New Study Finds Increase in California Forest Fires Over the Past Half-century is Attributable to Human-caused Climate Change

Drying landscapes = More landscapes burn
Past fire suppression activities
or lack of “cultural burning” are not a factor

Four new observations should change the current narrative about wildfires.

1. A newly released study by an international group of scientists shows that human-caused climate change is responsible for the increase in California summer forest fires. Will the new research put a halt to claims that too many trees and shrubs are the responsible parties?
2. There is a direct relationship between the recent massive fires in Canada and the historic presence of a drying “heat dome” over the normally cool, wet region. Will this fact convince the public that weather and climate, not what’s burning, are the primary drivers of large wildfires?
3. The mostly untouched, wild landscape of Siberia has experienced huge wildfires over the past few years, burning both peat lands and forests, due to historically high temperatures and dry conditions. Will this raise questions over the belief that large fires wouldn’t occur if we had been following Indigenous burning practices?
4. The world’s oceans are suddenly experiencing a spike in temperature that has never been recorded before (see graph below). Increasing ocean temperatures are directly linked to increasing area burned during wildfires. Will this observation give pause to those who promote logging and habitat clearance as effective measures to prevent wildfires?

Will these new facts change the wildfire narrative? In the short run, we are doubtful.

Why?

The current wildfire narrative about clogged forests and the suppression of Indigenous burning is too lucrative. It has been successful in funneling billions of dollars in California to groups who have convinced the public that Nature requires human intervention to function properly, i.e., to be “healthy.” This is the same talking point used by the resource extraction industry – without us, Nature is considered a waste.

The claimed treatment to cure Nature is to create artificial environments through logging, clearing, and prescribed fire, mostly funded by regional and federal government agencies. In short, to turn Nature into our garden.

The Nature-as-a-garden mindset is beginning to be utilized to criticize National Parks and Wilderness areas as well.

It is an old tale, promoting self-interest through psychological manipulation. Create an enemy, justify the cause, encourage self-righteous indignation, then attack. It is a tale that has been immune to the lessons of history, regardless of the group employing it, as we all belong to the same troubled species. Hubris infects us all.

Is there hope?

Yes. Default to celebration. Over long run, our species has continued to figure it out, but it requires those of us who care, to speak out. In this case, to speak out for the wild plants and animals that have a right to be left alone.