Wind increases evaporation, drying out the land. Wind supplies oxygen to a fire, causing it to burn more rapidly. Climate change is causing warmer nighttime temperatures, which decreases the overnight relative humidity that once helped firefighters gain control over wildfires. Fire weather conditions also restrict firefighters’ ability to put out wildfires. Hotter temperatures have a direct influence on fire behavior, heating the fuels and making them more likely to ignite. This analysis shows decreasing relative humidity has been a major factor in boosting annual fire weather days for many locations across the U.S. When relative humidity levels are very low, the air pulls moisture from the land, leaving vegetation dry and prone to burning. Climate Central’s analysis focuses on three conditions fundamental to fire weather: relative humidity, temperature, and wind. Click the downloadable graphic: Average Annual Fire Weather Days Fire weather primes the landscape for wildfires to start and spread.įire weather refers to meteorological conditions that promote the spread of wildfires. Warming temperatures and increasingly dry air, vegetation, and soils make it easier for fires to spread, and more difficult to fight or prevent. Many parts of the East have seen smaller but impactful increases in fire weather.Įven small increases in fire weather in the East, which has nearly 28 million homes located in zones prone to burn, puts more people at risk.Ĭlimate Central’s new report, Wildfire Weather: Analyzing the 50-year shift across America, expands on wildfire risks and adaptation across the country.ĭownload local data Read the full report Click the downloadable graphic: Fire Weather Days by Climate DivisionĬlimate change is affecting weather conditions in ways that increase wildfire risks. Wildfire seasons are lengthening and intensifying, particularly in the West. This analysis uses data from 476 weather stations to assess trends in 245 climate divisions spanning all 48 contiguous U.S. Burning Hot: 50 Years of Fire Weather Across the United States KEY CONCEPTSĬlimate Central examined historical trends in fire weather-a combination of low humidity, high heat, and strong winds-across the U.S.
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