Thousands Of Marijuana Greenhouses Threatened As Wildfires Rage In Northern California

The wildfires came early this year. Flames are already raging across California, threatening cannabis cultivation operations as well as homes, individuals and many livelihoods. The high-pressure dome that continues to trap heat over much of the U.S., likely caused the fires to start earlier than normal.

Worse Each Year

As bad as last year's wildfire season was, 2021's could be even worse as excruciating heatwaves become more frequent and more intense every year.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection disclosed Tuesday that the Lava Fire burning brush and timber in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest had grown from 1,446 acres on Monday to 13,300.

A lightning strike to a tree apparently sparked a small blaze in a remote area of an old lava flow east of Weed, California, causing a massive blaze, which then spread like, well, wildfire.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the flames are now threatening the Lake Shastina community, with almost 3,000 residents and another 8,000 who work in the area's cannabis farms.

The two other fires in the area – the Beswick and Tennant – are of lesser intensity, USA Today reported.

Another Historic Wildfire Season?

It's not yet clear how the impact of these blazes will affect the cannabis crops in California, but we do know that in 2020 a historic wave of wildfires ravaged many West Coast marijuana companies and forced thousands to evacuate their farms and businesses in California, Oregon and Washington state.

Photo by Joanne Francis on Unsplash