A new scientific analysis concludes that human-caused climate change significantly increased the likelihood of the extreme weather conditions that fueled this summer’s devastating Canadian wildfires, even as President Donald Trump has blamed forest management practices for the fires and the smoke that has drifted into the United States.
The study, released Thursday by the international research group World Weather Attribution, found that climate change doubled the chances of the hot, dry and windy conditions that contributed to major wildfires in Canada’s Northwest Territories and northwestern Ontario.
Researchers examined weather patterns associated with wildfire risk, including heat, low rainfall, humidity and wind. Comparing today’s climate with conditions before the Industrial Revolution, the study found that the type of weather linked to this year’s fires is now expected about once every six years because of global warming, rather than being a much rarer event.
The report has not yet undergone peer review, but independent climate and wildfire experts said its findings are consistent with decades of research showing that warmer, drier conditions are making wildfires larger, more frequent and more intense.
Scientists involved in the study said climate change, rather than forest management alone, is the primary factor behind the severity of this year’s fires. They noted that while about half of Canada’s wildfires are started by people, lightning-caused fires account for more than 90% of the total land burned because they often ignite in remote forests where crews cannot respond quickly.
Trump has criticized Canada for what he describes as poor forest management and has suggested the country could face consequences for wildfire smoke that has repeatedly affected U.S. cities this summer.
Climate researchers counter that the United States has historically produced more greenhouse gas emissions than any other country through the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, contributing significantly to global warming. They also noted that Canada’s northern forests present unique firefighting challenges because of their vast size, remote locations and highly flammable vegetation.
This year’s wildfire smoke has periodically spread across much of the United States, reducing air quality in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, including Pennsylvania, and prompting health advisories throughout the summer.
Source: Seattle Times