megafires
Newsletter
Credit: Patrick Mayor/Unsplash
Fire threatens natural regeneration of giant sequoias
Severe megafires in 2020 and 2021 have significantly harmed sequoia groves in California, hindering their ability to regenerate naturally, two new studies reveal.
In short:
- Studies found drastically low seedling densities in groves burned by recent megafires, threatening natural regeneration.
- Researchers observed that high-severity fires kill seeds and mature trees, making long-term recovery unlikely without intervention.
- Sequoias store substantial carbon, helping combat climate change, but they struggle to adapt to new climate conditions.
Key quote:
“Our data suggest that sequoia grove areas that were severely impacted by the fires may not have enough reproduction to replace the sequoias lost.”
— David Soderberg, lead author and Ph.D. ecologist at USGS Western Research Center
Why this matters:
Giant sequoias, essential for carbon storage and climate mitigation, are at risk due to increasingly severe wildfires. Without intervention, these iconic trees may not recover, impacting biodiversity and climate resilience.
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Newsletter
Credit: toa55/Big Stock Photo
Amazon's growing fire crisis: a deep dive into the rainforest's struggle
The Amazon is experiencing increasingly frequent and intense megafires, exacerbated by climate change and human activities, leading to significant ecological damage and carbon emissions.
In short:
- The Amazon is experiencing unprecedented megafires, with flames reaching more than 10 meters high, signaling a dire environmental crisis.
- These fires, often caused by human activities like crop burning and deforestation, are releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide, exacerbating climate change.
- The 2023 fires, some of the worst in decades, highlight the vulnerability of the Amazon, with scientists warning of a grim future where such fires become the norm.
Key quote:
"When I see the rainforest burning, I know what I’m really seeing is Amazonia dying."
— Erika Berenguer, Brazilian researcher at the University of Oxford
Why this matters:
The Amazon's megafires not only release vast amounts of carbon, worsening global climate change, but also destroy vital ecosystems. This ongoing crisis emphasizes the urgent need for global attention and action to protect one of the planet's most crucial natural resources.
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Photo by Mike Newbry on Unsplash
How megafires are remaking the world
In our Pyrocene age, enormous wildfires aren’t merely damaging ecosystems but transforming them.
Newsletter
Photo by Mike Newbry on Unsplash
How megafires are remaking the world
In our Pyrocene age, enormous wildfires aren’t merely damaging ecosystems but transforming them.
Photo by Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash
David Wallace-Wells: A grim climate lesson from the Canadian wildfires
For all our plans to control emissions, humans are no longer fully in charge.
Top Story
How smoke from Australia’s megafires ate away at the ozone
Wildfire smoke can change the chemistry of the stratosphere, resulting in chlorine molecules that deplete the ozone layer
Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash
Six wildland firefighters reflect on the brutal job of battling blazes
Firefighters have stories that are often overshadowed by the fires they work on, but their struggles have undoubtedly garnered more attention recently as fire seasons grow, and as more firefighters leave the profession and advocate for those who continue to stick it out.
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