Wind-driven flames fuel destructive fires in California and New Mexico, worsening due to the climate crisis.
This year’s wildfire season in the United States has exploded early, with extreme conditions accelerating the pace of destruction. As of May 2022, wildfires have scorched nearly 1.3 million acres nationwide, surpassing the 10-year average for this time of year by over 71%, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). With months still to go before wildfire threats typically peak, experts are warning of an even more intense season ahead.
The fires have been fueled by a combination of drought and rising temperatures, both exacerbated by the climate crisis. From California’s hilltops, where multimillion-dollar homes overlooking the Pacific Ocean were reduced to ashes, to the remote mountains of New Mexico, where a massive blaze continues to burn, the situation remains dire.
Dave Bales, a commander overseeing one of New Mexico’s largest fires, expressed shock at how early the fires have begun. “We’re all in awe of what we’ve already experienced,” he said. The fires are made worse by gusty winds that carry embers across the parched landscape, fanning the flames and making containment efforts even more challenging.
