UCB fire scientist argues that widespread thinking about the wildfire crisis is wrong in some basic ways. In a 2024 paper, she and co-authors argued that it isn't the increasing size of fires that's threatening homes and lives: it's their speed.
Fire adds a further layer of risk. Wildfire strips vegetation that normally protects soil from rainfall, and can increase soil water repellency, affecting infiltration, runoff and erosion.
They’re trying to prevent power lines from sparking catastrophic fires. But there are also worries about how the added expense will fall on ratepayers.
Peat fires are a recurring challenge in Indonesia. Drought caused the archipelago's peat landscapes to become unrelenting infernos on several occasions in the past, with fires producing blankets of smoke for weeks and upending daily life for millions.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Study finds that rapid root-zone soil moisture depletion during flash droughts is more strongly linked to accelerated wildfire spread than conventional drought conditions across the United States.
An increase in pollution from wildfires and heatwaves risks undermining international efforts to improve air quality and protect human and ecosystem health, according to a new WMO report, which traces interlinkages between air quality and climate.
The sixth WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin examines links between air quality and climate change, highlighting aerosol impacts, wildfire smoke, ozone pollution and atmospheric monitoring needs.
