Wildfires in Los Angeles highlight the dangers of urban expansion and climate change
Crystal Scott, who grew up near the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains, lost her home in the Eaton Fire. She expressed her heartbreak, saying, “I’m very devastated. Our families worked hard to put us here.”
Her family home was a dream come true, but it also represents a growing trend of urban sprawl into wild areas. Climate change is making things worse, too.
Neighborhoods in the foothills of Los Angeles are now at greater risk. With intense rainy seasons and prolonged dry spells, more vegetation is available to fuel fires. It hasn’t rained more than an inch in Los Angeles since last Easter, and forecasts don’t show any rain coming soon.
Stephanie Pincetl, a professor at UCLA, noted that while the destruction is tragic, it’s not surprising. The West has a history of severe fires.
She pointed to the Marshall Fire near Denver, which became Colorado’s most destructive blaze, destroying over 1,000 homes. The Yarnell Fire in Arizona in 2013 also claimed the lives of 19 firefighters.
Pincetl emphasized that humans often think they can control nature, but that’s not the case.
All these fires occur at the wildland-urban interface, where human development meets nature. About one-third of American homes are in these areas.
Pincetl believes that those seeking someone to blame should consider suburban sprawl. “But people don’t want to hold suburban sprawl accountable,” she said. “We are all fairly complicit in this land-use pattern.”
Despite the efforts to combat the fires, they continue to rage. Over 15,000 personnel are currently fighting the blazes in Los Angeles County. However, Pincetl warns that it’s a fight that can’t be won.
“Why would we even think that way? Winning means we’re still trying to dominate natural patterns that we have forced beyond what they used to be,” she said. “We cannot win over nature.”
