By: Elizabeth Kwan

Jessica Neujahr, a public affairs specialist for the Oregon Department of Forestry, states that an increase in wildfires burning, including megafires, around Oregon and its nearby states since July 10 is the result of human littering.

The Pacific Northwest states are known for their wildfire seasons sparking up during the midsummer times. However, since July 10, 2024, these wildfires have started earlier and have already burned more acres of forestry than the total in 2023. Ninety percent of these fires are from human littering, with most being incorrectly disposing of cigarettes, burning debris, or global climate change. The remaining 10% is from lightning strikes, hot temperatures, and dry climates. As a result, almost 10,000 Oregonians are under evacuation orders with 6,500 of those being informed to pack their belongings in case of an emergency.

One ongoing megafire in Oregon is the Falls Fire, which is only 15% contained as of July 22, 2024. The Falls Fire is predicted to have been caused by humans and remains under investigation.

Wildfire affects the environment as a continuous cycle of climate change. When an overload of land is burned, it quickly releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As urban life grows more popular, there is less room for new trees, causing little to no vacuums to suck the carbon out of the atmosphere. Moreover, these wildfires are also disturbing the community’s health.

“As the frequency and duration of wildfire smoke in our air becomes more prominent, more… groups will be at risk for chronic health issues,” said Gopal Allada, M.D., a pulmonologist at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine. With frequent contact with wildfire smoke, Oregonians experience seasonal health problems that grow more severe by the year and could trigger permanent diseases such as lung cancer or asthma; as of April 4, 2024, the Oregon wildfires resulted in at least a 25% statewide increase of respiratory illness diagnoses.

Firefighters from ten different states, including Florida and Texas, aided in response to the growing wildfires.

“The fires that we’ve got now may just be the beginning. We are asking the public… [to keep human-caused] fires off the map,” Kyle Williams, Deputy Director of Fire Operations with the Oregon Department of Forestry, said. Williams and Governor Tina Kutek of the state of Oregon have pushed residents to stay weary of state emergency notifications.

Image Credit by RDNE Stock project