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Running head: IMPACTS OF WILDFIRES

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Impacts of WildFires
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IMPACTS OF WILDFIRES

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With the increasing rate of wildfires, both in scale and duration, many communities are
affected and it is thus important to comprehend how wildfires impact communities and the
nation. The impacts of wildfire can be described in relation to the threatened lives, lost or
damaged structures and homes, aggregate cost of suppression, and the destruction to nation
resources on which the local community depend on (Yeung, 2020). Therefore, wildfire can be
deadly, destroying timber, wildlife habitat, homes, and air pollution with discharges that are
harmful to the health of people.
Wildfires Impact on Local Community
There are multiple ways in which wildfires affect a local community. To begin with,
these fires can result in the closing of natural areas visited by tourists and residents. As a result,
the local community will have limited areas for recreation that they will not able to access until it
is cleared of debris and considered to safe to visit or inhibit (Conserve Energy Future 2020).
Secondly, smoke and ash from wildfires can cause severe health problems to people who suffer
from medical complications and allergies. The ash and smoke can result in permanent damage of
the throat and lungs. For instance, the Jacksonville, Florida experienced a 450 acre wildfire that
led to the closure of Interstate 95 for over 19 hours and had communities in this area to be
concerned about the impact of the smoke on their health (Frazier, 2019). National Weather
Service Jacksonville noted that the smoke and ash from the wildfire can hurt local people’s eyes,
worsen chronic lung and heart illnesses, and irritate their respiratory system.
Thirdly, since fire is naturally dangerous, local communities and the firefighters can be
seriously injured by the fire or as well die during a wildfire. Four...