In recent years, the wildfires occurred more often and were more violent than ever. A new study belonging to experts from the University of Wyoming indicated that these changes are a consequence of the global warming. Even the smallest change in temperature – 0.5°C- can increase the wildfires’ activity.
Global warming is responsible for blazing wildfires that seem to destroy everything that comes upon on their way.
In recent years, the wildfires occurred more often and were more violent than ever. A new study belonging to experts from the University of Wyoming indicated that these changes are a consequence of the global warming. Even the smallest change in temperature – 0.5°C- can increase the wildfires’ activity.
According to this study, the global warming seems to be the beginning of an era marked by wildfires, thing which wasn’t seen over the last 1,000 years.
This year, more than 50,000 wildfires burned almost 9 million acres in Alaska and West America. As a consequence, the connection between wildfires and the climate change becomes more and more visible. In Alaska, for example, the temperatures have risen with 3°F in the last half of a century.
More evidence of the consequences small increases in temperature have on wildfires can be found in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published on Monday.
The researchers analyzed samples taken from subalpine forests situated in Colorado. The samples revealed that almost 1,000 years ago, a period of increased temperatures led to more frequent wildfires. The period was entitled the Medieval Climate Anomaly and was characterized by 0.5°C warmer temperatures in Northern Colorado.
The study is the first to reveal the surface that has burned in 2,000 years and indicates that the actual wildfires resemble those which happened when the temperature increased, declared John Calder from the University of Wyoming.
“Recent increase in large wildfires is related to climate change because the only time we see these types of large wildfires in the last 2,000 years is when we had a similar amount of warming,” he added.
Image Source: Wikimedia
