The fires building up around the world, the unhealthy air, the warmer temperatures, the hurricanes; all of these natural disasters around the world are further proof of climate change. The New York Times recently reported that scientists around the world think all of these calamities are a sign of how life will continue to be. Temperatures will continue to rise and, unless the world starts to change its means of living, the world will ultimately be destroyed.

In Florida last month, Hurricane Sally tore down an island named Perdido Key. According to USA Today, it cut the island up into three pieces, isolating the island more than it already was. The island was mostl

y undeveloped, and primarily used for recreational purposes.

“In regards to flooding, my neighbors all said this is the worst it has been in the 25 years since they’ve been there,” Perdido Key local Sam Perry said in a Pensacola News Journal article. “Ivan was not as bad, they said, just as far as the floodwaters.” 

The houses that were on the island were flooded by at least four feet of water, according to the Pensacola News Journal. The citizens of Perdido Key evacuated Tuesday, Sept. 15. Perry’s house was completely demolished, as were almost all the houses in the area. 

According to BBC News, there are currently almost 100 wildfires running rampant along the West Coast, killing more than seven people in Oregon, Washington and California combined. Nine other states in the region have also experienced devastating wildfires, and the effects are being felt in our own community.

“My mom’s home burned down on Tuesday, Sept. 8, along with around 1,000 other homes in Phoenix, Oregon,” Tualatin High School English teacher Jessica Porter said. “She had very little evacuation notice, and she essentially lost everything, but got out safely. She has been dealing with a lot since then, and I’ve been doing my best to support her from Portland, where I live. I’m deeply saddened that so many houses were destroyed in the town where I grew up, and many people in Phoenix, Medford, and Ashland are now displaced and living without homes due to the fires. My mom has been evacuated since the fire, but was able to return to the site of her home last week. There was essentially nothing left except her chimney. I did not have to evacuate, but we had everything ready in case the fires around Portland got too close.”

While the US has been hit hard with natural disasters in the past few months, the rest of the world is also suffering from the effects of climate change. 

U.S. News reported that there are more than 8,000 fires in the Amazon rainforest. The fires have increased 13 percent since August, and instead of raging over farmlands, the fires have taken over the virgin forests. The Guardian reported that in July, Brazil announced a ban on burning to attempt to reduce the number of fires. The four Amazon states that were hit the hardest were Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Pará – Batista. The fires are predicted to continue into October.