Threat from wildfires is now nearly year-round
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029736
New York Times : Wildfires used to occur primarily during a single season of the year, but the drier winters and warmer springs of a changing climate have created conditions that are making wildfires a year-round hazard. The expansion of residential populations and inconsistent policies regarding fire prevention and combat have exacerbated the problem. Last year, a record 10.1 million acres burned in the US; the top five years for acres burned have all occurred in the past decade. The cost of fighting wildfires is growing too: Annual costs have reached $2 billion in the US. In February, Hawaii exhausted its federal funds for fighting fires four months before peak fire season began. Alaska’s first fires began in February, a month when the state is usually covered in snow.
