wildfire effects
Newsletter
Credit: Francisco Fajardo/Unsplash
Glacier melt accelerates as wildfires deposit soot and ash in Alberta
Wildfire soot and ash are accelerating the melting of Alberta's Athabasca Glacier by darkening its surface, leading it to absorb more heat, according to scientists.
In short:
- Wildfires near Jasper National Park have released soot and ash onto the Athabasca Glacier, darkening it and causing it to absorb more solar radiation, which speeds up its melting.
- The glacier, which lost a record nine meters last year, is melting faster than normal, threatening the water supply for the Athabasca River and impacting hydroelectric power generation.
- Research shows that soot, ash and algae blooms are major factors in glacier darkening, exacerbating the effects of climate change and increasing glacier melt rates.
Key quote:
"It puts these glaciers in a very perilous position yet again."
— John Pomeroy, hydrologist at the University of Saskatchewan
Why this matters:
The accelerated melting of glaciers not only threatens the regional water supply but also disrupts ecosystems and power generation dependent on glacier-fed rivers. As wildfires increase due to climate change, these issues are expected to worsen, highlighting the urgent need for climate action and adaptation strategies.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Credit: moreau tokyo/Unsplash
Wildfire impact on ancient rainforests examined
Amid increasing wildfires, researchers investigate how old-growth rainforests on the West Coast could adapt to the changing climate.
In short:
- Brian Harvey and his team study the regeneration of old-growth rainforests after wildfires, noting the importance of these forests for carbon storage.
- Despite typically wet conditions that deter fires, recent climate trends and dry spells have led to more frequent and severe wildfires in these regions.
- The resilience of these forests is under scrutiny, with efforts to understand how they can be protected in the face of escalating fire risks.
Key quote:
“The dynamics of these forests really unfold over multiple human lifetimes."
— Brian Harvey, University of Washington forest fire ecologist
Why this matters:
As wildfires continue to flare up with increasing frequency and intensity on the West Coast, a question arises: How will the region’s ancient rainforests withstand the onslaught of climate change? These verdant expanses, some of which have stood for millennia, are iconic landscapes and also act as vital ecological strongholds that harbor a rich biodiversity and play a crucial role in carbon sequestration.
Keep reading...Show less
Fires consuming nearly twice as much forest as they did 20 years ago
Wildfires are destroying nearly twice as much tree cover globally as they did in 2001, burning through an additional 7.4 million acres of forest annually, an area roughly the size of Belgium, a new analysis shows.
Photo by Landon Parenteau on Unsplash
Wildfires caused by global warming 'are accelerating global warming'
Wildfires blazed around the world last summer, burning land from California to Siberia - and the carbon released is accelerating global warming.
Photo by Patricia Zavala on Unsplash
How hospitals respond to wildfires
A new study tracks intensive care unit admissions after periods of wildfire smoke pollution. A prolonged or severe smoke event has the potential to strain hospital resources.
civileats.com
What impacts do the West Coast wildfires, smoke have on crops?
In the wake of weeks of poor air quality, grape and cannabis growers are trying to assess the impacts - to product quality as well as to human health - of ash and smoke on their crops.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
