Wildfire Increase Linked to Climate

Climate changes – and not just land-use or forest management practices – are responsible for an increasing number of wildfires, researchers conclude after studying 34 years worth of data. The scientists also blame greenhouse gas emissions and other types of pollution for wildfire seasons that lengthen with every passing year. Wildfires affect much of the western US, but are most prevalent in the Northern Rockies, where players disagree about forest-management practices. As trees burn, they release more carbon dioxide into the air, aggravating the problem of global warming. Many government officials had been predicting that wildfires and other devastating effects would take place 100 years from now – yet new studies continue to suggest that climate change is unleashing its forces now. – YaleGlobal