The burning mountain was all aflame,
The whirlwinds to their work were come,
And Earth shook in the thunders of her tomb.
Aptly put by the British Romantic poet, Lord Byron (1788-1824), in his long narrative poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. The Romantic Sublime, an awe-inspiring mix of beauty and terror that Byron demonstrates in these lines mirrors the tumultuous and unforgiving nature of the natural calamities, the recent of which is the LA- Fires, caused by the infamous Santa Ana winds. These powerful, westward-blowing winds wreak havoc across Southern California, where the arid, hot climate creates a volatile landscape primed for disaster.
Santa Ana winds, also dubbed as relentless and devastating winds, that caused the Eaton and Palisades fires have collectively destroyed over 14,000 structures, and are marked as one of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history, reported the New York Post. In this context, rapid climate change has exacerbated the frequency of wildfires, making their occurrence more frequent and severe, fuelled by rising temperatures and prolonged droughts.
A study in 2021, published in Communications Earth & Environment, demonstrated that there has been a 500% increase in the areas burned in the western U.S., highlighting the need for preparation.
Furthermore, urban sprawl is another issue, as people are settling in the areas, which are prone to wildfires. As reported in Texas A&M Today, this trend increases the risks and complexity of wildfire management.
The Santa Ana River flows southward and was named by Spanish explorers in the 18th century. It is believed that the river was named Santa Ana, or Saint Anne, after the mother of the Virgin Mary. From this river, the deep and narrow valley with steep sides came to be known as the Santa Ana Canyon.
The Santa Ana winds derive their name from the canyon itself, which traces its origins to the Great Basin – a vast, high desert nestled between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada in Western America. These winds are driven by high-pressure systems that form over the Great Basin and flow outward toward lower-pressure zones. To the west of the Great Basin lies the Pacific Ocean, a natural low-pressure region. As air moves from the high-pressure system toward this low-pressure zone, it generates wind.
As the wind funnels through mountains and canyons, it experiences the Venturi effect – a
phenomenon where air accelerates as it passes through narrow, constricted passages. This effect further intensifies the wind’s speed and force. Moreover, when these winds pass through canyons toward the coastal plains of Southern California, they undergo adiabatic compression. This process causes the air to heat as it is compressed at lower elevations, resulting in dry and warmer winds. These winds, stripped of moisture and heated, have the potential to transform dry vegetation into a dangerous inferno.
In recent years, the destructive impact of the Santa Ana winds has been exacerbated by climate change. For example, the wildfires in Los Angeles and Southern California demonstrate how both natural forces and human activities have made these disasters more likely. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and warmer winds – indicators of a changing climate – have all contributed to making wildfires more frequent and destructive.
According to a study conducted by the National Integrated Drought Information System, summer burn areas in Southern and Northern California increased fivefold between 1996 and 2021 compared to the previous 25 years. This significant rise highlights the devastating effects of climate change. The same study attributes the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires to human-induced climate change. Fires today occur far more frequently than they did in the past – both in recent decades and in earlier historical periods.
Unfortunately, despite mounting evidence, human activities, that could well be called
anthropogenic-induced reasons, continue to exacerbate environmental degradation and climate change, worsening the problem. These warmer Santa Ana winds, intensified by climate change, have unleashed a wave of destruction on Southern California. For instance, as reported by CBS, more than 28 lives have been lost, and thousands of acres have been burned.
Prolonged droughts caused by a lack of rainfall and moisture have made wildfires increasingly frequent. These droughts, driven by climate change, pose significant threats to humanity and its very existence on Earth. Nature and humanity are inherently interdependent, as environmental ethics reminds us: “The Earth’s resources are vital for humanity, yet their preservation depends on our stewardship.” Climate change, an undeniable and existential threat, is knocking on humanity’s door. Yet, we, the inheritors of this planet, remain in a state of complacency.
Let us not forget that we are both the perpetrators of this harm and the architects of our own anguish. Climate Change, which causes the temperature to rise exponentially, which we also experienced in recent decades, according to The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, anthropogenic or human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased atmospheric CO2 levels by over 50% since the pre-industrial era.
Moreover, the accumulation of CO2 has raised the global temperature by 1.1 centigrade. The warming climate has led to prolonged and intense heatwaves, resulting in reduced precipitation and extended droughts, all of which dry out vegetation, turning it into potential fuel that only requires an ignition to transform the landscape into an inferno. The Western U.S. has witnessed a staggering fivefold increase in burned areas since the 1970s, with studies showing that half of them were the result of human-induced climate change.
Wildfires, initially triggered by climate change, contribute to a feedback loop by releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, which in turn accelerates future climate change. In the previous year, wildfires released billions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, particularly across the Americas, underscoring the feedback loop between climate change and wildfires. For instance, California’s 2020 wildfire season alone emitted over 112 million metric tonnes of CO2, roughly equivalent to the emissions from 24 million cars in a year. Thus, the recurrent wildfires, dry conditions, and hotter climate are both a consequence of climate change and a factor accelerating its progression.
The future is contingent upon the actions we take today. The choices and policies we implement now will shape the trajectory of our planet and define the legacy we leave behind. While significant measures have already been undertaken – such as the shift of many countries towards conservation and renewable energy – these efforts are insufficient. Much more is required to strengthen climate governance and uphold environmental ethics.
Notably, multinational corporations (MNCs) based in the West, which adhere strictly to environmental conservation laws within their own countries, often fail to uphold the same standards in non-Western nations. This double standard underscores the urgent need for a robust and enforceable global framework to ensure accountability and equity in environmental conservation. We are citizens of one world, bound by a single climate.
Nature does not discriminate; it is both vicious and unruly. Natural calamities strike with force, bringing destruction to its fullest extent, and leaving humanity in awe and despair. The reason for this is clear: nature must be respected. Francis Bacon, British statesman, and writer, writes, ‘Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed’, in his work Novum Organum. This means that, in order to manage nature, we must first understand it. We are aware that human actions have directly contributed to the current behavior of nature. Therefore, we must respond appropriately to mitigate its impacts and restore balance. The warming of the Santa Ana winds, their unnatural intensification, and the prolonged droughts that fuel extreme wildfires highlight a critical issue. These phenomena call for urgent action, urging us to understand the root causes of drought and to implement strategies to mitigate their effects. Without addressing these underlying factors, the cycle of destruction will only intensify.
Furthermore, developed nations must take the lead, as they are morally obligated to do so.
Their historical actions are largely responsible for the climate crisis, and it is the poorer nations that now bear the brunt, standing as the frontline defence against its devastating impacts. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted in his recent address to the UN General Assembly, the climate crisis demands immediate action. He stated, ‘Who pays the price for climate destruction around the globe? Not the fossil fuel industry pocketing profits and taxpayer subsidies as their products wreak havoc.
Every day people suffer: with their lives and livelihoods; with higher insurance premiums, volatile energy bills, and higher food prices.’ Guterres further emphasized that governments spend nine times more subsidizing fossil fuels than investing in clean energy, effectively blocking meaningful climate action. ‘We must tear down these walls’, he urged, stressing the need for change. Tearing down these walls is essential, and the time for action is now – there is no tomorrow. The window to address the climate crisis is closing rapidly, and we must act decisively to prevent irreversible damage. The choices we make today will determine the future of our planet and the generations to come.
