Wildfires Could Cause Cascading Problems for Drought-Stricken West

Smoke-filled skies blanket the West Coast, while on the ground, thousands of bone-dry acres burn.
Historic levels of dryness in areas like California have only increased over the past three years, and firefighters combatting the infernos use every tool at their disposal to try to get the upper hand.
After a fire, charred trees stand in testimony to what was once a forest, and in the unluckiest places, once-inhabited homes are reduced to foundations. The destruction is hard to miss.
What’s not immediately evident, however, is how a fire can impact areas hundreds of miles away, and for years after a fire has burnt out….