by Michael Kodas, Inside Climate News
Highlights
- Climate change is increasing the severity and size of wildfires across the globe
- Fires in Colorado burned over 200,000 acres, while fires in California burned an area the size of Rhode Island
- These Western US fires were predicted by Federal wildfire forecasters due to the trend of low moisture and warm weather
- New research suggests that fires in California will more than double in the coming decades due to manmade climate change
- The marine layer of fog that typically adds moisture to California’s redwood trees has declined by a third, adding to the trees flammability
- Colorado has not experienced the monsoon that usually drenches and cools the Southwest, leading the state to become even drier and hotter
- The western part of the state that is experiencing the most fires has also seen a 2-degree Celsius increase since 1895, twice the global average increase
Scientists are increasingly warning that to avoid catastrophic impacts from climate change, the world’s governments must implement massive reductions of warming emissions and begin a drawdown of greenhouse gases (GHG) from the atmosphere over the decade ahead. For a safe and healthy future for all, endorse the Climate-Safe California Platform to implement scalable solutions that can reverse the climate crisis.
Nina Turner
Energy Programs and Communications CoordinatorJanina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University with experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism.
