Western U.S. wildfires have gained a lot of public and political attention in past few years. It seems the fires have been more severe, much larger and for more damaging to homes and natural resources. Fire-fighting costs for wildfires now routinely exceed one billion dollars a year.
It appears that around 1987, the region shifted from the infrequent large wildfire which lasted an average of one week, to more frequent and longer-burning wildfires lasting an average of five weeks. In the mid-1980s, the length of the wildfire season which was typically March through August was extended by 78 days compared to the 1970‘s through the mid-1980‘s.
The findings of a new study conducted by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, suggest rising seasonal temperatures and the early spring arrival is connected with an increase of wildfires in the western states of the U. S. The full study results were published in the July 6 2006 issue of Science Express.
A systematic database analysis of western wildfires since 1970 has been compiled by scientists Anthony Westerling, Hugo Hidalgo and Dan Cayan of Scripps Oceanography, and Tom Swetnam of the University of Arizona, in order to see recent changes in forest fire activity, and compare it with climate and land-surface data from the region. The outcome indicates large wildfire activity has increased “suddenly and dramatically” in the 1980s. The wildfire seasons are longer and there is an increase number or more potent wildfires.
Some of the findings of the study include:
- Indications suggest climate changes and not fire suppression policies or forest accumulation, as the main reason for increases large forest fires.
- Year-to-year changes in the increased wildfires appear to be linked to spring and summer temperatures with more wildfires during hotter years.
- A relationship between the early arrivals spring and snow-melt in mountains has been associated with incidence of large forest fires. Early snow-melt, may lead to an early and longer dry season.
The study authors conclude the increased frequency of large and devastating wildfires may change forest composition and reduce tree densities.
The research was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Global Programs, the National Fire Plan via the United States Forest Service’s Southern Research Station and the California Energy Commission.
Source: Scripps Institution of Oceanography news release
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