Wildfires

The growing threat of wildfires can be attributed to the rise in temperatures and fluctuations in soil moisture levels due to climate change. These factors, along with the abundance of flammable materials such as trees and bushes, contribute to the increased risk of wildfires. Climate change exacerbates this risk by causing forests to dry out and creating more fuel for potential fires.

Wildfires are getting bigger and more fierce and with longer seasons in the Western United States. California has suffered a lot in recent years, especially in the summer of 2021 when the Sierra Nevada experienced multiple large fires. One was the Dixie Fire, which consumed about a million acres and was the largest single fire in the state’s history.

Wildfire science is crucial for understanding the behavior and progression of fires, developing accurate fire prediction models, and protecting communities and ecosystems from the destructive impacts of wildfires. Fire progression models help predict the spread and intensity of fires based on factors such as weather conditions, fuel types, and topography. Understanding geological and hydrological processes, such as soil moisture levels and water availability, also plays a crucial role in fire management and predicting the potential for large, destructive wildfires. 

The CLEWS group is dedicated to enhancing their understanding of wildfires through investment in science and utilization of cutting-edge technologies. This will lead to better preparedness and reduction of the impacts of these devastating natural disasters.

Team Fire is focusing on finding solutions to prevent, reduce, control, and monitor wildfires. They have developed process-based modeling of wildfire behavior using high-performance computing, leading to engineering solutions regarding resilient infrastructure and natural resources. iFireNet is an international network that will lead to the co-production of interdisciplinary scientific knowledge, standardized protocols for data gathering, and experimental designs and facilitate the sharing and leveraging of resources and expertise through a diverse portfolio of ideas.

Mike Goulden