List of California wildfires

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/list-of-california-wildfires

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is List of California wildfires?Approximately 100 million acres
2. What is the 2020 wildfire season statistics?Over 8,100 fires resulted in nearly 4.5 million acres burned
3. What is the key climatic factor?Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and Santa Ana winds
4. What causes wildfires in California?California’s hot, dry summers, Santa Ana winds, steep hills, and lots of dry plants make fires start and spread quickly.
5. Why do some California plants need fire?Some plants have seeds that only open when they get hot from a fire, and the fire clears old plants so new ones can grow.

Serotinous Cones: Cones that require heat or fire to open and release their seeds.
Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI): The zone where human development interfaces with undeveloped wildland areas.
Fire Suppression: The practice of extinguishing or controlling wildfires.
Ecological Resilience: The capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a disturbance by resisting damage and recovering.