This festive month of December brings the season’s greetings of blazing hot flames that have spread across North America. First sparked on November 8th, these wildfires have remained approximately 90% contained, but have burned more than 5000 acres of land in the states of New York and New Jersey. Currently, New Jersey holds the title as the fastest-warming state in the Northeast, and is experiencing the most severe drought weather. Due to the lack of rainfall in New York, these fires have only intensified, causing hundreds of locals to evacuate their homes. With water from reservoirs evaporating and an 8-inch deficit of rainfall in New York City, the state has yet to experience a heavy precipitation in the past 90 days. As of mid-November, New York National Guard Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters have performed more than 550 water drops on the fires in Orange County, which amounts roughly to 500,000 gallons of water. To further combat this persisting problem, the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have issued a burn ban that prevents citizens from starting bonfires and burning materials such as rubber, trash, or waste. While the winter months usually suggest cold weather and snow, today’s climate has caused about 149 million acres, or 40% of the U.S., to remain in a drought.
As humans continue to pollute the atmosphere with toxic greenhouse gases, officials expect an increase in temperatures, fueling these extremely dry conditions. With the holiday season approaching, society must make more mindful decisions to reduce their carbon footprint and over-consumption, thereby limiting the prevalence of these damaging fires and other natural disasters; by doing so, we can give the greatest gift of a clean environment to the next generation.
