California, Texas, and numerous other states in the U.S. have been experiencing extreme droughts due to climate change, which ultimately means that wildfires won't only be restricted to the summer months.
Temperatures have been surpassing 100 degrees this week, and Greg Abbott, governor of Texas, declared a disaster proclamation regarding wildfires in counties across the state.
The executive director for Environment Texas, Luke Metzger, says that meteorologists are saying that 2022 might be similar to 2011 for drought—Texas' worst drought and worst wildfire season ever.
"Texas faces the worst overall wildfire threat in the nation, and by 2050, the average number of days with high wildfire potential is projected to double from 40 to nearly 80 days a year. Irresponsibly, Texas hasn't conducted a state-wide climate change vulnerability assessment or prepared an adaptation plan."
It seems as though droughts and wildfires are only going to be exacerbated by climate change, especially with global warming causing the soil to get even drier.
"Without somehow reversing climate change, dealing with these increased wildfires is going to be complicated", says Lisa Dale, climate, Earth, and society lecturer.
