What experts say on
wildfire smokes
source : CBS NEWS
As wildfire seasons in many areas throughout the nation start earlier and last longer, 2021 is on track to be another devastating year for fires.
As of Saturday, there are a total of 88 large wildfires burning in the U.S., and they have already destroyed 1,456,925 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
With help from unprecedented heatwaves and drought, new fires are rapidly igniting, sometimes quicker than they can be contained. The fires, which have predominantly affected the western region of the country, have created nationwide air pollution and resulted in thousands of evacuations.
"We're seeing an environmental change where we are more susceptible to these wildfires," said Josh Dozor, general manager of medical and security assistance at International SOS. "It's growing in severity."
Tori B. Powell is a breaking news reporter at CBS News. Reach her at tori.powell@cbsinteractive.com