Longer wildfire seasons pose an increasing threat for species under climate change
Why it matters: Almost 84% of species vulnerable to wildfires will face an increased risk by the end of this century.
- University of Gothenburg researchers, led by Xiaoye Yang, found that wildfires are becoming more frequent and ravaging new parts of the world due to global warming, increasing the vulnerability of thousands of plants, animals, and fungi.
- The study in Nature Climate Change projects that under a moderate emissions scenario, fire seasons could double in length and wildfires can break out closer to the poles than before.
- Xiaoye Yang states that nearly 84% of species vulnerable to wildfires will face a higher risk by the end of this century, with species having small ranges in South America, South Asia, and Australia being particularly vulnerable.
- The research team, including Chalmers University of Technology, combined 13 climate models with machine learning to forecast changes in wildfire burned areas and season length, assessing the impact on 9,592 species from the IUCN Red List.
- A moderate warming scenario (2.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels) could lead to a 9.3% increase in global area affected by wildfires and a 22.8% extension of fire seasons.
A new study led by the University of Gothenburg reveals that longer and more frequent wildfire seasons, driven by climate change, are significantly escalating the threat to global biodiversity, with nearly 84% of fire-vulnerable species facing increased risk by the century's end. This research, combining 13 climate models, highlights that areas closer to the poles are now susceptible to fires, and fire seasons could double in length under a moderate warming scenario.
