This past week much of North America—and even the world—turned its attention to the American West, where massive forest fires continued to burn simultaneously. Drought-like conditions across the American West, a soaring heatwave, and some potentially dubious forest management (this last is the most disputed claim) all appear to have produced the inferno. But the broader cause behind these fires seems to be one united force: increased temperatures due to a human-altered climate.
The smoke from the fires was so intense that it blotted out the sun in many American cities, producing an eerie orange haze. Oregon, Washington, and California residents took their eyes off of Covid-19 counts to pay attention to a new number: the particulate count—something I hardly knew about before this event. Many cities had, to put it very simply, unbreathable, intensely hazardous air. Thousands upon thousands were into conditions many worried would exacerbate the pandemic: fire refugees were crowded into poorly ventilated school gyms. Many lost their homes to fire; some lost their entire communities; dozens lost their lives.
I found the news difficult not to take personally this week: my own family was affected. For much of the week, I was in close contact with my parents and my brother, who all make their homes in the greater Eugene, Oregon area. On Wednesday, my family prepared to evacuate their homes, and indeed many people up and down the West Coast did have to abandon their homes and hope for the best.
The Longform Read of the Week: A writer I’ve been following for quite some time, Rebecca Schuman, wrote an excellent piece from Oregon during these intense fires for the online magazine Slate. From her perspective, the fires are not just a physical hazard: the divided response to the fires in Oregon encapsulates the nature of American political life, especially in the American West.
by Nathan R. Elliott
1. “Western Wildfires: Evacuations in California and Oregon as destructive fire engulfs region.” The
Washington Post, September 9th, 2020. 15 mins. Intermediate.
2. “These Changes are Needed Amid Worsening Wildfires, Experts Say.” The New York Times,
September 10th, 2020. 12 mins. Intermediate/Advanced.
3. “Wildfires Blot Out Sun in Bay Area.”The New York Times, September 9th, 2020. 5 mins. Intermediate.
4. “California’s dark, orange sky is the most unnerving sight I’ve ever woken up to.”The Guardian, September 10th, 2020, 5 mins. Intermediate.
5. “There are two Oregons, and they’re both on Fire.”Slate, September 11th, 2020. 10 mins.