After record temperatures, western parts of the US and Canada are bracing themselves for the annual wildfire season.
There are warnings that this season might be another highly destructive one, so we’ve checked out why which may be.
Potential for wildfires ‘sky-high’
Experts told us the potential for a record-breaking wildfire season is critical .
Dr Mike Flannigan, professor of wildland fires at the University of Alberta, said that fires need three ingredients:
- vegetation or fuel
- ignition (caused by humans or lightning)
- hot, dry and windy weather
Dr Flannigan added: “It really depends on the day-to-day weather, but the potential is sky-high for parts of Canada and therefore the American west as they’re during a multi-year drought. “
The US drought monitor – a partnership between the Department of Agriculture and other expert organisations – says half the state is under some sort of drought, with the foremost severe in western states.
The village of Lytton in British Columbia (BC) province made headlines after it reported Canada’s record temperature of 49.6C.
This depart a series of wildfires, which puts the quantity of land burnt within the region way before the typical for this point of year.
Western US states also are experiencing soaring temperatures and wildfires.
Another concern is that the lack of compressed and hardened snow in mountainous areas this year due to higher temperatures. This usually acts as a barrier to burning, and alleviates drought conditions.
Dr Susan Prichard, from the varsity of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington, says: “That means vegetation from low to high elevations is more predisposed to burning.”
The fire season normally starts within the south-west of the US, in states like Arizona where there are several active large fires currently burning, consistent with a national fire database.
Later within the summer, fires spark further north in California then in Oregon and Washington.
However, there are signs that the US fire season has started early, says Dr Prichard.
