"Fire weather" increased for much of Arkansas
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Western, central and southeast Arkansas have more hot, dry and windy weather days that help wildfires spread than they did 50 years ago, per an analysis from climate research group Climate Central.
Why it matters: What used to be several months of "fire season" is stretching in some places into a yearlong phenomenon, straining fire departments and others tasked with controlling or containing wild blazes.
Driving the news: Such weather is becoming more common across much of the U.S. amid climate change, the analysis finds. The number of "fire weather" days rose by 37 in the Southwest and 21 in the West on average between 1973 and 2024.
- Some areas, including parts of Texas, California and New Mexico, now experience "around two more months of fire weather per year compared to a half century ago," the group says.
Zoom in: Fire weather is also getting more frequent in some eastern and northeastern parts of the country, like New Jersey and New York's Long Island.
Yes, but: Fire weather days decreased in a handful of areas, such as central North Dakota (-12) and northern Maine (-8).
How it works: Climate Central's analysis is based on data from 476 nationwide weather stations and is broken down by 245 climate divisions across the continental U.S.
- The group defined a "fire weather day" as one with temperatures of at least 45°-55°F (depending on the season), relative humidity within 5% of regional thresholds, and sustained wind speeds of 15mph or more — all happening together during at least two hourly measurements on a given day.
Stunning stat: Human activities (unattended campfires, sparks from power lines, etc.) start a whopping 87% of wildfires, Climate Central says, citing the National Interagency Fire Center.
- Regardless of how a fire starts, "fire weather" can give it the push it needs to spread and grow.
The big picture: Extreme wildfire events more than doubled in frequency and magnitude globally over the past two decades, a recent study found.
What's next: States like California and Idaho are preparing for what could be a challenging fire season as higher temperatures and faster winds risk turning even the smallest sparks into massive conflagrations.