A new paper by UBC researchers suggests reviving cultural burning and promoting Indigenous-led fire stewardship to achieve multiple objectives, including reducing wildfire risk and enhancing biodiversity. However, barriers such as lack of understanding and funding limitations hinder the implementation of these practices.
Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are altering seasonal air pollution patterns and causing a spike in unhealthy pollutants in August. The research found that carbon monoxide levels have increased sharply, indicating the extent of smoke's impacts on clean air gains.
A new study finds that climate change will increase the risk of debris flows, flash floods, and extreme rainfall events following wildfires in the western US. By the end of the century, more than 90% of extreme fire events will be followed by at least three extreme rainfalls within five years.
A new study finds that California wildfires increase both revenues and expenditures in municipalities, resulting in a budget shortfall over many years. The unique state constitution limits property assessments, but still leads to higher taxes and a boom in housing reassessments after fires.
A $150,000 grant from the NV Energy Foundation will support DRI's development of a Weather and Research Forecast model to simulate weather, fire, and smoke for firefighting operations. The tool will provide critical air quality forecasts and risk assessment for specific locations.
A new study by Simon Fraser University finds that temporary nature-based carbon removal can lower global peak warming levels if complemented by aggressive emissions reductions. However, the stored carbon could be lost back to the atmosphere due to human activities like wildfires or deforestation.
Researchers found that brown carbon from biomass burning contributes significantly to Arctic warming, exceeding previous estimates. The study highlights the importance of wildfire mitigation and suggests a positive feedback loop where increased wildfires emit more brown carbon aerosols, further heating the earth.
Researchers found extreme changes in stratospheric gases after the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires, potentially destroying ozone and affecting climate. The study highlights the impact of increasing wildfire activity on Earth's atmosphere.
A new study reveals that smoke from major wildfires can destroy atmospheric ozone in the Southern Hemisphere for months. Researchers warn that more frequent wildfires with a changing climate will lead to increased damage and exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Recent wildfires have led to a palpable change in fire dynamics, with large fires becoming more common and spreading into new areas. The study found that fire frequency doubled in the West and quadrupled in the Great Plains since 2000.
A new 30m resolution global map shows that wildfires caused 26-29% of global forest loss between 2001 and 2019, with primary tropical forests in Africa and Latin America being particularly affected. The researchers hope their map will improve climate modeling and inform forest management policies.
A recent study by Oregon State University researchers found that the vast majority of carbon stored in trees before large wildfires remains in the trees themselves after the fires. The study's findings challenge previous estimates suggesting up to 85% of living trees' biomass combusts in California's big fires.
A novel framework for improving scientific understanding of 'recurrent acute disasters' (RADs) has been developed to account for legacy conditions that leave people vulnerable in the wake of repeated disasters. The framework proposes a holistic view of the 'human ecosystem' and trends in legacy conditions.
The European Union is projected to experience increased fire-prone areas, threatening biodiversity and carbon sinks. The IPCC report highlights the need for adaptation in addressing wildfires, focusing on fire and forest management to increase ecosystem resilience.
Researchers found a chemical link between wildfire smoke and ozone depletion, which may stall ozone recovery for years. The study discovered that the smoke from Australian wildfires in 2019-2020 depleted ozone by 1%, highlighting the potential impact of future, more frequent fires.
The number of wildfires is projected to increase by 50% by 2100 due to climate change and land-use changes. Governments are called to radically shift their investments to focus on prevention and preparedness.
The report projects a global increase in extreme fires by up to 50% by the end of the century, with a call for governments to shift their investments from reaction to prevention and preparedness. The authors recommend a 'Fire Ready Formula' with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, and recovery.
The UN Environment Programme's latest Frontiers Report identifies three critical environmental issues: urban noise pollution, wildfires, and phenological mismatches. These issues pose significant risks to public health and ecological systems, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
A new study found that Australian bushfires are linked to British colonisation and climate change, with forests becoming denser and more flammable due to the increase in woody biomass. Indigenous burning practices ceased after colonial settlement, leading to an increase in shrub cover and unprecedented wildfires.
Research led by Oregon State University contradicts the common narrative of wildfires igniting on remote public land before spreading to communities. The study found that fires crossing jurisdictional boundaries are primarily caused by people on private property, accounting for more than 60% of ignitions.
A new UF study found that climate change intensifies the negative effects of invasive plants on longleaf pine trees, making them more vulnerable to drought and wildfires. The experiment showed that trees under stress from both drought and invasive cogongrass were least likely to survive after fire.
