Wildfires are becoming night owls — and that’s a big problem
Wildfires are no longer quieting down overnight, and new research suggests the dynamic is fueling some of the most extreme and damaging blazes.
Wildfires are no longer quieting down overnight, and new research suggests the dynamic is fueling some of the most extreme and damaging blazes.
The research, which was published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, says drought is the main factor fueling overnight burns.
Previous research shows that wildfires burning overnight are growing in frequency and intensity, a trend researchers expect will escalate as the world warms due to climate change.
For firefighters, “historically, it’s always been nice to catch your breath at night and know the fire is not going to do anything,” said Mike Flannigan, an author of the study who is a professor of wildland fire at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada.
Today, that’s no longer the case
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