Fire weather intensifying in California amid climate change
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Hot, dry and windy weather that fuels wildfires is becoming more common across California and much of the western U.S. amid climate change, a new analysis finds.
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 blazes.
Driving the news: The number of "fire weather" days rose by 37 in the Southwest and 21 in the West on average between 1973 and 2024, per an analysis from Climate Central, a climate research group.
Zoom in: California is preparing for what could be a challenging fire season as higher temperatures and faster winds risk turning even the smallest sparks into massive conflagrations.
- Some areas of the state, such as in the southeastern desert zones, are now experiencing as much as two more months of annual fire weather compared to 1973.
- Wildfires have been growing worse with each passing year this century, according to a separate UC Irvine study.
Between the lines: The disastrous consequences of an elongating fire season are evident in the aftermath of the LA fires, which became one of the state's most destructive and expensive fire disasters on record.
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.
Stunning stat: Human activities, such as unattended campfires, sparks from power lines, etc., start 87% of wildfires, the group notes, citing the National Interagency Fire Center.
- Regardless of how a fire starts, "fire weather" can give them the push they need to spread and grow.
The big picture: Extreme wildfire events have more than doubled in frequency and magnitude globally over the past two decades.