How Do Wildfires Start

Live Science ^ | December 28, 2018 | Donavyn Coffey

[Eddie01]

As the smoke settles from fires at the close of the year, it serves as a stark reminder of the raging wildfires that have plagued California and the rest of the American West. But how do such wildfires start in the first place?

In the United States, 84 percent of the 1.5 million wildfires reported from 1992 to 2012 were human-caused, while 16 percent were sparked by a lightning strike

However, ignition is only the beginning. And because of climate change, dry conditions are lasting longer and, in turn, causing longer fire seasons.

Though it's been a record-breaking year in California, wildfires are not new. But the wildfires we see today are different from those natural blazes, burning faster and hotter.

"Historically, California burned more than it does now, but at [a] lower intensity and slower," Quinn-Davidson said. "Now, we are seeing fires that are unusual, like the Camp Fire that, at one point, burned through 70,000 acres [about 280 square km] in a day. We've never seen that before."

The change in our climate, perpetuated by human-made greenhouse gas emissions, extends the window of the annual fire season.

For example, the boreal forest in Canada and Alaska has seen an increased number of lighting-ignited wildfires since 1975, likely due to earlier snow melts and fuel drying brought on by global warming

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Based on the Fourth National Climate Assessment, completed just last month, wildfires will continue to intensify with the changing climate, maybe even becoming a problem in other regions of the United States. So, communities need to focus on becoming more resilient to these natural disasters.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Trains used to cause fires around here. then the railroad started keeping the right-of-ways clean and I haven’t seen a railroad caused fire in decades.

Same for the power companies.

[Political Junkie Too]

How Do Wildfires Start

Wildly?

-PJ

[upchuck]

PG&E is indirectly mentioned in the article: “Last month’s Camp Fire is still under investigation, but malfunctioning power lines are suspect.”

[Yaelle]

The worst two, the most recent big ones, in CA, we’re both started by utility / electric companies. The Bel Air fire of late 2017 was started by HOMELESS PEOPLE lighting fires, and it wasn’t the only one.

[Yaelle]

Eliminate “wild” forests and we eliminate “wild forest fires”.

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Ah, the old Joni Mitchell Solution. Pave paradise, and put up a parking lot. ;)

[trebb]

I guess the drought that made Okies nomads was also caused by that dang climate change - it’s been going on longer than the fake science has been aware of which means we actually all died from it 35 years ago and it’s just echoes of our consciousness that is so worried about it now....

[spintreebob]

The air above the ocean varies from dry to thunder clouds. Of course, it is more humid on average. But half the time we can increase the humidity that blows from the Pacific over California.

A second solution is to pipe that ocean water inland to a desert basin, then create the spray.... and a new salt water lake. But that would help AZ and NV more than CA.

How are those de-salination projects going. To water the forest we don’t need drinking taste purity level de-salination. 90% de-salination is a lot cheaper than 95% which is a lot cheaper than 99% which is a lot cheaper that 99.9%. What level can the trees handle?

I’m from WA. The humidty/fog/drizzle is salty several miles inland and the forests grow just fine.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Thanks for the info. I would love to see nuclear power used for desal plants lon the northern and southern CA coasts. Then use the same power to drive pumps to get the water to the central valley.

If the power plant was not fully utilized I have no problem with salt water fountains too.