Wildfires and High Winds

By
Kahre Hiles
-
Natural Disasters

Written by Kathleen Malone. Media by Kelsey Middleton.

Forest Fire in Montana. Source: krem.com

With natural disasters ravaging the country, reporters are obviously interested in providing coverage on the effects they cause. However, it appears that most news outlets are focusing more attention on the hurricanes than on the multiple fires that are burning day and night in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, Texas, and Florida. Many articles have been written about the current wildfires, but most of the results speak of climate change rather than the weather and fires. There were only a few articles which actually talked about the fires as well as about the people helping to fight the fires that continue to rage.

It seems that one of the reasons media outlets aren’t concerning themselves with wildfires is because there are ways that we can stop them. The prevention of wildfires, however, is a bit more difficult than just supervising the fires that you make. Depending on the region and how dry it is, fires can be incredibly difficult to keep enclosed. In addition, the wildfires, which have been going on for some time, are starting to be contained and managed to a point where news outlets no longer feel the need to focus on them.
For the past three weeks, hurricanes have run rampant in the news; there have been many reports of people trying to leave and being evacuated in the areas where hurricanes were predicted to strike, and photos of the destruction that the hurricanes left in their wakes. Despite the fact that there has been a great deal going on storm-wise, it seems as though the media tends to forget about the new and recent fires that rage elsewhere in the country.
The Upcoming Hurricane Maria. Source: people.com

Two articles, “Norse Peak: Fire Slows, Weekend Could Allow for More Control” and “Florida Team Races from Wash. Wildfire to meet Hurricane Irma”, (both written September 8) speak about the fires situated in Florida. The state seems to be a new spawning ground as the weather has been unfavorable due to droughts. The articles about the Florida fires shed some light on situations that are occurring there. They also tell of the efforts that are taking place to stop the fires, along with the success that has already started to take place.

There were also numerous articles about the wildfires taking place elsewhere in the country. The New York Times article “This Season, Western Wildfires are Close by and Running Free,” detailed the havoc and desolation caused by the fires in the West.  The article “How Bizarre is This Year’s Wildfire Season, Really?”  was originally an interview between Joe Eaton and Philip Higuera, a professor at the University of Montana who specializes in fire ecology. It details the wildfires and speaks of the alarming fact that these wildfires may become commonplace. 
All of these articles are noteworthy, as they give evidence of the wildfires that are happening, despite the fact that the media has become obsessed over the hurricanes that have, or may, come into contact with the States.
Wildfires need to take equal precedence to the hurricanes. It is important to remember that, while hurricanes may take time to reach land, they only wreak havoc for a day or so. Fires are instant and continue to linger on the ground, causing more damage the longer they are allowed to live.
If you are interested in the current location of the wildfires, here is a map detailing locations within the United States, and a reminder about how you can prevent forest fires.

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