Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Impact of climate change on California’s wildfires

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Jan 2022 16:52
3 Min Read

Wildfires have recently become a more serious environmental concern in California, as the summers become hotter and the fires burn longer, causing long-term effects on the environment and ecosystem.

  • x
  • Impact of Climate Change on California’s Wildfires
    Impact of cimate change on California’s wildfires

According to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances by UCI's Department of Earth System Science, fires in the Sierra Nevada ecoregion, a geographical and ecological area in eastern California, have "increased considerably" in recent decades.

The study, led by project specialist Aurora Gutierrez and co-author Dr. James Randerson, discovered that the reason for the increase in fires is a change in vegetation composition and residential development caused by 20th-century fire suppression policies. As a result of these changes, "a new fire regime of infrequent, high-intensity fires" arose in the mid-to-late 1900s.

With population growth and housing development changing land-use patterns, there has been an increase in "denser, more flammable vegetation with a more connected landscape for fire spread."

According to Gutierrez and Randerson, higher temperatures caused by climate change, specifically hotter, drier summers, lengthen the fire season. This, in turn, raises the risk of a fire by drying fuels, increasing their flammability and spreading patterns.

Current climate change patterns further alter the structure and function of the Sierra Nevada ecosystem, and the ecoregion's evolution in response to global warming is unknown.

Related News

UN warns of climate-driven health crisis for aging populations

Heatwave kills 2,300 in Europe, two-thirds linked to climate change

Gutierrez and Randerson correctly predicted an increase in fire frequency by examining its relationship with temperature: "the likelihood of fire occurrence increases nonlinearly with daily temperature... a 1°C increase [yielding] a 19% to 22% increase in [wildfire] risk."

The study also stated that "current estimates of past and future fire occurrence relationships may underestimate climate-driven changes in the ignition and initial fire spread." This suggests that focusing on efforts to reduce extreme temperatures may be beneficial in fire prevention even when red flag conditions are not present.

According to the study, the effect of daily temperature on fire occurrence is closely related to the likelihood of the fire escaping human control. Activities that pose a minor fire risk under normal conditions can significantly exacerbate fire spread during hotter periods when vegetation is dry.

Despite temperature conditions returning to normal, Gutierrez and Randerson discovered that fires that started during these heat waves, even if they only lasted a few days, can grow into larger wildland wildfires that are difficult to contain. A higher initial rate of fighter spread was found to increase the resilience of these disasters to subsequent periods of cooler, more humid conditions. 

Aside from the environmental impact, the study found that these heatwaves have a variety of human consequences, stating that "increases in summer heatwaves... will contribute to more hospital visits and higher mortality."

Although the current temperature rise is gradual, the resulting fires and their increased frequency reduce the quality of both air and life in the western United States.

  • Climate change
  • California
  • California Fires
STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS