We've seen the destruction and chaos caused by wildfires and floods, but have you seen them when they join forces? Well the people of Ruidoso New Mexico saw it first hand; after two weeks of intense wildfires, heavy rain caused flash flooding and debris flows, creating a horrific situation for the entire community. Two people were killed, 25,000 acres were burned, 77 people were in need of rescue, and countless homes, businesses, and infrastructure were destroyed. Climate change is making these double-trouble situations significantly more likely, and this is just one example of how we will witness it.
The Role of Climate Change
As the Earth gets warmer, wildfires are becoming more intense, burning hotter and spreading faster - killing trees, plants, and scarring the soil that would normally help absorb rainwater. On the other side of the coin, climate change is also causing more extreme rainfall events. This means more rain falls in a shorter period, which can lead to flash floods, severe erosion and mobilizing of debris and dangerous items quickly. When these two factors combine—burned soil from wildfires and heavy rains—the risk of flooding and debris flows increases significantly.
The Impact on People and Communities
The consequences of these events can be devastating. Brittany Smith and her family had just returned to their cabin after the wildfires when they were hit by a flash flood warning. A six-and-a-half-foot wall of dark water rushed through their neighborhood, forcing another evacuation. Many families faced similar situations, with their homes and livelihoods at risk. Many communities are completely unprepared for impacts like these, especially all at once - which greatens the risk of severe destruction exponentially.
Doom & Gloom
As much as we try to stay positive and not fear-monger here, it's also just as important to highlight real events and examples of what can happen. The issue with such an ingrained problem like climate change, is that there is no silver bullet solution - and instead it will take major cooperation between businesses, consumers, governments, and financiers to set us on the right path. And many are doing just that, however with all major changes - there still risks being a delay period, where the affects and impacts will still continue to reap. The quicker we come to consensus and take collective action, the more we reduce the risk of facing similar catastrophic events.
