**Fires in the West are Moving Faster, Increasing Home Loss**
In addition, fires are moving faster, which makes them harder to fight and increases home loss. “Fires are 250% faster in the West and 400% faster in California,” said Balch, of UC-Boulder. “Speed is fundamentally the underlying driver of why fires are getting so much bigger.”In the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma, the Smokehouse Creek fire in February of 2024 was the largest in state history. It killed two people, burned more than 1.2 million acres and destroyed more than 30 homes. It was also the costliest fire in the state’s history, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.AppalachiaTennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and the Carolinas all have areas with the potential for large fire events, Pohl, of Headwaters Economics, said.In 2016, the Great Smoky Mountains wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, killed 14 people and destroyed more than 2,500 homes and businesses. The fire burned for five days in an isolated part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park before high winds whipped it up and swept it toward Gatlinburg.“All it takes it is a little bit of above average temperature, low humidity, relatively persistent drought in an area and the wind to pick up ‒ and you end up with red flag warnings,” said Jeremy Porter, who runs climate implications research for the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit that has created wildfire and flood risk models for the entire nation..An area that’s starting to worry people is West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, which is becoming a bedroom community for people who work in the greater Washington D.C. area.“They’re starting to urbanize in areas that we know have a fire history, a natural ecosystem that burns,” said Steinberg.Smoke fills the air and surrounds businesses and resorts in the wake of a wildfire on Nov. 30, 2016 in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Thousands of people have been evacuated from the area and over 100 houses and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Drought conditions and high winds helped the fire spread through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.FloridaTourists spend time on the beaches, but many parts of Florida and southern Georgia are ecosystems that have historically burned frequently.“It’s shocking how many historic fires there were, like around the Everglades, in areas you would never think of as flammable,” said Porter of First Street Foundation.Polk County, Florida, between Tampa and Orlando, has the fourth highest county-level fire risk by First Street’s calculations.In 1998, the Florida Firestorm burned more than 500,000 acres, damaged or destroyed over 300 homes and burned timber worth more than $300 million. The first was so large, officials closed off a 140-mile stretch of Interstate 95, and the races at Daytona Speedway were
New Jersey’s Hidden Threat: The Looming Danger of Wildfires in the Pine Barrens
Nestled in the southern part of the Garden State lies the New Jersey Pine Barrens, a sprawling National Reserve renowned for its pristine forests, diverse wildlife, and tranquil waterways. While it may be a picturesque sanctuary, this unique ecosystem is not without its dangers. With the constant encroachment of development and a growing threat of wildfires, the Pine Barrens faces a precarious future.
Experts like Porter warn that the once lush and saturated fuels in the region have now dried out, creating the perfect conditions for a potential wildfire disaster. As development continues to inch closer, the risk of devastating fires looms larger, putting both the natural beauty of the Pine Barrens and the surrounding communities in jeopardy.
Ocean County, home to over 660,000 residents, finds itself perched at number seven on the list of most at-risk counties for wildfires. The bright orange circle on the map signifies the high potential for fire outbreaks, highlighting the urgent need for proactive measures to protect lives and property in the area.
In light of these escalating threats, experts are advocating for innovative solutions to mitigate the risks of wildfires. From utilizing advanced tools to assess fire risks in real estate listings to implementing cost-effective home retrofitting measures, there are actionable steps that individuals can take to bolster their resilience against the looming threat of wildfires.
As the specter of wildfires extends beyond the traditional hotspots like California, communities across the country, including those in New Jersey, must remain vigilant and prepared to face the challenges posed by these natural disasters. By taking proactive measures and embracing a culture of wildfire resilience, we can safeguard our homes, our environment, and our future from the destructive impact of these untamed blazes.
