Forest, Wildfires Impact on the Economy- Report

Wildfires in the U.S. have caused more and more damage over the years. More than 10.3 million acres burned as the result of roughly 58,950 wildfires in 2020 alone.1 2 Unfortunately, the biggest factor is climate change. With the continued increase in temperature, wildfires are expected to remain a large risk for decades to come.

Five of the six largest wildfires in California history burned in August and September 2020, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.

People cause nearly 85% of wildfires. This includes everything from unattended campfires to downed power lines.14

The growing severity of wildfires has five other causes. They are rising temperatures, shorter winters, more pests, drought

Full cost of California’s wildfires to the US revealed

More than 8,500 separate fires burned during 2018 in California, making them the deadliest and most destructive of any year in the state’s history. The state itself incurred damages of $102.6bn, roughly 0.5% of the US’s annual GDP. While capital losses and health costs within California totalled $59.9bn, indirect losses through economic disruption to 80 industry sectors within the state came to $42.7bn.

The US economy also suffered an additional $45.9bn in indirect losses outside California, due to economic links between California and the rest of the US.

As Turkey battles its worst forest fires in decades, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under ferocious attack for his handling of the disaster, as well as his broader management of a country that was already battered by an economic crisis.

Fires blazed uncontrollably for the NINTH day on Wednesday August 4, aggravated by a record-breaking heat wave that follows a prolonged drought. The nation has watched in horror images on television and social media, as thousands of people have been forced to evacuate homes, coastal resorts and whole villa

Meanwhile, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan HAD SAID on Saturday a majority of the country’s wildfires were  contained as firefighting support teams and planes were sent to help from Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine and Iran.

Greece is grappling with the worst heatwave in decades that strained the national power supply and caused forest fires to break out.

Firefighters from France arrived in Greece on Thursday evening to assist in the battle against raging wildfires as thousands more fled their homes near the capital.

The 82 French firefighters were expected to intervene on Friday, a French official said.

Two more firefighting planes from France were also expected to be dispatched, as well as reinforcements from Sweden, Austria and Bulgaria.

Israel will send 15 firefighters and a large shipment of fire retardants in a civilian plane as soon as possible, the Israeli authorities said.

The additional reinforcements come as thousands of residents fled to safety early on Friday from a wildfire burning north of Athens. Five municipalities were evacuated overnight and five people were injured.

Authorities have ordered residents in the suburbs of capital Athens to evacuate.