Final answer:
The best answer choice indicating that the western U.S. is having a devastating fire season is 'The word apocalyptic suggests the severity of the fire season.' This is supported by factors including the rain shadow effect, climate change and lightning, leading to severe wildfires.
Step-by-step explanation:
The western United States is experiencing a devastating fire season as described. The best answer choice that supports the idea that the western United States is experiencing a devastating fire season is (d) The word apocalyptic suggests the severity of the fire season. This adjective conveys the extreme and damaging nature of the fires, aligning with the notion that the fire season is indeed cataclysmic.
Factors contributing to the severity of fire season include arid and semi-arid lands due to the rain shadow effect, where mountains block moisture, creating dry areas prone to fires. The influence of climate change exacerbates this effect, leading to warmer temperatures and reduced rainfall, thereby creating more extreme fire weather conditions that intensify wildfires.
Human activities and natural events like lightning strikes also play significant roles in igniting fires, leading to widespread fire activity across certain biomes, including the western U.S. These conditions have led to some of the most severe wildfires in the nation's history, with California experiencing four of the deadliest wildfires between 2017 and 2021.