Western fires are burning higher in the mountains and at unprecedented rates as the climate warms

Image: Several states saw their hottest June-August period since consistent record keeping began in the 1890s. NOAA. Article by Mojtaba Sadegh, John Abatzoglou and Mohammad Reza Alizadeh. The Conversation – September 13, 2021.

The Western U.S. is experiencing another severe fire season, and a recent study shows that even high mountain areas once considered too wet to burn are at increasing risk as the climate warms.

With more than 5 million acres already burned by early September, the 2021 U.S. fire season is about on pace with the extreme fire season of 2020. This summer has been the hottest on record and one of the driest in the region, with 80% of the Western U.S. in severe to exceptional drought. That combination of heat and dryness is a recipe for disastrous wildfires. […]

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