I’ve been on the front lines of the devastating wildfires sweeping the US — here’s what you should know about fighting them

• Wildfires are burning over 1.2 million acres in the US across much of the west, Alaska, and Florida.
• California’s drought has killed more than 100 million trees, which can create a more intense fire — dead needles on coniferous trees act as fuel.
• The US Forest Service estimates that more than one-third of all US homes are in areas at risk of burning in a wildfire.
• Michael Kodas has worked as a wildland firefighter and explains what it’s like to be on the front lines.

More than 1.2 million acres are currently burning across much of the West, Alaska and Florida. In California, the Carr Fire in Shasta County has scorched more than 100,000 acres, and the Ferguson Fire has driven tourists out of Yosemite National Park. Photojournalist Michael Kodas, deputy director of the University of Colorado’s Center for Environmental Journalism, has worked as a wildland firefighter and is author of “Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame.” Here, he describes the challenges of fighting these intense blazes.

The Carr Fire doubled in size twice in just several days. What kind of conditions can make this happen?

There are lots of drivers. Fuels like timber and grass, drought to dry them to the point of combustion, and high temperatures that help flames spread quickly are usually involved.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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