Video: "Washington: Warming and Wildfires"

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.climatecentral.org/video/washington/

Washington: Warming and Wildfires

Program Summary

In recent years, the state of Washington, like other Western states, has seen a significant increase in wildfires. So far, almost twice as much land has burned this decade than during the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s combined. Almost all of this activity has been on the drier east side of the Cascade Mountains.

Why is it happening? For a number of reasons, but at least one, say scientists, is climate change. Since the 1950’s, temperatures in the state have been rising; spring temperatures, in particular, have gone up nearly three degrees on average. Natural variability still makes some years warmer, some cooler, but the overall trend has been upward. And in years with unusually warm temperatures, more acreage tends to go up in smoke.

This warming trend leads to more fire damage in several ways. First, warmer springtime and summer temperatures make leftover winter snows melt sooner. That makes forests dry out earlier in the summer than they once did, and lengthens the overall potential fire season. Beyond that, warmer summers put more stress on vegetation, leading to an increase in mortality. Dead vegetation can be easier to ignite than living plants.

Warmer temperatures also lead to another source of disturbance in the forests of Washington and much of the West. Spruce beetles and mountain pine beetles are voracious pests that thrive in warmer weather, and which find it easiest to attack trees that are already under stress. By eating their way into the vital tissues of spruces and pines, the beetles kill trees by the thousands, creating dead, dry fuel that can easily be ignited by lightning strikes or careless humans.

…

[villager]

1. Welcome to Los Angeles... everyone

n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

2. We've had a pretty severe fire season up here, too,

although nothing compared to 2004-2005 when 11 million acres burned. As of the end of July over a million acres had burned this year, but it's no doubt considerably more by now.