A study by the USDA Forest Service and university scientists found that climate plays a critical role in shaping wildfire behavior, particularly in the Western United States. Climate influences fuel production and drying, which varies among different ecosystems, leading to varying fire sizes and severities.
The new report emphasizes the urgent need for climate action, citing the Southwest as a region particularly susceptible to the effects of global warming. Rising temperatures and water scarcity are projected to exacerbate issues like wildfires, invasive species, and flooding, threatening agriculture, recreation, and urban areas.
A new study finds that abrupt changes in climate may lead to shifts in monsoon patterns, resulting in lower vegetation growth, drier tropics, and increased wildfires. The research used oxygen isotopes in air from ice cores and ancient stalagmites to support these findings.
A new study led by CU-Boulder found that only 11% of fuel-reduction activities took place within 1.5 miles of the wildland-urban interface, where fires pose the greatest risk to homes and people. The research suggests federal wildfire treatments are minimally effective at mitigating wildfire threat.
A new study finds that changes in vegetation can have a profound impact on fire occurrences, often overriding the effects of climate change. The research suggests that vegetation can alter the direct link between fuels and climate.
A NASA study estimates that climate change fuels Asian wildfires, increasing carbon dioxide emissions by a factor of 10 during dry El Niño years. The research used satellite data and computer models to analyze the impact of drought on fire spread and intensity in regions like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
A study by PNNL researchers found that smoldering fires produce more toxins than wildfires, which can affect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The discovery also suggests that smoke may play a role in transporting biologically useful nitrogen through the environment.
A new study led by Montana State University researcher Philip Higuera finds that changes in vegetation can either reduce or increase the risk of wildfires, even under climate change. The research suggests that considering vegetation's impact on fire regimes is crucial for predicting future wildfire patterns.
A new study found that changes in vegetation can override climate change effects on wildfire frequency. Plant types and abundance play a significant role in determining an ecosystem's flammability. In some cases, vegetation changes were more influential than climate shifts, leading to fewer fires.
A new study reveals that climate change will bring about major shifts in worldwide fire patterns, with some regions experiencing large increases in fire activity and others decreasing. The research uses thermal-infrared sensor data to identify hotspots of fire invasion forming in parts of the western US and the Tibetan plateau.
The USA-NPN is launching a new national program to track the effects of climate change on seasonal changes in plant and animal behavior. Scientists will use volunteer observations to monitor life cycles of nearly 200 species of plants, predicting wildfires, pollen production, droughts and assessing ecosystem vulnerability.
Mudslides caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake may release significant amounts of greenhouse gas, including carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere. The study found that the ecosystem impacts of these mudslides could be equivalent to twice the loss of nitrogen from California ecosystems due to wildfires.
The University of California, Berkeley researchers argue that California can learn from Australia's 'Prepare, stay and defend' strategy, which trains residents to actively defend their homes against wildfires. The policy has been shown to reduce risk and increase survival rates in Australia.
A new study by Stanford University scientists updates IPCC findings, suggesting even smaller temperature increases could cause significant problems in unique ecosystems, extreme weather events, distribution of impacts, aggregate damages, and risks of large-scale discontinuities. The research highlights increased evidence of climate cha...
The IPCC Fifth Assessment will incorporate new studies predicting more severe changes than previous assessments. Tropical forests could become carbon sources due to wildfires and warming temperatures.
Recent studies suggest that global warming could accelerate at a faster pace, leading to more environmental damage and releasing billions of tons of greenhouse gas. IPCC scientist Chris Field warns of the potential for catastrophic consequences, including devastating wildfires in tropical forests and permafrost thawing.
The AAAS Symposium explores emerging threats to terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including habitat loss, climate change, and overfishing. Researchers will discuss research challenges and synthesis of current and emerging threats.
A new study finds clear links between abrupt climate changes and fire activity during the transition between the last Ice Age and the warm interglacial period. Biomass burning tracked general climate changes closely, increasing as conditions warmed and decreasing during the cool interval.
New research published today disproves the recent comet impact theory that triggered continent-wide wildfires in North America 12,900 years ago. The study found no evidence for large-scale fires across the continent but supports a link between global warming and increased wildfires globally.
The report highlights the importance of aerosol research in predicting Earth's future climate. Scientists need a better understanding of how aerosols affect climate to narrow down temperature increase uncertainty by nearly two-thirds.
