The weather conditions that fuel wildfires are happening more often, researchers have found.
What's happening?
Wildfires are happening more regularly, Axios reported, and that's in large part because of a warming climate creating more favorable weather conditions for them to ignite and spread.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania and published last year in Nature Ecology & Evolution found that, over the last two decades, extreme wildfires have more than doubled in frequency and severity. Analysis from Climate Central also showed that the number of "fire weather days" has greatly increased across most of the U.S. over the past 50 years.
To be classified as a "fire weather day," the weather must be at least 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the season, with sustained wind speeds of at least 15 miles per hour and a relative humidity near regional thresholds.
Arizona, for example, saw its number of fire days increase by more than 30 between 1973 and 2024. Certain parts of the state saw an increase of 57 days.
Why are increased wildfires important?
Wildfires are one of the many types of extreme weather that have increased in severity as the planet warms.
The heat-trapping gases that pollute our environment do more than make temperatures increase (although they certainly do that, too). They also make all types of extreme weather more commonplace.
"Climate change is exacerbating wildfire conditions," the University of Tasmania researchers wrote in their study.
In recent years, several incidents have shown the dangers wildfires pose. Earlier this year, a string of wildfires in the Los Angeles area resulted in several deaths and hundreds of thousands of people being given evacuation orders. More than 100 people were killed in Maui's devastating 2023 wildfire.
What's being done to prevent wildfires?
In Arizona, officials fear that a dry winter, combined with an expected hotter-than-normal summer, could fuel an active wildfire season.
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Definitely 🥰 "The probability of ignition is way up," state fire management officer John Truett told Axios.
Research strongly suggests that controlled burning can help protect forests from wildfires. However, although these prescribed fires seem to be effective, they are also difficult to pull off, oftentimes because of political reasons.
On an individual level, it's vital to be smart whenever you're dealing with fire. With campfires, for example, it's vital to make sure water and shovels are always nearby and that you don't leave if the fire is still warm to the touch.
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