A wildfire is every resident's worst nightmare, especially for those who live in wooded, mountainous regions. Our residency in North Conway has spared us from much of nature's wrath, but such words cannot be stated for those who live in the western United States. It is there where they are experiencing one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. For this reason, our climate in North Conway is in the hands of the wildfire's mercy, which is located thousands of miles away from our lives.
Wildfires scorch landscapes ever so slowly and thoroughly, leaving those who live nearby in constant torment. Unfortunately, such a reality has been occurring in areas around Colorado and New Mexico. More then several thousand residents have been evacuated due to a 90,000 acre wildfire that is located near Denver, Colorado. This wildfire is the largest event in Colorado state history, surpassing the previous record of 17,000 acres. Up to ten major wildfires are burning in the state, which are all located near the homes of many and are somewhat uncontrollable. California and New Mexico are also battling nature at its worst with upwards of 100,000 acres burning at this very moment.
You may ask, what does any of this have to do with North Conway? An astonishing 1.4 million acres of land has been scorched by wildfires this year in the United States. Not only does this amount stand out to be that of record proportions, but it also alarms climatologists for future forecasts in our homeland. Wildfires begin due to two major reasons, which are careless or ruthless activities by a person, and an extremely dry, hot, and windy time period. Dependent upon conditions, wildfires can grow to become mammoth beasts, like what is currently occurring far from our area.
The wildfires are producing virtually tons of ash, cinder, and dust into the air. This factor is the key mechanism to changing our atmosphere. How would the substance cause such a change for us? First of all, the amount of the substances in the air is dependent upon how large and long lasting the fire is. At times, these substances can become churned into the atmosphere and become a global veil of dust. The wildfires in the western United States are perfect models for this to occur. Not only has this year become an extraordinary year for wildfires, but the previous year was significant as well.
Unlike volcanoes, it takes extreme power and intensity for a wildfire to have an effect upon the atmosphere. However, wildfires occur much more frequently and therefore, act as an associate. The key mechanisms have been, and continue to be, in place for the cinder, ash, and dust to have an effect on our climate. The effect would mean cooler and wetter weather in North Conway. Certainly, this could be good news for the future winter seasons. It is a phenomenal aspect that an occurrence of nature that is so far from our home could have affect upon our lives in such a major way.