Natural and human-produced disasters are increasing.  Today, we often see the joining of crises: drought and famine coupled with war and conflict.  Whether convergences are taking place due to climate change, ethnic conflict,  or by coincidence should not impact the urgency  of mustering substantial and effective response.

I’m president of a small not-for-profit that trains young professionals in humanitarian response.  When one thinks of humanitarian action, many limit their understanding of it to war and conflict.  Current conflicts in Ukraine,  Haiti, Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo,  and past (though still not quite over in some cases) ones in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria come to mind.  But we must not disregard other destructive, non-conflict events that we are witnessing more frequently. In the U.S., increasingly occuring weather events include hurricanes and tornadoes.  And even more unexpected now are wildfires in parts of the U.S. that were once thought of as safe places to live.

As I write this, brush fires continue in South and North Carolina; places few of us would have thought large scale wildfires could take place.  I’m reminded of the 2018 Camp Fires in California - 50,000 people were displaced and 85  killed - which used the term “refugees” to describe those displaced, a term not previously used to describe Americans evacuated at home.  Overall, the number of fires wreaking havoc on U.S. and global communities has increased significantly in recent years, and are getting  worse as reported by the World Resources Institute.  The reasons for this are several, including drier weather conditions (a factor of climate change) and homes being built in areas now vulnerable to fire (a result of poor planning).  A recent New York Times article (January 15, 2025) reporting on the January fires in  Los Angeles observed that “Across the country … millions of Americans have been moving to places at risk of burning, particularly developments on the outskirts of cities that bump up against forests, grasslands and shrublands.”  This does not bode well for the future.

Wildfires, like other natural disasters, often occur with limited warning.  Similarly, tornado activity allows a very short period for reaction.  Hurricanes generally permit more time, but a storm’s trajectory can change on short notice.  Wildfires are greatly impacted by changes in the wind.  A fire miles away might seem remote to a homeowner, but a slight change in wind direction and speed, can require immediate evacuation.  The need to quickly gather up one’s family, important personal belongings and documents, and pets can be overwhelming.  And returning to a home that is not there, can bring about a traumatic reaction akin to those losing a community during a war.

For us, taking a global perspective in our work doesn’t mean ignoring the domestic consequences of disasters, of course.  But we need to recognize that borders in natural disasters are easily permeable.  A wildfire in Canada can have an impact in the U.S., as did the fires in Quebec in 2023 when the smog from the fires  invaded many U.S. cities.

We know that preparing would-be professionals for the humanitarian crises of tomorrow means recognizing that the types of disasters they will focus on have changed.  We will deal with have war and conflict, famine and drought, global health crises, and other humanitarian calamities.  But as climate change continues and Americans build homes close to drier forest areas, the occurrence of humanitarian crises caused by fire will increase. Our hope is that while some of our graduates consider international careers, some will also explore professional opportunities working on U.S. based disasters with organizations such as the American Red Cross and other domestic aid groups, and government entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state emergency offices.