The area burned annually by wildfires in the Western United States has risen sharply since the 1980s. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports, a new study out of the University of California-Los Angeles suggests human-caused climate change is driving the trend.
The study focused on a concept called “fire weather,” which is linked to how thirsty the atmosphere is.
Fire weather leads to dry soil, water-stressed plants, and ultimately greater wildfire risk. It’s increasingly common in the West. The study shows natural weather patterns account for only one-third of that trend; the rest is attributed to the warmer temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate scientist Rong Fu, one of the authors, says, "I really felt this research helped me to appreciate the linkage between what we’re doing daily in terms of our carbon emission, and the fire danger right at our doorstep."
Fu says scientists expected climate change to become the main driver of fire weather around the middle of this century. It was a surprise to discover that had already taken place.
The study appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
