Abrupt, climate-induced increase in wildfires in British Columbia since the mid-2000s

In the province of British Columbia, Canada, four of the most severe wildfire seasons of the last century occurred in the past 7 years: 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023. To investigate trends in wildfire activity and fire-conducive climate, we conducted an analysis of mapped wildfire perimeters and annual...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Communications earth & environment Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 309 - 11
Main Authors: Parisien, Marc-André, Barber, Quinn E., Bourbonnais, Mathieu L., Daniels, Lori D., Flannigan, Mike D., Gray, Robert W., Hoffman, Kira M., Jain, Piyush, Stephens, Scott L., Taylor, Steve W., Whitman, Ellen
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group 01.12.2023
Nature Portfolio
Subjects:
Climate
Climate effects
Climatic data
Insects
Land use
Moisture effects
Outbreaks
Pest outbreaks
Wildfires
British Columbia Canada
Canada
ISSN:2662-4435, 2662-4435
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In the province of British Columbia, Canada, four of the most severe wildfire seasons of the last century occurred in the past 7 years: 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023. To investigate trends in wildfire activity and fire-conducive climate, we conducted an analysis of mapped wildfire perimeters and annual climate data for the period of 1919–2021. Results show that after a century-long decline, fire activity increased from 2005 onwards, coinciding with a sharp reversal in the wetting trend of the 20th century. Even as precipitation levels remain high, moisture deficits have increased due to rapid warming and increased evaporative demand. Bottom-up factors further influence fire activity, as the legacy of past wildfires, insect outbreaks, and land-use practices continually influence fire regimes. The compound effects of climate-induced moisture changes and altered fuels now force British Columbians to confront the harsh reality of more frequent years of intense and prolonged wildfire activity.
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ISSN:2662-4435
2662-4435
DOI:10.1038/s43247-023-00977-1