, and more, can have an effect. What other things do you think cause wildfires?
Being careful about how we might accidentally cause a fire is important to remember.
