Firefighters in North Scottsdale are on high alert as wildfires in Arizona have surged significantly compared to last year. The Wildcat Fire, which ignited in the Tonto National Forest east of Scottsdale, has already consumed approximately 5,000 acres. The blaze, which started on Saturday, has led to the closure of several roads, including Bartlett Dam Road, and there is currently no word on containment progress.
Scottsdale Fire Department shared footage of the inferno on social media, highlighting the severity of the situation. The rapid spread of the fire has raised concerns among local residents and authorities, who are urging people to stay vigilant and prepared for potential evacuations.
The increase in wildfire activity this year is alarming, especially when compared to previous years. Climate change has been a significant factor in escalating the risk and extent of wildfires in the Western United States. Factors such as temperature, soil moisture, and the presence of trees and shrubs, which serve as fuel, are all influenced by climate variability and change. These conditions have led to the drying of organic matter in forests, making them more susceptible to fires.
Research indicates that changes in climate create warmer and drier conditions, which in turn increase drought and extend the fire season. Projections for the U.S. West suggest that even a modest temperature increase of 1 degree Celsius could result in a 600 percent increase in the median burned area per year in certain forest types. In the Southeastern United States, modeling predicts a 30 percent increase in the area burned by lightning-ignited wildfires by 2060.
Human activities are also a major contributor to wildfire outbreaks, with over 80 percent of U.S. wildfires being caused by people. Warmer temperatures and drier conditions not only help fires spread but also make them more challenging to extinguish. Additionally, these conditions facilitate the spread of pests like the mountain pine beetle, which can weaken or kill trees, further increasing the fuel available for fires.
Land use and forest management practices also play a crucial role in wildfire risk. As climate change continues to exacerbate these factors, the area affected by wildfires in the United States is expected to grow.
Since 2000, the United States has experienced 15 forest fires that each caused at least $1 billion in damages. The 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons were particularly devastating, with deadly fires in California and other Western states. The total costs of wildfires in those two years exceeded $40 billion. In 2019, wildfires caused an estimated $4.5 billion in damages in California and Alaska. The 2020 wildfire season saw five of the six largest fires on record in California, with Oregon also experiencing unprecedented levels of wildfire spread and damage.
The financial impact of wildfires is substantial, affecting both federal and state budgets. The U.S. Forest Service’s fire suppression expenditures have skyrocketed, accounting for more than 50 percent of the agency’s budget in recent years. Nationwide suppression costs reached $2.9 billion in 2017 and $3.1 billion in 2018. State wildfire expenditures have also increased significantly.
Wildfires pose a serious threat to public health, especially as more people move into wildland areas. Smoke from wildfires reduces air quality and can cause respiratory and eye illnesses, particularly among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. Fires that burn in residential areas can also contaminate water systems with carcinogens by melting plastic water pipes.
While wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, the frequency and intensity of fires have increased due to climate change. This results in the release of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. Although plants that re-colonize burned areas can remove carbon from the atmosphere, the net effect on climate can be negative if fires occur too frequently or if the re-colonizing plants are less efficient at carbon uptake.
To build resilience against wildfires, communities, builders, homeowners, and forest managers can take several measures. These include discouraging developments near fire-prone forests, increasing the space between structures and nearby vegetation, incorporating fire-resistant design features in buildings, and allocating more resources to firefighting and fire prevention. Removing fuels like dead trees from at-risk forests and developing recovery plans before a fire occurs can also help mitigate the impact of wildfires.
The Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation portal provides valuable resources for communities to understand and plan for their climate risks, including real-time maps of wildfire, drought, flooding, and extreme heat across the United States.
