Wildfires are becoming harder to contain as hotter, drier conditions make fire seasons longer and more destructive. And the impact doesn’t stop at the fire line anymore. Smoke can travel thousands of miles, exposing people far from the flames to serious health risks. We look at what’s driving this scary increase and why controlled burns may be part of the solution.
Guest Information:
- Victoria Donovan, assistant professor, forest management, University of Florida; Hanna Payne, climate resilience manager, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
U.S. Forest Service researchers found that carbon emissions from wildfires increased by sixty percent globally between 2001 and 2023. Those emissions add more heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere, contributing to rising global temperatures, which, in turn, can create the hotter, drier conditions that fuel more extreme fires.
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