At least 123 people have tragically lost their lives in wildfires that have swept through central Chile, prompting the country's president to declare two days of national mourning. These devastating fires come on the heels of Colombia also declaring a state of disaster due to wildfires. Scientists are warning that climate change is making the heat waves and droughts that are affecting South America more frequent, which in turn contribute to the occurrence of wildfires by drying out the vegetation that fuels these blazes.
In the case of Chile, the fires erupted during a scorching heat wave that sent temperatures in the capital city of Santiago soaring to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). The extreme heat quickly evaporates moisture from wood, transforming it into ideal fire fuel. As a result, fires ignite faster and burn with greater intensity. Even a few degrees of additional heat can be the tipping point that transforms a mild fire season into a severe one.
Edward Mitchard, a forests expert at the University of Edinburgh School of Geosciences in Scotland, explains that climate change 'makes the world hotter, which means that plants evaporate more water through them and soils get drier.' It only takes a few days of hot and dry weather for leaves to turn brittle and ready to catch fire. Mitchard emphasizes that 'drier soil means fires are hotter and last longer.'
A study published in the journal Nature revealed that fire seasons have become an average of 18.7% longer due to climate change. This extended period provides a wider window of opportunity for catastrophic fires to ignite and spread.
Global weather cycles also play a significant role in exacerbating the wildfire risk. The disruption of global rain cycles due to climate change leads to an increase in droughts, leaving entire regions unusually parched and susceptible to fires. Mitchard explains that 'climate change has made droughts more common,' particularly in South America this year. The extreme drought experienced in the Amazon basin is causing reduced rainfall in the southern part of the continent.
In Chile's case, heavy rains last year are believed to have resulted in the growth of brush, which now serves as perfect kindling for fires. Additionally, the El Niño weather pattern, a natural warming of surface waters in the Pacific, has contributed to increased temperatures and drought in South America this year. Mitchard points out that climate change makes stronger El Niños more likely, and the droughts associated with them are likely to be more severe. Colombia's recent declaration of a disaster due to wildfires is linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Furthermore, the immense amount of carbon released by forest fires contributes to global warming. This vicious cycle creates a feedback loop wherein climate change leads to more intense fires, which in turn release more carbon, further exacerbating global warming.
According to a report by the World Resources Institute, wildfires now destroy approximately 11,500 square miles (30,000 square kilometers) of forest every year. This is double the amount of forest area destroyed by wildfires just two decades ago. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has additionally found that extreme heat waves, which are occurring five times more frequently due to human-caused global warming, create drier and hotter fire seasons. These conditions provide the ideal environment for wildfires to ignite and spread.
The situation in Chile serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of climate change and the urgent need for global action. As temperatures rise and droughts become more frequent and intense, the risk of wildfires will continue to increase. Governments, communities, and individuals must implement measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change and adopt sustainable practices to preserve our planet for future generations.
