There are plenty of misconceptions about the connection between wildfires and our changing climate. Fortunately, Dr. Mike Flannigan, an expert from Thompson Rivers University, connected with The Weather Network to confirm the facts about the situation.
What is the connection between wildfires and climate?
Flannigan, who specializes in predictive services, emergency management, and fire science, discussed several common beliefs about wildfires and set the record straight with research-based facts in a conversation with the outlet.
First, he confirmed that wildfires are natural and essential for forests to thrive. However, as he points out, people who work with fires have seen patterns change during their careers, and there are many more fires now than in the past.
Next, Flannigan explained how humans are changing our climate in a way that doesn't follow natural cycles. Ultimately, as temperatures become warmer, the fire season lasts longer, and more lightning occurs. Without more rain to offset the drying effect of that warming, fires have more fuel to burn.
Lastly, he explained that people do cause about half of wildfires in Canada, with fires resulting from factors such as power lines, railways, campfires, burning garbage, and arson. However, lightning plays a role, too.
Human-caused fires have been decreasing, according to Flannigan, but lightning-caused fires are increasing and account for "about 90% of the area burned," he says in the video. This point is also noted in a paper in the journal Nature that Flannigan co-authored.
Why are the worsening wildfires important?
As The Weather Network explains, "The Canadian wildfire season starts earlier, lasts longer, and even continues over the winter season." And the extended season is not just a phenomenon exclusive to Canada. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fire seasons in the United States used to be around four months but now stretch up to eight months.
Thinking about wildfires can feel terrifying and out of our control. However, as Flannigan pointed out, people's actions significantly affect how wildfires are worsening in our communities.
While human activities have led to the growing problem, we also have the knowledge and power to control and prevent them. We can do this by understanding how wildfires start, testing innovations to detect them before they spread, and using best practices for controlled burns.
"Humans are changing our climate, and this is having direct and dramatic impacts on the things I study: fire," Flannigan says.
How accurate facts help with wildfire prevention
Listening to experts who study and work with fires daily is an excellent way to educate yourself about the causes, risks, and solutions to wildfires. Many misconceptions exist about wildfires in our world today, making it more critical than ever before to research them and find effective solutions to prevent them.
Rather than politicizing and arguing over wildfires, we can come together and work to fight them. Public education about wildfires is a powerful tool to help us achieve a cooler, safer future in which wildfire risks decrease and have less of an impact on our health and daily lives.
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