California's heat waves have been at an all-time high lately, and they are only exacerbating the ongoing wildfires all over the state. The latest one, Carr Fire in Redding, has been rather destructive on residential areas. Evacuations have been issued for several towns in the Trinity/Shasta County, according to Elizabeth Zwirz from Fox News, and so far, it is only 27 percent contained. This fire has been burning since July 23—apparently, it has destroyed more than 110,000 acres of land, continuing to threaten more homes and property.
Farther south, Ferguson Fire has also consumed nearly 58,000 acres of land and has caused Yosemite Valley to close for the first time in 20 years, Jennifer Calfas states from Time.
In 2017, 44 people were killed by these fires, and wildfire season continues to work thousands of firefighters daily as they battle 16 active wildfires as of July 31, 2018. The cause of this may actually be the end of California's six-year drought, according to Stephen Pyne, author of several books on fire and environmental history. During the winter, unexpectedly big storms filled the California reservoirs and revitalized the vegetation all over the state. This vegetation dried out with the dry winds that came during the summer, providing ample fuel for fires to spread quickly and easy. Considering that wildfire season is from May to October, there are several months to go—and some even say that wildfire season may end up being declared year-round.
The constant wildfires are causing some health concerns to be raised by air pollution specialists. The surrounding atmosphere caused by the wildfires may trigger asthma attacks or other health issues in people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.
The heat waves continue to reach all-time highs, and temperatures at the Hollywood Burbank Airport reached 114 degrees, while Riverside reached a temperature of 118, paralleling or perhaps even exceeding the heat here in Tucson. The heat in Tucson, however, isn't quite as humid as California's, and there is little vegetation to allow huge spread of fires. Winds don't reach quite the speeds they do in California, so while these temperatures are relatively bearable by Arizonan residents, California's weather is another matter altogether.
Tim Arango from the New York Times also brings up some important points about the impact on lifestyle among all residents of California. Many who are accustomed to balmy 80-90 degree weather are now restricted from hiking some trails that may cause unsafe conditions in the heat, and the homeless population is huddling at the library or in any shade whenever possible. One woman, Ms. Galbreath, stated that the cold was easier to handle than the heat—"It's easier because everyone comes together; everyone huddles up."
There are even restrictions on when major appliances can be used, as Natasha Geiling reports on Think Progress, since air conditioners are being pushed to their limits with the unexpected heat. If there is too high of a demand for electricity from multiple residences, the grid could be overwhelmed, which could cause blackouts. The state has requested that use of major appliances should be avoided between 1 PM and 10 PM on Friday.
The state clearly has its hands full, so to speak, with handling both residential issues as well as the immediate concerns of putting out fires. Monetary donations can be made to several different organizations working on helping victims of evacuation like The Red Cross or The Haven Human Society for animals impacted by the fires as well.
