The fires in California, especially in and around Los Angeles, are not caused by climate change but by human activity. That’s according to a recent study that reviewed decades of fire incidents. Whether through carelessness, accidents or intentional acts, humans are behind the overwhelming majority of fires.
John Abatzoglou, a professor of climatology at the University of California, Merced, has analyzed three decades of fire data from Los Angeles County. His research shows that most fires in the area are caused by human activity, NBC News reports.
– More than 95% of these are human-ignited fires. Arson is among the causes, but most human-caused fires are not intentional, Abatzoglou explains.
According to his analysis, vehicles and other equipment are the most common causes of fires in the area between 1992 and 2020. Sparks from faulty machinery or heat from engines can quickly ignite dry vegetation, especially during the hot and dry months of summer.
However, Mr. Abatzoglou stresses that changes in the weather, such as strong winds, can contribute to exacerbating the conditions that make fires more difficult to control, but they are not the primary cause of fires.
Poor maintenance of power lines and infrastructure problems are other examples of factors contributing to the current and perhaps most devastating fires in California’s history.
The statistics seemingly support a growing criticism of simplistic explanations that refer only to climate change.
Nonchalant political governance
California’s authorities have long been questioned for what many believe is their inability to address the problems and work preventively. As recently as 2020, the state experienced one of its worst fire seasons ever, with millions of acres burning and thousands of people forced to leave their homes.
The state’s criticized governor, Gavin Newsom (D), has previously highlighted climate change as a key factor behind the growing problems with fires in the state. At the same time, there are growing calls for more pragmatic solutions that address the human factors behind the fires.
Critics of the theory that climate change is the main cause of the fires say the focus should shift to human behavior. The dryness and heat that make areas particularly vulnerable to fires are exacerbated by poor infrastructure maintenance, carelessness and illegal actions.
The impact of eucalyptus trees
Eucalyptus trees, common in many parts of the world and especially in California, have been shown to have a significant impact on forest fires. The trees contain large amounts of oils that are extremely flammable – making them particularly risky in hot and dry conditions.
Research has shown that eucalyptus oils, released at high temperatures, can create a kind of ‘fire torch’ that makes the fire spread faster. In some cases, it has also been shown that these trees can help make forest fires more intense, acting as a form of “fire torch” rather than a barrier.
Eucalyptus trees arrived in California in the 19th century, mainly via migrants from Australia. The trees were initially introduced as a solution to provide fast-growing trees for paper production and fuel.
By the early 1900s, thousands of acres of eucalyptus trees were planted with the encouragement of the state government. In modern-day California, and particularly in Los Angeles, eucalyptus is a common feature of the landscape, with large stands in both urban and more remote areas.
Arson is part of the problem
Arson is another part of the problem. Authorities in California report that individuals sometimes intentionally set fires on land for a variety of reasons, including insurance fraud, revenge or pure vandalism.
At the same time, experts point out that many fires are accidental and could be prevented with better training and safety practices. According to Mr. Abatzoglou, much of the responsibility lies with individuals and businesses to take precautions.
According to statistics from California, the number of fires linked to human activity has remained stably high for several decades. This includes everything from cigarette butts discarded in the wild to accidents on construction sites.
Despite this, some argue that climate change has a contributing role by creating longer periods of extreme heat and drought. But, as Abatzoglou points out, in the vast majority of cases the direct causes are human.
