Record-Breaking Wildfires
The devastation of the 2020 hurricane season alone would be enough to never want to experience a day of bad weather again, but that’s not all this year had in store. It also brought monster fires to all corners of the globe, from Australia to Siberia to the U.S. The climate crisis was a major culprit, providing the boost of heat needed to dry out fuels and send fires roaring across the landscape.
In Australia, the bushfire season from hell began in 2019 and carried into 2020. Flames first lit up Siberia in April. And by summer, they fanned out across the western U.S., swallowing entire towns and covering the region in a toxic haze. The fires took their toll on research equipment meant to help detect fires and the health of millions of people around the world exposed to smoke. In Australia alone, the bushfire season left the country with a staggering $1.5 billion medical bill. To some, those stark satellite images of smoke and forests aflame portended a more flammable future. Which, yes. But the reality is they also show how past choices are with us today.
