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Length of the fire season in a changing climate

B. Michael Wotton, Michael D. Flannigan
Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors modeled the potential shift in fire season length based on future climate scenarios of 1 X CO2 and 2 X CO2 across the forested areas of Canada.

Publication findings:

The authors found a significant shift in both an earlier beginning and a later end to the fire season for the 2 X CO2 scenario across all regions. They predicted an increase of the fire season of almost 30 days on average. The authors further mention that this would result in a longer period of increased temperatures during the fire season, and therefore, an increase in fire activity across the region.

Climate and Fire Linkages

How do temperature, relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit relate to fire timing and seasonality?

The authors found a significant shift in both an earlier beginning and a later end to the fire season for the 2 X CO2 scenario across all regions. They predicted an increase of the fire season of almost 30 days on average. Furthermore, the authors mention that this would result in a longer period of increased temperatures during the fire season, and therefore, an increase in fire activity across the region.