A Drier Future Sets the Stage for More Wildfires (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

A Drier Future Sets the Stage for More Wildfires

Caption

Droughts can create ideal conditions for wildfires. Dry trees and vegetation provide fuel. Low soil and air moisture make it easier for fires to spread quickly. In these conditions, a spark from lightning, electrical failures, human error or planned fires can quickly get out of control. As Earth's climate warms and precipitation patterns change, increasingly severe droughts will leave some areas of the world vulnerable to increasingly severe fires.

Credit

Earth Observatory

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