With global temperatures racing towards record highs in the northern hemisphere, some of the world’s top surf and wine destinations brace for wildfire season.
In California, the 2024 wildfire season is off to bang after two mild years. This started with the Lake Fire, in Santa Barbara County, which as of 6 AM July 12, has burned close to 37,000 acres.
The fire has spread through Los Padres National Forest. Fueled by intense heat and dry winds, it has forced around 1,500 people to evacuate.
Abnormally Early Fire Season
For California, wildfire season usually starts in late summer and continues into the fall. Following record-breaking rain, plant life has grown considerably throughout the region. The hot and dry conditions have made conditions prime for forest fires.
As the season gets dryer, fire officials are worried about the possibility of more fires. Fire prone areas in the state include Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.
These counties contain some of the state’s most famous surf breaks and wine regions. Other at risk areas include Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley, the center of the state’s wine industry.
Global Wildfire Zones
California isn’t the only location that has to prepare for an active wildfire season this year. In the northern hemisphere, wave-rich places like Spain and Portugal may see an overly active wildfire season due to record heat.
In the southern hemisphere, Chile is at risk. The country’s logging industry has destroyed its once rain-soaked temperate rainforests. Now, monocrop pine and eucalyptus forests have become the perfect fuel sources for fires which threaten some of South America’s most renowned surf zones and wine-growing regions.