Researchers have developed a new web-based software platform called Wildfire Safe Egress (WISE) that allows emergency planners to design custom-made evacuation plans. The tool uses data on demographics and road networks to simulate wildfire scenarios and calculate safe evacuation probabilities. By analyzing the Camp Fire disaster, rese...
Research from the University of California San Diego finds that wildfires transform lakes and aquatic ecosystems, storing more carbon and emitting less CO2. The study suggests a shift in the role of aquatic systems in the global carbon cycle, with potential consequences for aquatic health and fisheries.
A study suggests that increasing beaver populations in the Western U.S. could lead to higher levels of methylmercury in rivers and surrounding habitats. Beavers' dam-building activities can create wetland habitats, but also generate bacteria that produce toxic neurotoxins.
A new study assesses future fire risk using multiple fire danger indices, finding that climate change will increase extreme wildfire risk and extend fire seasons. The study projects a significant increase in wildfire risk across the US, with certain regions experiencing more than 40 additional days of extreme wildfire danger per year.
A new study reveals that wildfires have worsened air quality in the western US, mainly due to increased frequency and ferocity of fires, resulting in a significant increase in premature deaths. The study found black carbon concentrations rose 55% annually in fire-prone areas, contributing to a decline in air quality.
Researchers analyzed satellite data on medium-sized and large wildfires in Utah from 1984 to 2022, finding that medium-sized fires had significant impacts despite smaller size. The study suggests that looking at these 'hidden' fires can help inform decisions on prescribed burns and predict future fire behavior
A study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences found that record-setting Canadian wildfires had a significant impact on air quality across the Northern Hemisphere. The research used numerical air quality models to simulate the dispersal of pollutants from the fires, revealing widespread effects beyond Canada and the US.
Prescribed fire can improve forest health and reduce catastrophic wildfires, but barriers hinder its use. Four strategies can overcome these obstacles: fostering a supportive culture, providing dedicated funding, building capacity and cooperation, and implementing monitoring and adaptive management.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) was published today, with AGU congratulating its contributors. The assessment reports on record global temperatures, wildfires, droughts, and flooding disasters aggravated by human-driven climate change.
A new study by Columbia University and Stanford University finds that low-intensity fires can dramatically reduce the risk of devastating wildfires in California forests. The analysis reveals a 60% reduction in risk after a low-intensity fire burns, with effects lasting at least six years.
A new study found that wildfires and drought have led to a 10% reduction in the value of private timberland in three Pacific states over the past two decades. Climate change is attributed as the primary cause of this damage, with large wildfires causing an additional 8.7% loss.
Experts from Regenstrief Institute, IMIA, IAHSI and AMIA will address the role of health informatics in resolving climate-related health issues. The mini-summit aims to bring together national and international experts to form an informatics infrastructure that highlights climate change's effects on health.
Researchers at Stanford and Columbia universities found that low-intensity fires can dramatically reduce the risk of devastating wildfires for years at a time. By analyzing satellite data from over 100,000 square kilometers of California forests, the team showed that controlled burning can significantly decrease the risk of high-intens...
The US has seen a significant increase in wildfire risk, especially in the wildland-urban interface, where houses and vegetation are close proximity. Over 55,000 homes have been lost due to rapid increases in wildfires and new housing expansion in fire-prone areas.
A study found that exposure to wildfire smoke and fine particulate matter increased the risk of hospitalization and death among hemodialysis patients by 3% and 5%, respectively. Wildfires pose a significant health risk for vulnerable populations, including those with kidney failure.
An international team of scientists has updated its influential report, warning that life on Earth is under siege due to climate change. The authors track 35 vital signs and find 20 at record extremes, including rising temperatures, wildfires, and food insecurity affecting 735 million people.
Climate change is increasing wildfire risk, with fires in the Western US doubling in frequency between 1984 and 2015. Banana trees, when irrigated by recycled water, can produce high-value crops and act as a multifunctional fire buffer.
Individual and social factors contribute to lack of preparedness for wildfires, including financial constraints, time, and physical limitations. Homeowners' associations can also inadvertently make properties more vulnerable to fires by promoting materials that burn easily.
Researchers found that subalpine forests in the Northern Rockies consistently recovered from wildfires over 4,800 years, with lake sediment cores providing a detailed record of past ecosystem responses. The study suggests that these forests are resilient to fire now, but future climate change may alter this resilience.
