Are Wildfires Getting Worse? California’s Forest-Killing Fires Now Burn 30 Times More Forest Than 40 Years Ago

California's wildfires have become alarmingly more destructive over the past 40 years, burning 30 times more forest area compared to four decades ago. The surge is attributed to warmer air temperatures and a buildup of fuel from decades of fire suppression and unchecked vegetation growth. This trend underscores the urgent need for a new approach to forest management to mitigate the risks posed by these increasingly catastrophic blazes, highlighting the broader implications for climate change and biodiversity.