Fires in the USA: what impact on the environment?

The fires that have been raging in Los Angeles for several days have wiped out entire neighborhoods and claimed the lives of at least 24 people as firefighters continue to battle the flames, the products used to fight the blaze are likely to pollute soil and water with metals.

Faced with the fury of the fire, American firefighters are now using several C130 aircraft to drop chemicals to delay the blaze.

They are capable of dropping over 10,000 liters of retardant in just a few seconds. As with smoke, their impact on the environment has been called into question.

According to the Californian authorities, the primary cause of the fires is criminal, says a local source. Investigations have turned up dozens of suspects suspected of deliberately starting the fires.

The outbreak of the gigantic Palisade Fire could be linked to New Year’s Eve fireworks, according to the Washington Post.