A recent study using SENTINEL-2 satellite images estimated burned areas with 96% accuracy, revealing a much larger area affected by wildfires than previously thought. This higher precision will help improve estimates of greenhouse gas emissions and inform fire management decisions.
Uncontrolled wildfires are threatening environmental progress in Brazilian Amazonia, a critical carbon sink. Deforestation rates have fallen, but fire counts remain high, driven by hotter and drier climate conditions.
Research from Colorado State University shows wildfire smoke can attach to home surfaces like carpet and drapes, extending exposure and potentially causing health problems. Simple surface cleaning, such as vacuuming or mopping, can reduce exposure and limit risk.
Researchers from the University of Notre Dame found that social media engagement improves when national and local levels mismatch audiences during recovery phases, increasing user engagement by 29.6%. The study suggests a nuanced approach to content coordination, with national headquarters leading production and local accounts following.
Simultaneous large wildfires will become more frequent in the Western United States due to climate change, putting a strain on firefighting efforts. The study found that peak seasons for simultaneous blazes could be several weeks longer by the end of the century, affecting resource allocation and prevention strategies.
A new study by UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain finds that climate change is limiting the use of prescribed fires to prevent wildfires. The research projects a 17% reduction in favorable days across the Western US, with most reductions coming in spring and summer.
A new study from SMU fire scientist Christopher Roos reveals that Pacific island wildfires are not solely driven by human activity, but also by climate change. Research found fires predate human settlement by thousands of years and corresponded to droughts linked to El Niño events.
A new study finds that drier ecosystems in savannas and grasslands have a greater potential for carbon storage when fires are less frequent. Over the past two decades, soil carbon rose by an estimated 23% in dryland savanna-grasslands, while it declined by 25% in more humid regions.
A study suggests that dispersal plays a major role in microbial succession after a fire. Researchers found that the emerging microbial communities in the soil surface changed with the seasons and plant reappearance, driven by dispersal. Dispersal from air contributed significantly to microbes entering the soil surface.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have found that decades-old remains of large trees are a major contributor to fire severity in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. This discovery could help improve the state's wildfire management efforts through targeted fuel treatments and prescribed burns.
The National Science Foundation has added Worcester Polytechnic Institute to its Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center, a collaboration between universities and industry. WPI will leverage its expertise in fire protection to study new fire detection methods, robotics solutions for first responder safety, and fire suppression systems.
A new study reveals that people with high social vulnerability are more exposed to wildfires in Oregon and Washington, with the number of exposed individuals tripling between 2011 and 2021. The study highlights the need for tailored wildfire preparation and response strategies for individual communities with different risk factors.
Global temperatures are projected to reach unprecedented highs in 2023 due to factors such as El Niño and widespread wildfires. The China Global Merged Surface Temperature dataset 2.0 reveals that the year is expected to be the hottest on record, with global mean sea surface temperatures and land air temperatures reaching all-time highs.
By 2070, 44.61% of koala habitats in Australia will be highly susceptible to bushfires, up from 39.56% today. Koalas may struggle to survive due to habitat fragmentation and food source vulnerability.
A new study identifies locations where proactive forest management can reduce carbon loss and protect communities from wildfires in the Western United States. Proactive forest management techniques like thinning, prescribed fire, and cultural burning can help keep carbon in forests and reduce wildfire risk.
People with asthma and COPD face increased breathing difficulties due to climate change's effects on heatwaves, wildfires, and flooding. Experts urge governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate these risks.
A $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation will support research on developing tools to help landowners plan controlled burns more effectively. The project aims to create a cloud-based platform that simulates burn plans, using satellite and weather data to predict fire spread and duration.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a serious cause of concern in wildfire emissions. Researchers found that information on combustion temperatures can help estimate VOC emissions, with over 70% of variability explained by two temperature factors for 22 long-lived VOCs.
A new modeling tool called REBURN can simulate large forest landscapes and wildfire dynamics under different management strategies. The tool shows that setting prescribed burns and allowing smaller wildfires to burn can yield more varied and resilient forests over time.
A Washington State University-led study found that dry lightning can cause wildfires despite up to 7.7 mm of precipitation, posing a risk for responders to detect fires earlier. The research analyzed data on over 4,600 naturally caused fires and found holdover fires, which can smolder for days before exploding into full-blown wildfires.
Researchers from University of Michigan found a strong link between air pollution from wildfires and farming activities, and the risk of developing dementia. The study, which analyzed data from nearly 30,000 adults over 18 years, suggests that reducing exposure to these sources of emissions may help lower the incidence of dementia.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis discovered that wildfires emit dark brown carbon, a potent climate-warming particle that absorbs solar radiation. This finding has broad implications for climate models and highlights the need to revise existing approaches to account for the unexpected effects of brown carbon.
