In this episode of Connect the Dots, host Rob Verchick explores the ways the climate crisis drives raging wildfires like the ones that have scorched the western United States, killing dozens of people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. Joining him are firefighter Sam Perkins, Vicki Arroyo of the Georgetown Climate Center, and Cinthia Moore of Moms Clean Air Force.



As of mid-October, unprecedented blazes have destroyed more than 4.1 million acres across California, with firefighters facing up to 40 new blazes across the state on extreme days. Further north, in Oregon, wildfires ruined two cities, killed 23 people, and demolished 600 homes and 100 commercial buildings in September alone. The same month in Washington, a canyon fire torched 76,000 acres, shutting down a major highway, burning several homes to the ground, and causing hundreds of families to evacuate. There’ve been nearly 100 known wildfires in the West since April, and the scorecard is still in play. 

 

Wildfires are the latest cataclysm amplified by climate disruption, burning rapidly and haphazardly across the western part of this nation, along with countries around the world. And unfortunately, many of us are in the line of fire.