Over 80% of wildfires in the US are started by human beings rather than natural influences. It appears the huge Long Island wildfire may have also been started by someone trying to cook up some tasty morning S'Mores.
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Thankfully, the Long Island wildfire didn't do too much damage to property or people. Two buildings were damaged in the blaze, and two people were injured. The fire services did an amazing job of containing the fire and reducing the damage caused by the 400-acre burn.
Investigations into the cause of the wildfire were quickly undertaken, and it turns out a Long Island resident's craving for S'Mores might have been to blame. As they attempted to get a blaze going at 9 am, the embers ignited dry undergrowth, and it quickly spread for miles.
The report said that they struggled to get a backyard barbecue going, so they used cardboard as fuel. However, the high winds picked up the lightweight embers and threw them across the yard. The dry organic material here caught fire and quickly turned into a blaze.
According to the investigation, the first fire was quickly extinguished. However, the small S'Mores fire was all that was needed to start a much broader wildfire. The embers travelled and sparked three others south of Sunrise Highway close to 1 p.m.
Small S'Mores Situation Singed Significant Surface
Despite the suspected start of the Long Island wildfires being such a small one, due to the conditions, it exploded across the area. The risk of wildfires in recent years has increased considerably. The amount of dried organic material across the western United States has doubled between 1984 and 2015.
Climate change and the subsequent increase in temperature have led to much more dried organic matter. This is what provides the fuel for the wildfires that seem to be popping up more frequently across the country. The acreage of burnt land is increasing due to this.
Most wildfires are started by people not taking care when the seasons are at their dryiest. As the chance of wildfire increases, people need to take extra care, especially when making S'Mores.