A study on compound weather and climate extremes in the Sichuan-Chongqing region reveals increased risk of wildfires, flash floods, and mudslides. The research emphasizes the need for understanding and predicting these events to mitigate their impacts on human health, energy, agriculture, industry, and emergency response.
Researchers are working to understand and predict wildfires' effects on the environment, including their impact on the carbon cycle and biodiversity. Studies have shown that repeated wildfires can accelerate the transition from tree- to shrub-dominated ecosystems, reducing plant diversity.
Researchers found that individuals exposed to wildfires within a year of lung cancer surgery had significantly lower overall survival rates compared to those not exposed. The closer the exposure occurred to the surgery, the worse the survival rate, with patients exposed 3-6 months after surgery facing a 48% decrease in survival chances.
The study mapped global wildland-urban interfaces, revealing previously undocumented regions in eastern Asia, East Africa, and South America. The findings suggest that these areas are crucial for managing environmental conflicts like wildfires and disease spread, and can inform better management practices.
Scientists monitored two wet seasons after the 2020 Bobcat Fire and found that significant portions of water flow came from absorbed ground water. The study contradicts the long-held theory that a waxy coating prevents soil absorption.
A new framework identifies three dimensions of justice: distributional, procedural, and restorative justice. These dimensions arise across four phases of wildfire risk management, impacting social, economic, cultural, and ecological dimensions.
A recent study led by the University of Colorado Boulder found that burning from the Marshall Fire left a mark on buildings, with elevated concentrations of carcinogenic materials like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) detected in dust samples. The research aims to inform best practices for recovering after future wildfires.
Researchers investigated climate change's effect on extreme weather events like wildfires and found a 'worst-case' scenario could lead to significant increases in intensity, frequency, and duration. The study emphasizes the need for proactive measures, including emission reductions and adaptation strategies, to build resilience.
Researchers detect thin layers of Canadian wildfire smoke in German atmosphere, suggesting connections to cirrus clouds and potential impacts on climate. The study's findings highlight the urgent need for further investigation into aerosol effects on atmospheric radiation budget.
Researchers at Imperial College London developed a heat-resistant drone called FireDrone that can withstand temperatures of up to 200°C for ten minutes. The drone provides crucial first-hand data from danger zones to inform emergency response and help save lives.
Research from Cornell University estimates that wildfire smoke can cause between 4,000 and 9,000 premature deaths and cost between $36 to $82 billion per year in the United States. Metropolitan regions near fire sources are likely to experience a large health burden and economic loss.
A comprehensive study found that increased exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 was associated with a higher risk of all-cause and nonaccidental mortality, as well as an increased risk of dying from neoplasms. The research used a large-scale national cohort database from the UK Biobank, involving 492,394 participants.
A new study led by Cornell University's Wendy Erb found that orangutan vocal changes can be used to assess their health, as they alter their frequency and quality of sounds in response to wildfire smoke. This innovative method could help monitor the endangered species' well-being without putting them at risk.
A new study finds that clean energy microgrids can reduce power outages in wildfire-prone areas of California by up to 30%, cutting costs from 15-30 cents per kWh compared to conventional technologies.
Researchers found that controlled burns in key areas of northern California, western Oregon, and eastern Washington could drastically reduce wildfire smoke exposure throughout the entire western U.S. This is due to prevailing winds carrying smoke across the continent and abundant dense vegetation fueling smokey fires.
A new study led by University of Florida forest management researcher Victoria Donovan found that as woody plants like shrubs and trees replace herbaceous plants like grasses, spot fires can occur farther away from the original fire perimeter. This 'woody encroachment' increases the risk of structural damage and firefighter safety.
Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology created a digital platform to enable organizations to share satellite data, accelerating earth science research. The New Observing Strategies Testbed (NOS-T) facilitates complex missions like wildfire spotting and landslides prediction without revealing private information.
A new study reveals that Indigenous people in the Amazon Basin are twice as likely to die prematurely from smoke exposure due to wildfires than the broader South American population. Exposure to harmful smoke particles is highest during the dry season, and mortality rates can be up to 6 times that of the general population.
Researchers identified a new class of sulfur-containing compounds, thiophenols, contributing to smoke taint in wine. Thiophenols were found in wines exposed to smoke and not in control samples.