To what extent does the severity of wildfire events depend on the nature of the
human attitudes and response? (20)
To some extent, the severity of wildfire However, the severity of wildfire could be
events does depend on the nature of human influenced more by climate and recent
attitudes and responses as the 2015 wildfires weather conditions that favour wildfires,
of Indonesia caused particularly severe haze which may be beyond the ability of human
and air pollution, due to the government’s responses to control. This was true in
slow response to accept international aid to Indonesia in 2015, which was a particularly
manage the fire. Human attitudes also dry year due to EL Nino. In addition,
contributed to the severity of the fire in 2015, weather and climate conditions have
which resulted in an estimated 100 000 increased severity in areas like California.
premature deaths in the region, due to the For example, the August Complex Fire in
prioritisation of the clearance of land to make 2020 resulted in over 1 million acres of
way for palm oil plantations. This left burnt land and was the largest experienced
peatland soils exposed and prone to drying by the state. 2020 was also one of the two
out, becoming therefore increasingly warmest years since records began, and
flammable, demonstrating how government this, combined with strong off-shore Diablo
(and local community) attitudes which put winds, meant that the fire spread quickly,
economic benefit above environmental with the winds blowing the embers as far as
protection can increase the severity of fire. 13km ahead of the active fire front. In these
weather conditions, it is hard for humans to
respond to, adapt and manage the hazard.
The 2020 August complex fire was also However, other physical factors may make it
potentially as large and as damaging (935 hard for people to manage wildfire, or at
buildings destroyed) due to poor least reduce and mitigate against the
management and inadequate adaptation. A severity. For example, the August Complex
‘risk aversion’ government attitude had 2020 fires were initiated by lightning during
meant that there had been limited controlled stormy weather, which is the most common
burning of dry flammable material, which, physical factor triggering a wildfire.
combined with mass die-off of trees, However, this is perhaps more unusual. You
provided plentiful fuel for the fire to feed on. could argue that human responses and
This shows how human response can attitudes have a direct impact on severity as
increase the severity of wildfire. On a smaller wildfire are they are more frequently
scale that the August Complex Fires, when triggered by humans. Out of the 20
the town of Paradise was destroyed in the deadliest wildfires in California to date, only
2018 Camp Fires, resulting in 85 deaths, 13% are triggered purely by a physical
some people were slow to evacuate because cause such as lightning.
fires were a regular hazard, and they did not
perceive the threat to be significant until too
late. This shows how denial of the risk can
also increase the social severity in particular.
human attitudes and response? (20)
To some extent, the severity of wildfire However, the severity of wildfire could be
events does depend on the nature of human influenced more by climate and recent
attitudes and responses as the 2015 wildfires weather conditions that favour wildfires,
of Indonesia caused particularly severe haze which may be beyond the ability of human
and air pollution, due to the government’s responses to control. This was true in
slow response to accept international aid to Indonesia in 2015, which was a particularly
manage the fire. Human attitudes also dry year due to EL Nino. In addition,
contributed to the severity of the fire in 2015, weather and climate conditions have
which resulted in an estimated 100 000 increased severity in areas like California.
premature deaths in the region, due to the For example, the August Complex Fire in
prioritisation of the clearance of land to make 2020 resulted in over 1 million acres of
way for palm oil plantations. This left burnt land and was the largest experienced
peatland soils exposed and prone to drying by the state. 2020 was also one of the two
out, becoming therefore increasingly warmest years since records began, and
flammable, demonstrating how government this, combined with strong off-shore Diablo
(and local community) attitudes which put winds, meant that the fire spread quickly,
economic benefit above environmental with the winds blowing the embers as far as
protection can increase the severity of fire. 13km ahead of the active fire front. In these
weather conditions, it is hard for humans to
respond to, adapt and manage the hazard.
The 2020 August complex fire was also However, other physical factors may make it
potentially as large and as damaging (935 hard for people to manage wildfire, or at
buildings destroyed) due to poor least reduce and mitigate against the
management and inadequate adaptation. A severity. For example, the August Complex
‘risk aversion’ government attitude had 2020 fires were initiated by lightning during
meant that there had been limited controlled stormy weather, which is the most common
burning of dry flammable material, which, physical factor triggering a wildfire.
combined with mass die-off of trees, However, this is perhaps more unusual. You
provided plentiful fuel for the fire to feed on. could argue that human responses and
This shows how human response can attitudes have a direct impact on severity as
increase the severity of wildfire. On a smaller wildfire are they are more frequently
scale that the August Complex Fires, when triggered by humans. Out of the 20
the town of Paradise was destroyed in the deadliest wildfires in California to date, only
2018 Camp Fires, resulting in 85 deaths, 13% are triggered purely by a physical
some people were slow to evacuate because cause such as lightning.
fires were a regular hazard, and they did not
perceive the threat to be significant until too
late. This shows how denial of the risk can
also increase the social severity in particular.
