The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) stretches from the U.S.-Mexico border to the Canadian border, traversing more than 2,600 miles of desert, mountains, and forests. For many people, hiking from start to finish is a lifetime goal.
But this year, wildfires disrupted hikers’ journeys.
Rylee: “This July, from north to south, everywhere along the way was hit by hurricanes. It seems that no area is immune to fires this year.
Chris Rylee is a member of the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
Wildfires have closed more than 600 miles of trails, forcing hikers off trails, he said.
Some fires directly burned parts of the road. Other fires burn nearby, or cover the entire area with smoke that is hazardous to your health to breathe.
Risks to hikers can continue long after a fire has passed. Dead trees may fall on hikers, and burned areas are at increased risk for landslides and flooding.
Climate change makes extreme wildfires more common in US West
Riley said these dangers could upend hikers' PCT dreams.
Riley: “It ruined a lot of adventures and what might have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Report source: Ethan Freedman/ChavoBart Digital Media
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