Changes Of Climate And Fire Regimes

In 2003, possibly one of the worst wildfires in California’s history occurred. This fire, referred to as the Cedar Fire, spread across 273,246 acres.

The results of the simulation availed to compare the effect of burning fossil fuels on the amount of atmospheric carbon versus deforestation. Carbon is engendered more by fossil fuels that deforestation. This is because deforestation is a natural occurring process whereas burning fossil fuels is a negative type of carbon cycling. Fossil fuels are negative due to the air pollution and it has a circumscribed

no surprise that wildfires are a huge issue in the western states. Especially on Indian Reservations. Two articles that focus on this issue are called Secretary Zinke Directs Interior Bureaus to Take aggressive Action to Prevent Wildfires, US Department of Interior & Western US Faces Wildfires Explosion by Kieran Cooke, Climate News Network. Both of these articles argue that wildfires shouldn’t become normalized and that something should be done to prevent and/or be better prepared for when wildfires occur. In essence these articles focus primarily on the amount of land burning and the effect it has on vegetation.

Climatic changes are expected to change species distributions, phenologies, interspecific interactions, community composition, and ecosystem function (Schneider & Root 2002). Many of these impacts have already been observed (Parmesan 2006). In California’s San Joaquin Valley, temperatures are projected to be warmer in both winter and summer, with a mean annual increase of 1.4–2.0°C by 2070 (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Additionally, precipitation is projected to decrease (-9% to -30%), although there is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of the precipitation changes (PRBO Conservation Science 2011). Summer heat waves are projected to become longer and hotter, and droughts more severe (Garfin et al. 2012).

The Rim Fire of 2013 ravaged the slopes of the Stanislaus National Forest leaving many areas severely burned and unable to recover. Restoration efforts have been made and 56,000 saplings were planted in 2016 in the most severely burned areas; but the forest still has a long way to recovery. Fires are a naturally occurring hazard in the Stanislaus National Forest, and have contributed to the replenishment, control, and sustainability of the forest; but fires of the Rim Fire's intensity are very rare. The Rim Fire destroyed over 277,314 acres of habitat, harmed many mature trees, and ruined the layers of topsoil, and increased erosion and runoff. The devastation of the Rim Fire would not be have been so intense if it weren’t for past fire

The rising number of high severity wildfires in California has significant ecological, economic, and health impacts. Many western American forests are adapted to frequent low severity fires. However, the majority of these forests, and particularly the mixed conifer forests of California, are not adapted to high intensity fires and do not possess fire resistance adaptations such as serotinous cones to protect seeds. Consequently, high severity fires have significant negative impacts on California forests, and the absence of low severity fires has considerably altered many fundamental ecosystem processes (Miller et al. 2008). Prior to 1900, low severity fires would burn every 6-15 years. Low severity fires are generally non-lethal, have minimal change to the overstory, and kill mainly small trees. In the past, these fires were started naturally by lightning, or by Native Americans who used low severity fires to manage the forests.

Climate change is one of the most controversial topics of the century. Many scientists believe that the main cause of global climate change is human impact. Specifically, the expansion of the “greenhouse effect”. The burning of fossil fuels has increased the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, causing the Earth’s temperature to gradually increase. This will eventually cause areas, like the Chippewa Forest, to lose all of its astonishing wildlife and plant life. The Chippewa Forest is a serene national forest located in northern Minnesota. It has eight different wetlands with distinct animal and plant species and it contains two of the largest lakes in Minnesota. Using direct data will provide an accurate indication about what will happen in

California is one of the states affected by this problem. Every-time I watch the news, I see that Californians are coming with new technology to deal with this issue. We were experiencing lack of rain in Colorado Springs during the fires more than 2 years ago. Not only we lacked of rain fall, but the carbon release from the fires was way above of what the trees can absorb. The more fires we have in an area, the more carbon capture and release unbalance we have in the area adjacent. The quantitative data shown in your thread is a great method to find out more about this research. Great post!

As local climatic conditions play a significant role in bushfire behaviour, it is important to understand fire weather and its influence on bushfire risk levels to a site on a daily, weekly or seasonal basis.

Wildfire in British Columbia: The History of a Fire Regime and Where We Are Today

The biomass and density of trees surrounding each plot were also recorded. A static chamber method was used to measure the fluxes of the three GHG. The method was carried out using a closed cylindrical chamber equipped with a small fan, and gas concentrations were measured with an infrared, non-dispersive scope. There were other more detailed, accurate methods used as well to be more accurate with exact numbers for the concentrations of each gas. The concentrations of each gas were compared between each location and results are as follows: As the thickness of the active layer increased, all three greenhouse gas emissions increased. Carbon dioxide fluxes increased with time since the last fire, with the 1969 fire area having the highest CO2 emissions, and the 2012 fire area having the lowest CO2 emissions. Methane fluxes had a significant increase in the 1990 fire area, and a lower influx in all other fire areas. Nitrous oxide had a high influx in every fire area except for the 1990 area, where the fluxes were significantly lower. Addressed in the discussion, the authors write about how their results indicate that areas affected by fire will take approximately 50 years to fully recover to their pre-fire conditions. As well, areas with a recent fire had much lower soil moisture than areas with a long time since last

For instance in United States the relationship between wildfire and climate across the southwest United States involves an interaction between wet and dry cycles that evolves over many seasons and years. The fire–climate relationships identified in areas of Arizona and New Mexico dominated by xerophytic forests show that antecedent climate conditions months to years prior to fire seasons can be as important as the actual fire season conditions. Peak fire season (April, May and June) conditions are climatologically hot and dry across Arizona and New Mexico. Above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation would do little to change already harsh conditions during the spring. Precipitation anomalies in seasons to years prior appear to

Over millions of years, Australian forests have seen many bushfires, and accordingly, many have developed a range of survival mechanisms. Before human settlement in Australia, fires started by lightning storms burned large areas of forest. Consequently, trees that had the ability to survive and regenerate after a fire began to dominate the landscape. These were mainly the eucalypts.

Humans have been changing the Western forests' fire system since the settlement by the Europeans and now we are experiencing the consequences of those changes. During the summer of 2002, 6.9 million acres of forests was burnt up in the West (Wildland Fires, 1). This figure is two times the ten year annual average, and it does not look like next summer will be any better (Wildfire Season, 1).

Forests have covered the earth for millions of years, providing habitat and food for animals and humans. These forests have stabilized different ecosystems and have continued the natural cycle that keeps plants and animals in check. The discovery of fire changed all of this. It was the beginning of deforestation, a process that has continued and increased over the last 200,000 years. Humans are the responsible party for the deforestation that has occurred. Humans discovered that animals could be driven with fire. This led to accelerated forest loss due to uncontrolled burning for hunting use (Miller & Tangley 1991: 28). Agriculture was the next problem