On July 22nd, a wildfire broke out in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove that had the potential to seriously harm the beloved park. Below we’ve compiled the latest stats and updates on what’s being called the Oak Fire Incident by CAL FIRE. Interested in helping forests recover from wildfires? You can check out our programs at the end of the article.
What Is The Status Of The Yosemite Fire?
Thanks to the extraordinary efforts by over 1,700 firefighters, 7 helicopters, and 165 emergency vehicles the situation in Yosemite has vastly improved over the last week. As of 8/5, the fire has been 90% contained and should be 100% contained soon. That is great news for local residents and Yosemite National Park seems to be out of immediate danger.
However, it’s not all great news. This was the largest Californian wildfire of the year, and the devastating blaze caused a significant damage to the ecosystem. Thanks to the extreme drought conditions, this fire ran rampant. In just 13 days, the Oak Fire has:
- Burned 19,244 acres of trees
- Destroyed 193 residential & commercial buildings
- Injured 2 people
What Caused The Yosemite Fire?
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, the drought made the situation much worse. In fact, 90% of the forests in surrounding counties are facing exceptional drought. This is the worst category of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor. With this level of drought, the 49 firefighters crews will continue to aggressively battle the fire until it is 100% contained.
Due to the extremely dry conditions, officials were initially concerned about the safety of the park. As the flames raged toward the ancient sequoia trees of Yosemite, over 6,000 people were evacuated from their homes. Mariposa County even declared a state of emergency. The US Forest Service took extreme measures to protect Yosemite, and it has so far paid off. Want to directly support those affected by the fire? Head over to the official Oak Fire Relief GoFundMe page.
Even with this blaze under relative control, the effects of climate change have been alarming in California. Here’s what UCLA climatologist Daniel Swain had to say:
“The link between climate change and Western wildfire is very clear at this point, climate change is causing long-term aridification and supercharging the intensity of shorter-term droughts in this region. It is drying out vegetation well beyond historically observed levels and greatly increasing the flammability of entire landscapes. This leads to more severe fires that tend to burn hotter, spread faster, and cause more harm than lower-intensity fires.
Until we get a handle on climate change, fires like this will continue to threaten environments all over the world. With global temperature already 1.1C above pre-industrial levels, the time to act is now. We don’t need to sit idly by as rising temperatures wreak havoc. Here at The Carbon Offset Company, we believe in giving individuals and businesses a way to help the climate crisis.
How Can You Help Combat Climate Change?
Waiting for governments across the globe to legislate major climate-friendly actions can feel frustrating. There is little we can do to help laws get passed, however, we can all choose to live a sustainable life. We encourage everyone to lower their carbon footprint by altering their lifestyle. Not sure where to start? Here are 20 tips to reduce your impact.
Ready to make an immediate impact and start living carbon-neutral? We’ve got affordable tree-planting programs for both individuals and businesses. For as little as $5/month, we’ll plant trees to completely offset your carbon footprint. What’s the big deal with planting trees? Not only do they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but our planting projects help rehabilitate areas devastated by wildfires similar to the Oak Fire. Particularly our project in the Californian Plumas National Forest. In Plumas, the Moonlight Fire burned an astounding 65,000 acres of trees. By partnering with us, you can make an impact in communities like this across the globe.
Have any questions about The Carbon Offset Company or our projects? Contact us today! We’ve got experts ready to help design a program that fits your needs.
