Overview:

The recent wildfire in Colorado is considered to be one of the largest in the state’s history. There have been a lot of wildfires in the United States this year. Many ecological, weather, and other professionals are pointing out how they think climate change is associated with these catastrophes. It’s worth it to take a look at how this might be the case and what people can possibly do to prevent disasters.

What has been recorded as one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history swept through areas of Colorado this week. This wildfire grew so large that even a Colorado prison had to be evacuated.

According to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, “The Lee Fire, churning through trees and brush about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Denver, is now the sixth-largest single fire in the state’s history.”

These fires even resulted in 179 incarcerated people being removed from the Rifle Correctional Center in Rifle, Colorado, on Saturday. The Colorado Department of Corrections stated that they took this action “out of an abundance of caution.”

This wildfire in Colorado is one of the many that have affected the United States this year.

2025: A Year of Many Fires

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, “42,962 fires have burned 3,604,307 acres” across the United States this year.

2025 started with catastrophic fires in areas of California. This past January, a series of destructive wildfires affected both the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego County. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the January California wildfires caused an estimated 31 fatalities. They also destroyed 16,344 structures.

The wildfires of California in January 2025 turned out to be one of the costliest disasters in the United States.

With the recent fires in Colorado and the numerous fires that have already occurred throughout the United States this year, many people are wondering, “What’s going on?”

Many environmental, ecological, weather, and other types of professionals have given their take on why so many wildfires have been occurring. Here are some of the things they say caused these disasters.

Climate Change

Many experts point to climate change as one of the main factors causing these wildfires.

What is climate change, you ask? According to NASA, “climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates.” In other words, it’s a change in what is considered ‘normal weather’ for specific areas of the world. The following are just a few of the effects of climate change: increased heat waves, more severe droughts, earlier snowmelt, and an abundance of pests. But just how do these factors contribute to wildfires exactly?

Heat Waves

Heat waves are considered long periods of hot weather. They are usually associated with abnormal heat patterns. For instance, unusually high temperatures can occur in regions that are typically cooler. Alternatively, there may be extremely hot weather during a time of year that is not usually linked to excessive heat. According to an article published in the University of Dayton Magazine on January 02, 2024, titled “2023’s extreme storms, heat, and wildfires broke records-a scientist explains how global warming fuels climate disasters” by Professor Shuang-Ye Wu, “Although heat waves result from weather fluctuations, global warming has raised the baseline. This makes heat waves more frequent, more intense, and long-lasting.”

Droughts Caused by Heat Waves

When heatwaves occur, they can be devastating to the Earth’s vegetation. Due to the high temperatures, the evaporation of moisture from plants and soil occurs. This, therefore, makes them vulnerable to igniting into flames.

Dry Thunderstorms

Another aspect of wildfires that heatwaves contribute to, which is arguably overlooked, is their ability to trigger dry thunderstorms. These are unique storms that are usually accompanied by little to no rain. On a webpage from the National Weather Service titled “NWS Albuquerque: Fire Weather Topics-Dry Thunderstorms,” lightning produced by these storms can strike the vegetation. This vegetation is already dry enough as it is, resulting in the ignition of a fire.

Earlier Snowmelt

The difference in temperatures associated with climate change certainly contributes to earlier snowmelts in certain parts of the world. The snow, which in many areas tends to melt in the spring and summer months, is eventually released as water for the crops. The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) discusses how, when the snowmelt occurs abnormally earlier in the year, sometimes due to climate-induced heat waves, the vegetation and soil dry out more quickly. As mentioned, this is a perfect recipe for a fire.

Pests

Although one may not associate pests with climate change and wildfires, they all have more of a connection than you think. Climate change can enable certain types of pests to thrive in areas they are not accustomed to and extend their breeding seasons. The University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources webpage discusses how pests can destroy vegetation and even weaken and kill trees. This, therefore, makes the associated ground more susceptible to fires. Also – invasive species.

As stated, the recent fire in Colorado set a record for the state, and the fires that occurred in California in January proved to be one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history. Also, reports have shown that 2025 has been considered a particularly busy year for wildfires. These factors may make one wonder: How can we, as people, possibly help prevent these catastrophes?

Ways to Fight Climate Change that Can Cause Wildfires

Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Many professionals and scholars have been pointing to the control of greenhouse gas emissions to tackle climate change, thereby helping prevent wildfires. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions refer to gases that trap heat, thus making the planet warmer.

According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, people can reduce greenhouse gases by reducing their use of electronics. They can also make their home more energy efficient, drive an electric vehicle, and buy products with Energy Star labels.

Reducing Carbon Footprints

A carbon footprint has to do with the amount of greenhouse gases emitted due to the actions of an individual or group. As you might imagine, many of the same methods used to control greenhouse gas emissions can be used by people to reduce their carbon footprints. However, an article published on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Office of Sustainability’s webpage on March 28, 2024, titled “14 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint” by Maddy Doeden provides some more specific suggestions. Of the many things the article advises to help reduce carbon footprints, these include taking shorter showers. It also suggests replacing old light bulbs with LEDs, and recycling.

Looking Ahead

As of this writing, firefighters are still working to keep the wildfires under control. As we look ahead to the future, it is worth examining the ways many have linked climate change with wildfires. In addition, it might not be a bad idea to learn of ways to tackle climate change, thereby reducing the chances of these events. Arguably, working together as people just might help prevent disasters on planet Earth.