As a resident of the United States, I’ve noticed that every summer or so, a new wildfire breaks out in California. I learned very recently that California has a “fire season” just like the rest of us have spring, summer, fall and winter (or a dry and wet season.) The fire season usually lasts from May to October¹, when when the weather is the hottest and driest. But we were caught off guard this year when fires began springing up in midwinter. The Palisades and Eaton fires, for instance, began on January 7th. In fact, fire season doesn’t really exist anymore, with droughts becoming increasingly common in the Golden State. Instead the entire year is becoming fair game for blazes due to a multitude of factors stemming from mainly one reason: climate change. California’s historic Redwood rainforests, once thought to be untouchable by fire, are now being systematically dismantled by the incoming flames. The trees, historic symbols of Californian resilience, are now having their resilience called into question. Fire, having been a part of the area’s climate for millennia, doesn’t significantly impact the redwood forests too much due to the area’s dense fog and the tree’s thick bark. But as of late, the fog has begun to disappear (again, due to climate change), and thick skin is not impenetrable skin. What’s worse, the warming conditions are making lightning strikes more frequent, creating more opportunities for fires to break out. While the causes of the current California fires are still unclear, what is clear is the many other fires that were caused by lightning. Such blazes include the largest fire in California history, which has been burning since August 2024.²

For those of you who are more economically inclined, the current California fires have destroyed at least 11,000 buildings and caused between $135 billion and 150 billion in damage.³ But without a doubt, the biggest cost of all is the 27-and possibly more-lives lost. Many of those caught in the fires were fighting for their homes, for the places they had known for decades. Others passed away, refusing to leave loved ones behind. Their heroism will not be forgotten; their stories will not remain untold. Still more, although not suffering injuries or tragedies, are left without anywhere to go; their houses become ash and dust. Our hearts go out to those suffering, the souls left lost and hopeless. I wish we will be able to see a world where this can become a rare occurrence again, but I fear we may all be making a mistake we’ll forever regret.

Climate change is slowly but surely having a bigger impact on our lives as the years go on. Remember, there is a wildfire rampaging throughout California in January. If this is what winter will be like now, I shiver imagining what could happen in a warmer month. Please let this horrific event serve as a wake-up call. Let it alert you to the disastrous consequences we may face if we, as a species, do not recognize the effects of our actions and act accordingly. Thank you all for reading, and I hope you will support those around you and work towards making a positive impact on the world.

1. Cart, Julie. “California’s Ancient ‘Asbestos’ Forests No Longer Seem Immune.” CalMatters, 28 Sept. 2020, calmatters.org/environment/2020/09/california-asbestos-forests-no-longer-immune/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025. ↩︎
2. VEIGA, ALEX. “The Los Angeles Wildfires Could Be the Costliest in US History.” AP News, 11 Jan. 2025, apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-natural-disasters-losses-insurance-recovery-d2f24e44d75503118643151eaee947fb. ↩︎
3. wfca_teila. “California Fire Season: In-Depth Guide.” WFCA, 6 July 2022, wfca.com/wildfire-articles/california-fire-season-in-depth-guide/. ↩︎