BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 16, 2020
Wildfires have torn across the western coast of the U.S., devastating communities, destroying entire neighborhoods, burning millions of acres and claiming dozens of lives. It is an undisputed crisis, and there can be little doubt that climate change has helped fuel it. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump continues to throw cold water on scientific evidence and expertise. Maine has also seen the number of wildfires here in the state soar in 2020, with the Maine Forest Service saying as of late July that rangers had responded to nearly 800 fires — a 170 percent increase from 2019. It is increasingly clear that climate change is impacting Maine in numerous ways. Understanding these impacts — and ways to both mitigate and adapt to them — will be essential as our climate continues to change.