Dry Conditions Worsen California Wildfires (IMAGE)

University of California - Irvine

Dry Conditions Worsen California Wildfires

Caption

The concurrence of droughts and heat waves can exacerbate conditions and lead to another hazard, wildfires. In the western US, the number of blazes larger than 4 square kilometers has risen by about seven fires per year in the past three decades. In the same period, the total scope of burned areas has grown by more than 350 square kilometers per year. This upward trend will most likely continue, due to global warming and population growth.

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Amir AghaKouchak / UCI

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