Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that the area burned by wildfires in California’s northern and central forests increased fivefold from 1971 to 2021, primarily due to human-caused climate change.
The study highlights that the ten largest wildfires in the state occurred in the past two decades, with five happening in 2020 and eight after 2017.
Scientists project that the area burned in an average summer could surge by up to 50% by midcentury due to escalating heat and dryness.
This analysis comes shortly after wildfire smoke from Canada reached the U.S. East Coast, causing hazardous air quality in major cities like Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The study highlights the urgent need for climate action to curb increasing wildfire risks in California.The researchers used statistical models to compare temperature and wildfire data from 1971 to 2021 and assessed scenarios without human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. They found that the burned area increased by 172% more than it would have without climate change.
Amir AghaKouchak, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, and co-author of the study, emphasized that climate change is the primary driver of increased wildfire damage.
Factors such as reduced precipitation, hotter summers, lower spring snowpack, and more frequent extreme weather events link climate change to wildfire risk.
Studies also indicate that climate change creates drier air and higher vapor pressure deficits, while poor forest management—leaving dead wood and undergrowth—further fuels fires.
AghaKouchak stressed the need for immediate action to mitigate climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and adopting sustainable practices in transportation, energy, and agriculture. Addressing these issues is crucial for reducing wildfire risks and their impacts.