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California Fire Volunteer
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Wildfire in the United States is reaching a crisis point. As global climate change continues, every fire season is becoming longer and drier. However, despite the growing risk, the United States still relies on old methods of firefighting and inefficient organizations to coordinate responses. To prepare for a fire-filled future, the United States must create a new National Fire Service.
Fires across the country cause severe damage to life and property throughout the American West. Every year, California, Arizona, and many other states find themselves battling widespread fires that destroy homes and uproot families. Wildfires in Colorado and Canada have caused air quality warnings in cities hundreds of miles away, making it dangerous for people to go outside. It will continue to get worse. Studies from the Environmental Protection Agency show that wildfires are not only becoming more common but also burn more acreage every year, causing vastly more damage. The recent 2020 fire season in California alone burned over 4.3 million acres, reaching levels of destruction not seen since the 1800s. During that season, fire killed 33 people and resulted in more than $19 billion in economic loss. Decreased air quality caused between 1,200 and 3,000 excess deaths. Thus, it is not underselling to say that wildfires are a massive security risk to our country.
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