A new study suggests that wildfires can lead to increased soil carbon stocks in savannahs and grasslands, potentially offsetting short-term emissions. The research found that fires could store up to 90 million tonnes of carbon per year, but the breakdown rate of charcoal in soils remains uncertain.
Researchers studied Paradise, California's response to the 2018 Camp Fire. They found that community responses vary greatly due to distinct fire and demographic characteristics.
A Penn State study integrates multiple models to capture climate-related interactions between water, power, and economic systems. Higher water temperatures can lead to a causal chain of events, including generator outages, higher costs, and productivity reductions.
A recent study found that biomass burning aerosols enhance cloud formation in southeastern Asia through aerosol-radiation interactions, leading to significant climate effects. The researchers used a comprehensive approach combining model simulations with multiple data sources to investigate the role of wildfires in low-cloud formation.
A long-term monitoring program found that wildfires and salvage logging negatively affected fisher abundance by 27% and population density. The study suggests that increased severity and frequency of wildfires will have negative impacts on fishers and change community composition for medium-size predators.
A recent study found that large wildfires and severe heat events worsen air pollution across the western United States, affecting 68% of the region's population in one day. The study revealed an increasing trend in days with high levels of both particulate matter and ozone, tied to rising temperatures and wildfires.
A new study finds that controlled burning can stabilize or increase soil carbon, offering a method to maximize carbon storage. By manipulating fires, ecosystems can store huge amounts of carbon when the frequency and intensity are just right. This approach may help maintain natural ecosystem processes.
The 2020 wildfires in Brazil's Pantanal wetland resulted in the deaths of an estimated 16.9 million vertebrates, including lizards, birds, and primates. The study estimates that between 13.2 million and 18.8 million small vertebrates and 691,000 to 1.2 million medium-to-large vertebrates were killed.
Researchers link dwindling Arctic sea ice to worsening wildfires in the Western United States, finding a previously unknown mechanism driving the connection. As sea ice melts, it warms surrounding areas, triggering heat and fire-favorable conditions in distant states.
A study found concurrent heatwaves occurring simultaneously in mid- to high-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere were seven times greater in the 2010s, causing more severe societal impacts. The heat events grew hotter and larger, exhausting countries' ability to provide mutual aid during crises.
UNM scientists found climate-driven tree mortality and fuel aridity are increasing fuel availability, leading to bigger, more intense wildfires. This is due to drought stress, insect outbreaks, and temperature increases causing large areas of tree mortality and rising temperatures drying out forest fuels.
Detailed supercomputer simulations show that the North American monsoon occurs when Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental mountains divert the eastward-trending jet stream toward the equator, cooling moist tropical air until it condenses and falls as rain. This new understanding will impact forecasts in the region.
The loss of large-bodied grazers worldwide drastically altered fire regimes, increasing grassy ecosystem fire activity. This finding highlights the need to incorporate herbivore controls into fire models to better understand and predict global fire activity.
Research by University of Nevada, Reno and Oregon State University found that adequate snowpack is crucial for revegetation following forest fires. The study showed that climate change has led to a decline in snowpack, which will negatively impact post-wildfire vegetation recovery.
A new OSU study found that snow cover plays a critical role in post-fire revegetation in the Pacific Northwest. Summer precipitation was the most important variable driving this process across four subregions, while snow cover frequency and prefire forest composition were also significant influencers.
A new UCI study links rising temperatures to higher blaze risk in the Sierra Nevada, predicting a 50% increase in wildfires by 2040. The research analyzes daily temperature spikes and finds that each 1 degree Celsius rise increases fire risk by 19-22%
A UCLA-led study found that human-caused climate change is the main cause of increasing fire weather in the western United States. The study used artificial intelligence to analyze climate and fire data, estimating that 68% of the increase in vapor pressure deficit between 1979 and 2020 was likely due to human-induced global warming.
A statistical modeling approach highlights predictive importance of local climate and human activity in determining wildfire probabilities. The analysis uncovered key roles for climate, human activity, fire history, and short-term climate variations in fire-prone regions.
Researchers tracked black-tailed deer before, during, and after the Mendocino Complex Fire, finding that all 18 deer survived. Despite burned areas with no vegetation, most deer returned home within hours, potentially due to their loyalty to habitat. However, some deer's body condition declined as they expanded their range.
