Millions of dead birds found along west coast migratory routes.

Possible lung damage from flying through smoke from the fires.

it's a freaking apocalypse.

why don't we see massive forest fires in the east coast?

We have smaller ones, like those in South Jersey some years ago. But maybe our forests are greener and we get more rain - we certainly have nothing like the Santa Ana winds to spread fires, either. Plus, we are way more densely populated. 

here's a good piece on the subject

https://www.phillyvoice.com/why-are-wildfires-concentrated-west/

Here's a question I should probably look up for myself but I'm busy elsewhere for now. How are these areas getting really scorched going to fare compared to those treated with prescribed burns? I'm guessing the ground is much less secure and susceptible to landslides but does this mean they're not in danger of awful fires taking hold for a few years?

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Possible lung damage from flying through smoke from the fires.

 Saw another theory:  Due to wild fires, many young birds have been forced to migrate before they built up adequate reserves.

bikefixed said:

Here's a question I should probably look up for myself but I'm busy elsewhere for now. How are these areas getting really scorched going to fare compared to those treated with prescribed burns? I'm guessing the ground is much less secure and susceptible to landslides but does this mean they're not in danger of awful fires taking hold for a few years?

 Depends when the migratory birds can start dropping (ahem) seeds again, I suppose.  

bikefixed asked:  "does this mean they're not in danger of awful fires taking hold for a few years?"

Someone (sounded well informed) said on the news the other day that this could be a "reset" in the burned areas, in terms of fuel.  She was hoping people would not let the dry stuff build up so much going forward (i.e., not trying to put out every fire, plus maybe prescribed burns?).  But (and this is imo, from memories of growing up out there), yes in the meantime there is risk of landslides, though they (used to?) drop seed from the air to get a quick flush of grass (if it rains), not relying entirely on the birds.

And back to OP, horrible news about the birds!!  just seems to get worse and worse.  

Side note:  Even here in Wis, we are getting haze from the smoke, though it seems to be staying high, so air quality for breathing is ok.

And about why fires in the west, but not east:  again working from memory, i think it's that even in "normal" weather, there is a very long dry season, at least in CA, rarely any rain between say May and November?  Dry lightning sometimes in the mountains doesn't help either.  Does it ever really get that dry back east??

NJ usually gets some fires in the spring in the pinelands.  Some years are more than others.  I am not sure if we had any this year.  Fortunately NJ has designated the pinelands as a water and nature preserve, so houses are seldom burned.   This was good planning.   The pinelands water aquafer is really massive.