A US death map shows that heat/drought and severe summer weather are leading causes of death, with the South and mountain west particularly vulnerable. The study highlights the importance of emergency management in reducing loss of life from natural hazards.
A new study analyzing particulate matter from Southern California wildfires confirms that the composition of smoke posed more serious potential threats to health than is generally realized. The study found that fire emissions produce a significantly larger aerosol in size, making it easier for particles to penetrate indoor structures.
A study by UC Irvine researchers reveals a significant increase in hospital admissions for asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders during Southern California wildfires. Heavy smoke conditions were associated with a 34% rise in asthma admissions and a 67% surge in acute bronchitis admissions.
A study published in Ecosystems reveals that elevated fire levels outweighed harvest reductions in the loss of older forests in the Pacific Northwest. The NWFP helped stabilize large-diameter forest numbers, but fire was the main reason for their decline.
Researchers will investigate the effects of climate change on biodiversity, wildfires, and people in the Pacific Northwest using two multi-site projects. They aim to develop policies that protect people from wildfire while conserving and protecting biodiversity.
A new study found that wildfires lead to significant losses of carbon and nitrogen in forest soils, with over 10 tons per acre of carbon lost and between 450-620 pounds per acre of nitrogen lost. This can negatively impact soil productivity and contribute to global warming.
A new study by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research finds that wildfires can boost ozone pollution to levels violating US health standards. The research focused on California wildfires in 2007 and found that they repeatedly caused ground-level ozone to spike to unhealthy levels across a broad area.
A new study by the University of Oregon suggests that climate change has been the main driver of global biomass burning for the past two millennia. Human activities such as land clearance and fire suppression during the industrial era also contributed to a significant decline in wildfires worldwide between 1870 and 1970.
A UC Riverside botanist is investigating how Southern California's plants affect the region's drought. The research aims to identify plant species most susceptible to drought and predict water evaporation from desert chaparral ecosystems.
The thawing of permafrost is expected to release a significant amount of carbon dioxide, potentially doubling current atmospheric levels. This could lead to a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions and further accelerate global warming.
NASA deployed its unmanned Ikhana aircraft to gather information on over 300 wildfires burning in California, providing commanders with location and size data to deploy firefighting assets. The flights use a sophisticated sensor that can detect temperature differences up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Forests provide natural filtration and storage systems that process nearly two-thirds of the U.S. water supply. Preserving and managing forests may help sustain water supplies, but forest management is unlikely to increase water yields.
Commercial shipping releases 130,000 metric tons of soot annually, with tugboats emitting nearly a gram per kilogram of fuel burned. The high levels are linked to low-quality fuel and poor engine maintenance, contributing to air quality issues near populous urban areas.
Researchers at University of Missouri use tree rings to determine that massive wildfires in Canada caused the infamous 'New England Dark Day' in 1780. The study combines written accounts and fire scar evidence to provide a scientific explanation for this mysterious event.
Scientists have found that snow accumulation in western Antarctica has doubled since the 1850s, with a shift in atmospheric circulation patterns contributing to the increase. In contrast, larch trees are benefiting from warmer climates, with fire return intervals decreasing due to their dependence on fires for seed germination. Researc...
The first 'State of the Carbon Cycle Report' reveals a troubling imbalance in North America's carbon budget, largely driven by human-caused emissions. The continent's natural sinks, such as forests and soils, may be unable to compensate for increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
Severe US wildfires can release as much CO2 as the entire transportation sector of a state, posing challenges for emissions tracking. The study found that fires in Western and Southeastern states account for a disproportionate share of carbon emissions.
New research estimates that US fires release around 290 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The study found that large fires can release enormous pulses of CO2 rapidly into the atmosphere, complicating efforts to understand and combat global warming.
A new study from the University of Colorado at Boulder found that fireproofing houses in forests can significantly reduce wildfire sizes. By insulating homes, fire risk is reduced, protecting not only structures but also neighboring forests and communities.
A new study suggests that human-caused nitrogen deposition is indirectly fertilizing forests, increasing their growth and sequestering major amounts of carbon. The findings reveal a more complex view of the carbon cycle in forests, heavily influenced by human activities.
