West Coast Fires: "Good Morning, Hell"

Elizabeth Bratton writes about recent fires that have wreaked havoc across the West Coast of America. A number of deaths have been recorded, and dozens remain missing. Tens of thousands have evacuated, while firefighters battle against a heatwave, dry conditions, and brush overgrowth. As the fires continue to rage, many blame climate change, while polarisation between political parties has arguably worsened. Learn more about the authorities' response to the disasters, and read the accounts of those worst-affected.

Almost 100 wildfires have emerged across the West Coast of the USA, causing at least 16 deaths since August. The blazes have engulfed large parts of California, Washington and Oregon, while the sky has turned an apocalyptic shade of red and orange.

Heatwaves and high winds of up to 45 mph are thought to have heightened the devastation, as at least 3.4 million acres of land have burned. As several towns have been destroyed, tens of thousands of evacuations have taken place. Jody Evans was forced to flee her home in Oregon, and described: "Fire on both sides, winds blowing, ash flying - it was like driving through hell.” Evans’ neighbour recalled the few possessions they managed to salvage: "Medications, some clothes and the truck - the cat and some valuables.” Stephen Galbraith continued, "Insurance paperwork, we had some cash on hand, and some old rifles."

credit: CNN

Experts have blamed climate change for the increased number of fires. California Gov. Gavin Newsom explained, "California is in the midst of an existential climate crisis. It was just two years ago that this area saw the deadliest wildfire in our history. Now, just a few miles away, another deadly wildfire has ripped through these same communities,". He believes climate change is “happening faster than most anticipated.” At least eight of the wildfires in Oregon are expected to last until winter rainfall.

Oregon officials are preparing for a “mass fatality incident” as dozens remain missing. Currently, 40,000 citizens of the state have fled, while another 500,000 remain in evacuation zones. In Lyons, a city 70 miles south of Portland, neighbourhoods have been torn apart. Monica Garrison explained that, of the 29 homes in her neighbourhood, only 10 now remain. The damage is a result of the Beechie Creek fire, which is reportedly 0% contained.

There are also concerns that the Beechie Creek fire is merging with the Riverside fire. Collectively, the two fires have already destroyed 307,000 acres of land.

Ted Wheeler, Mayor of Portland, has officially declared a fire emergency. As a result, he has activated evacuation centres, which provide special care to the most vulnerable members of society. Large green areas, such as Forest Park, have been shut due to the threat posed by trees. Portland, which has already witnessed months of intense protests, currently has the worst air quality of all the cities in the world.

Holly Brown was forced to flee her home in the Tollhouse area, as a result of the Creek fire in California. She sought refuge in a church, and recalls: “Our entire community is gone. "Everyone is evacuated. We could hear the trees exploding as this red glow came up over the hillside.” This particular blaze ravaged the Sierra National Forest , with more than 350 structures burning down, and 30,000 people being evacuated. Officials estimate that it could be anywhere between a week and a month before residents return to their homes.

Deadly fires are not the only thing that officials are struggling to control. Social media has become a breeding ground for misinformation, as both the left and right wing attempt to blame one another for the disasters. Specifically, Antifa and Proud Boys have been accused. FBI Portland posted a tweet disproving these theories, and pleaded: “Help us stop the spread of misinformation by only sharing information from trusted, official sources.”

Enchanted Forest amusement park in Turner, Oregon.

credit: Mary Tofte

On Wednesday the 8th of September, many Californians awoke to found the sky had turned an unnerving red-orange colour. Brian Wickman, a San Francisco citizen, poignantly tweeted: “Good morning, hell.” Some say the scene resembled the film Blade Runner, and was a result of smoke particles blocking sunlight. NASA explained that colours with longer wavelengths, such as red and orange, would have been able to pass through the smoke, while longwave colours such as blue and green would have been blocked. By Thursday, high winds had helped the sky to resemble a “normal” grey colour. However, as wind “scattered” the particles, smoke began to worsen air quality at ground-level. This was particularly noticeable in California and some parts of Oregon.

On September 9th, NASA published photos of planet Earth. The smoke was “clearly visible” over Western parts of the USA, meaning it is detectable from up 1 million miles away.