California Wildfires Destroy Homes // Olivia Gillis

This Saturday, September 19th, one person was killed and ten homes were burned down in a wildfire that started in California's Carmel Valley. The fire has burned 1,200 acres so far and is only 10% contained, resulting in nearby communities evacuating. This summer alone 3 people have been killed and hundreds of homes have been lost due to these wildfires. A 72-year old woman with multiple sclerosis couldn't get out of her house and was killed by the fire, as well as a 66-year old man who didn't follow evacuation orders. There are also several other wildfires that have been burning for a few days in Northern California and have destroyed over 1,000 homes and outbuildings so far. This year's wildfire tally is already higher than any in the last decade, and four years of a drought in California has provided a lot of dry tinder for the flames.
Since wildfires are considered natural disasters, there's not much we can do to stop them. But, there are several ways that we can prevent them from harming homes and people. In Washington State, 85% of the wildfires are human-caused, typically starting from campfires that have been put out in correctly. Putting out these fires correctly is such a simple thing to do that many people are overlooking, resulting in wildfires starting in forests all over. There are multiple other steps that can be taken to prevent and protect against wildfires, and people that live in areas prone to the fires should be informed of how to protect themselves and their homes.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/us/california-wildfires-homes-burned/index.html