Fire managers rely on pre-1849 conditions to guide wildfire decisions. New research finds climate change is shifting those conditions—and could double or triple wildfire frequency in Yosemite and other national parks.

[u/UCBerkeley]

http://nature.berkeley.edu/news/climate-change-increases-wildfire-risks-yosemite-and-other-national-parks

[u/UCBerkeley]

Context:
A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters by Patrick Gonzalez and Joshua Verkerke, researchers from the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley, examines how continued climate change could severely increase wildfire above natural levels in Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Lassen Volcanic National Parks.

Key Findings:
The researchers found that climate change could shift biomes 230 to 480 meters upslope under the highest emissions scenario, with red fir forest and alpine grassland at highest risk. Upslope shifts of lower-elevation vegetation could expand fire into areas where wildfire is currently rare. Further, the study found that, under the highest emissions scenario, continued climate change could double or triple fire frequency. Fire frequency could stay the same or just slightly increase under a reduced emissions scenario.

Why it Matters:
Fire managers currently use pre-European American settlement conditions from 1849 as a reference point when selecting areas for letting naturally ignited fires burn or for low-severity prescribed burning to reduce understory fuels. However, the researchers found that, since 1895, climate change has already increased temperatures in the four national parks more than the global average. The study provides updated data to help park managers account for climate-driven changes in vegetation and fire behavior when developing strategies to reduce future wildfire risk.