A Brazilian study reveals that forest fires and wildfires modify the freezing process of cloud droplets, altering natural cloud functioning and potentially impacting precipitation. The research used a large dataset to show that aerosols emitted by fires can affect cloud formation in southern Amazonia during the rainy season.
New research at Lava Beds National Monument found that wildfires burning the surface also impacted life in caves below, causing a significant drop in ecosystem diversity. Changes in hydrology and moisture levels may be driving these changes, and understanding these impacts is crucial for protecting fragile cave ecosystems.
A new study aims to use the microgravity conditions of space to better understand how flames spread on Earth. By performing complementary ground-based and microgravity experiments, researchers can precisely measure flame spread along a combustible object, allowing for more accurate predictions of wildfire behavior.
A new study reveals that while Western US wildfires contribute more health problems, they affect a greater number of people in the Eastern US due to higher smoke concentrations. The researchers estimated 6,300 extra deaths annually from long-term smoke exposure, with most occurring in populous states.
Mechanical thinning alone can moderate forest fire behavior, even in the absence of prescribed fires, according to OSU research. The study found that fuels built up after thinning declined dramatically, reducing the risk of severe wildfires.
A recent study published in Nature reveals that pyrogenic iron from Australian wildfires fertilized the Southern Ocean, leading to unprecedented algal blooms. This phenomenon raises concerns about the role of wildfires in spurring phytoplankton growth, which absorbs large quantities of climate-warming carbon dioxide.
A recent study found that the Himalaya region is experiencing an increase in compound hazards, where multiple hazards interact with destructive consequences. Over 49% of the population lives in high-risk areas susceptible to floods, landslides, and wildfires.
Researchers analyzed past fires in Klamath Mountains, finding that weather and fuels impact non-reburns while reburn intensity mirrors previous fires. Prescribed fire and wildfire management can limit severe fire conditions, maintaining moderate weather for future fires.
Researchers found that large herbivores can reduce wildfire damage by mitigating fire-prone vegetation. Effective solutions depend on factors such as herbivore population density and diet. Integrating extensive grazing into land management policies could help mitigate wildfires.
A new study reveals climate change has dramatically altered the Sierra Nevada's aquatic ecosystem, impacting water resources. The research found that the region's snowpack and lake sediments show significant changes in response to warming temperatures, posing major threats to California's water supply.
A massive study found that exposure to wildfire pollutants in Brazil leads to over 48,000 hospitalizations annually, mainly among children and the elderly. The research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, reveals significant health impacts of wildfires on Brazilians.
A first-of-its-kind global study links short-term exposure to wildfire-related fine particulate matter to increased all-cause, respiratory, and cardiovascular mortalities. The research found that over 33,500 deaths annually are directly attributable to wildfire pollution in cities worldwide.
A Stanford University study suggests that wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth, with as many as 7,000 extra births attributed to this factor between 2007 and 2012. The research highlights the need for investment in prescribed burns, mechanical thinning, or other efforts to reduce extreme wildfires.
The NIST-developed emberometer uses digital cameras to track embers in mid-air and reconstruct their 3D shapes. This tool helps researchers understand the behavior of embers, which can aid in developing better protection for structures during wildfires.
Researchers at KAUST developed a new method to simulate the spread of wildfires through forests, capturing complex dynamics involved. The model accurately predicts fire behavior at forest scale and can be used to optimize firebreaks and improve wildfire management.
Research by University of Washington and US Forest Service scientists reveals a dramatic shift in nighttime air's drying power over the Western US, increasing wildfire activity. This shift is not captured in climate models, with some areas experiencing water loss doubling up on warmer nights.
A synthesis of scientific literature provides a unified resource for managing western forests and addressing the impacts of climate change on wildfires. The report recommends approaches such as thinning dense forests, prescribed burning, and revitalizing Indigenous fire stewardship practices to make landscapes more resilient.
A study found that the Australian bushfires had a more significant impact on global climate than pandemic lockdowns, cooling the planet by about .06 degrees Celsius. The fires injected sulfates and other particles into the atmosphere, disrupting the climate system and influencing storm tracks.
A new study found that climate-related disasters have surged since 2019, with devastating floods, heat waves, and wildfires. The study calls for a phase-out of fossil fuels and strategic climate reserves to address the climate crisis.
Research suggests that Western wildfires will initially intensify for about a decade due to hotter and drier conditions, then decrease in size as fire becomes self-limiting.