Wildfires that Ravaged Western United States
in 2003 and 2004 Could be Harbingers of the Future
The wildfires that ravaged
states in the Western United States in 2003 and 2004 could be
harbingers of the future with climate change. Scientists at the
US Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
have concluded that, even under the best case assumptions, climate
change is likely to increase risk of wildfires in California,
increasing rate of ignition, the rate of spread and the length
of the fire season.
California now spends about $300 million a year on fire suppression;
researchers estimate this may rise 50% or more under doubled carbon
dioxide conditions.
