[Reading Science] Rapid Increase in Large Wildfires Due to Climate Change Suffocates Humanity

International Journal Nature, "Severe Damage in Western US and Others"
Worldwide Additional 10 Million Annual Deaths Expected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] "Large wildfires, which have become more frequent due to global warming, are suffocating the United States and humanity worldwide."

On the 8th, the international academic journal Nature warned that large wildfires caused by global warming have surged worldwide, including in the western United States, leading to an increase in related deaths and suffocating humanity.

A representative case is the massive fire that occurred in September 2020 in the Cascade Range of Oregon, USA. In just three days, it burned an astonishing 4,000 km² of forest, causing more damage than the total wildfires in Oregon over the past 36 years. In particular, due to the thick smoke generated, residents in nearby areas had to remain confined indoors for two weeks. During this period, the number of patients visiting hospital emergency rooms in Oregon complaining of respiratory diseases surged by 38% compared to other times.

Air pollution is also confirmed by objective measurements. The United States measures the concentrations of five substances?particulate matter (PM), ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide?and publishes the Air Quality Index (AQI, ranging from 0 to 500). An AQI of 300 or above is considered harmful to everyone. However, in mid-September 2020, when wildfires were most severe in Washington, Oregon, and California, the measured AQI was 300 or higher. Especially in the southeastern area of Salem, Oregon, the AQI reached an extreme 642, far exceeding measurable limits. Particulate matter levels were 4 to 11 times higher than the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Moreover, these air pollutants did not remain confined to the western U.S. but spread as far as the New England region on the East Coast following air currents.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Air pollution caused by large wildfires in the U.S. is worsening. The scale of wildfires burning over 4 million hectares in 2020 was the second largest since related statistics began in 1983. The wildfires in the western U.S. during midsummer that year emitted one-quarter of the PM 2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers) measured in the U.S.

According to the "2022 Air Quality Report" published this year by the American Lung Association, about 40% of Americans, or more than 137 million people, currently live in areas where air pollutants or ozone levels are harmful to health (mostly in the western U.S.). Globally, the energy crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and other factors has led to a surge in crude oil production within the U.S., which is another risk factor. Oil production in the Permian Basin, including Texas?which accounts for over 40% of U.S. crude oil production?is predicted to break historical records in November, directly worsening air pollution. In fact, ozone measurements at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the U.S. showed that the number of days exceeding the standard increased from 9 days in 2020 to 14 days last year.

The southwestern U.S. has been suffering from a megadrought for 23 years, resulting in the most severe dryness in 1,200 years. In California, the weather from January to March this year was the driest since measurements began 100 years ago. The increasingly dry climate is also intensifying sandstorms in desert areas. Compared to the 1990s, the number of large sandstorms in the U.S. has surged by 2.4 times in the 2000s.

Globally, the trend of increasing large wildfires due to global warming is also serious. According to a report released by the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme in February, large wildfires worldwide are expected to increase by 14% by 2030 and by 30% by the end of 2050. Additionally, increased exposure to fine dust from these fires is predicted to cause about 10 million deaths annually.