Researchers are developing an interactive simulation of a wildfire spreading through Volusia County to study how residents make decisions about prescribed burns and insurance. The study aims to demonstrate that virtual reality can be an effective public policy tool in encouraging residents to invest in prevention.
Researchers from Oregon State University found a high level of naturally-regenerating tree seedlings in burned forest lands. The density of surviving conifers was similar to that of traditional old-growth forests, with some plots already having larger trees considered 'free to grow' by forestry standards.
The AAAS Board has released its first consensus statement on global climate change, confirming that human activities are causing the Earth's temperature to rise. The statement emphasizes the urgent need for action to address this growing threat to society, citing rapid melting of glaciers and sea level rises.
A University of Michigan study has found that forest fires release more mercury into the atmosphere than previously recognized. The research, led by Doctoral student Abir Biswas, estimates that wildfires and prescribed burns account for approximately 25 percent of human-generated mercury emissions in the United States.
A new tree-ring study links episodic fire outbreaks in the past five centuries with periods of warming sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic. The study suggests that warmer waters in the North Atlantic correspond with episodes of drought and subsequent fires in the West.
Researchers used NASA earth observations to predict wildfires in southern California, identifying key factors such as plant moisture and fuel condition. The study found that the instruments can detect conditions favorable for wildfires, improving wildfire prediction and monitoring capabilities.
Researchers at UC Davis are developing a virtual library of data from hundreds of environmental sensors to study the interconnectedness of air, water, land, and living things in California. This 'God's-eye view' will help understand how climate change affects the state, including precipitation patterns, wildfires, and ocean upwelling.
Researchers at USC discovered that children without asthma suffered from severe symptoms during the 2003 Southern California wildfires. The study found that wearing masks and staying indoors reduced health problems, suggesting simple protective measures can mitigate effects of wildfire smoke.
A University of Wisconsin-Madison team developed a map that incorporates environmental and human factors to pinpoint areas most vulnerable to devastating wildfires. The map highlights the critical role humans play in causing fires, particularly near wildland-urban interfaces.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks study proposes four policy strategies to sustain people and the environment in a dramatically warming climate. The first strategy focuses on adaptability, while the second emphasizes biological diversity as a buffer from change.
Climate change is contributing to the release of mercury stored in northern wetlands, which can become toxic in food chains. Wildfires are unleashing this mercury at levels up to 15 times greater than previously calculated.
Researchers from the University of Bristol warn that Eurasia, eastern China, Canada, Central America, and Amazonia are at risk of forest loss due to global warming. The team predicts more intense droughts in West Africa, southern Europe, and the eastern USA, while regions north of 50°N will face excessive runoff and flooding.
University of Michigan researchers found that invasive cattails alter the environment in ways that hinder native species but benefit the invaders. The cattails' litter accumulation creates a different environment with higher nutrient levels and lower light, which favors the invaders' growth.
Recent research found that climate change is strongly linked to increased frequency and severity of large forest fires in the western United States. The study analyzed wildfire data from 1970 to 2003, finding a significant correlation between warmer temperatures and earlier snowmelt, leading to drier conditions and longer fire seasons.
A new study published in Science finds that rising temperatures are exacerbating the number of large and costly wildfires in the western United States. The research, led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, analyzed a database of recent large western wildfires since 1970 and compared it with climate and land-surface data from the re...
The Idaho Bureau of Land Management and weed control groups use new software to analyze NASA satellite imagery and target areas for cheatgrass treatment. The technology helps land managers be smarter in using their resources, improving the effectiveness of weed control efforts.
Researcher Benjamin Poulter found that wildfires can lead to the conversion of forested areas into marshlands as sea levels rise. In some cases, controlled burning can help forests re-establish themselves if allowed to recover for a period of time.
Researchers document a significant shift from wetlands to woodland and forest in the Kenai Peninsula Lowlands due to climate change. The transformation threatens biodiversity, habitat loss for migratory birds, and increased wildfire risks.
A study by the USDA Forest Service found that homes at higher wildfire risk initially sold for more due to desirable views, but later sales data showed a decrease in price. This was largely due to a change in tastes towards less flammable building materials.
A study analyzing government census data finds that housing growth in and around US national forests is threatening biodiversity and ecosystem health. The number of housing units within national forest boundaries increased from 500,000 to 1.5 million between 1950 and 2000, largely due to private land ownership.