“What’s in the Air” is a column by Dominique Browning, Moms Clean Air Force Co-Founder and Director, in which she explores life today through the lens of air quality and public health.
Wildfires are tearing through Los Angeles communities, killing people, destroying homes, schools, synagogues, churches, marketplaces—leaving lifetimes of cherished memories in cinders. Los Angeles. But don’t forget Chile. Maui. Boulder. Alberta. British Columbia. Manitoba.
Year after year, wildfires are getting worse.
Tell the Senate: Sound the Alarm on EPA Administrator Pick
Wildfire apocalypses like these throw toxic pollution into the air. Our homes are made of so much plastic that they are toxic when they burn. The dangers of wildfires spread far beyond the fire zones and linger long after fires are doused.
Wildfires are yet another sign global warming has put our weather on steroids. The warming comes from carbon dioxide and methane emissions trapping the sun’s heat in our atmosphere. So wildfires are lasting longer, burning hotter, and becoming more severe—across the country.
Meanwhile, NOAA will announce today that 2024 is the hottest year in recorded human history.
No one voted for dirty air and worsening global warming. But President-elect Trump has nominated men who do not even “believe” that climate change is a problem to run the agencies responsible for cutting climate pollution and for adding cleaner energy to our grids: EPA, the Department of Energy, the Office of Management and Budget.
And Elon Musk, who wants to colonize Mars, spreads confusion and distorted data to millions through his social feeds. There is a New Denialism coming to DC, and it will have even more teeth.
This is a reckless and dangerous response to a problem that is getting worse every single year. And the consequences will get ever more tragic.
Our hearts are breaking for all the loss.
Turning to Mars isn’t the answer. Protecting and supporting families on Earth is the answer.
Today you can do that by
- Reading resources to help you cope with climate disasters—and support your kids in coping too.
- Learning more about Wildfires and Your Health in our fact sheet.
- Finding motivation to keep advocating for climate solutions in this interview with actor, activist, and volunteer firefighter Tim Guinee.
- Urging your Senators to take a hard look at Trump’s nominee for EPA Administrator.