Newswise Breaking News Channel: Wildfires

Expert Shares Factors Increasing Forest Fire Ignitions

Virginia Tech — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 21:55:01 EST

Forest fires are natural phenomena, yet studies show they are becoming more widespread, consuming larger areas of forest each year. Virginia Tech fire ecology and management expert Adam Coates discusses the t factors causing unnaturally high numbers of forest fires, how fire itself can be a counteractant, and provides tips for homeowners.

Exposure to Remote Wildfire Smoke Drifting Across the U.S. Linked to Increased Medical Visits for Heart and Lung Problems

University of Maryland School of Medicine — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 17:20:07 EST

New Study Found Increased Medical Visits for Heart and Respiratory Problems in Baltimore on Poor Air Quality Days from Western Canadian Wildfires

As Wildfires Intensify, Prolonged Exposure to Pollution Linked to Premature Death

Ohio State University — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 09:05:37 EST

Researchers have found evidence that living in areas prone to wildfire smoke may negatively impact an individual's life expectancy.

The Arctic Is on Fire

Universite de Montreal — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:00:18 EST

Wildfires have turned the Far North into a carbon emitter, putting the region's permafrost at risk, according to an alarming new report co-authored by UdeM researcher Oliver Sonnentag.

UW-led Research Links Wildfire Smoke Exposure with Increased Dementia Risk

University of Washington — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 13:10:48 EST

New research led by the University of Washington found that wildfire smoke is especially hazardous to people's memory health. An analysis of the health care records of 1.2 million Southern California residents found that higher long-term smoke exposure was associated with a significant increase in the odds that a person would be diagnosed with dementia.

Expert Q&A: A New Tool to Monitor Wildfire Risk

University at Albany, State University of New York — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:05:44 EST

Expert Available: Washington Post Report: Most U.S. Cities Aren't Prepared for Climate Change

George Washington University — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:00:08 EST

A report out today by The Washington Post finds most cities in the United States are not prepared for climate change. ...

Three Ways NAU and SRP Are Protecting the Water and Electric Grid in Arizona

Northern Arizona University — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:45:42 EST

Teams from Northern Arizona University and the Salt River Project collaborated on several research projects, including ones aimed at protecting the Salt and Verde River watersheds and ensuring the power grid can handle the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road.

California Wildfires Have Become More Severe, Killing More Trees, UC Irvine Researchers Find

University of California, Irvine — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:30:27 EST

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 18, 2024 -- The severity of California's wildfires has rapidly increased over the last several decades as a result of human-driven climate change, resulting in accelerated tree losses during more intense wildfires, an Environmental Research Letters study from University of California, Irvine and the University of Utah scientists reveals.

Launch of Nationwide Map Viewer and Database AIDS Wildfire Planning and Understanding of Treatment Effects

Northern Arizona University — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 18:30:04 EST

The launch of the Treatment and Wildfire Interagency Geodatabase, known as TWIG, now provides an open-access platform where all federal fuel treatment and wildfire data can be viewed, downloaded and analyzed. This comprehensive data compilation enables users to assess, plan and monitor fuel treatment interactions with wildfires across boundaries.

New Study Links Air Pollution with Increased Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Births

University of California, Irvine — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:15:20 EST

Vulnerable populations without access to green space and exposed to higher temps were most affected

Ongoing Drought and Wildfires Across New Jersey and Northeast Lead To Poor Air Quality Warnings

Hackensack Meridian Health — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:45:07 EST

Expert pitch on smoke dangers from wildfires

The Role Utility Companies Could Play in Stopping Wildfires

Virginia Tech — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 09:55:01 EST

Coordinated power shutoffs could help control the wildfires spreading across New York and New Jersey, according to a Virginia Tech expert. These shutoffs could mitigate the risk posed by unseasonably dry conditions and challenging terrain, both of which have made containment efforts especially difficult, said Professor Ali Mehrizi-Sani, a Virginia Tech electrical engineering researcher.

Algunos productos de supresion de incendios forestales contienen metales pesados y podrian contaminar el medioambiente

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:55:14 EST

Los investigadores que publicaron un informe en la revista Environmental Science & Technology Letters de ACS analizaron la posibilidad de que estos productos de supresion fueran la fuente de los elevados niveles de metales que a veces se encuentran en los cauces tras apagar los incendios forestales.

Some Wildfire Suppressants Contain Heavy Metals and Could Contaminate the Environment

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:00:00 EST

Researchers reporting in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters explored whether wildfire suppressants could be a source of elevated metal levels sometimes found in waterways after wildfires are extinguished. Several products they investigated contained high levels of at least one metal.

What Happens in the Arctic Doesn't Stay in the Arctic

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:35:33 EST

The Arctic is warming faster than any other area of the planet. How environmental change affects the landscape, weather patterns and infrastructure for communities -- not just here but across the world -- is of keen interest to scientists studying climate change.

Impact of 2020 Labor Day Wildfires on Highway Infrastructure: A Historical Perspective on Megafires and Roadway Damage in Washington, Oregon, and California

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:05:10 EST

A research team examines the extent of damage and associated costs on the 2020 Labor Day wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and California, comparing with the historical impact of megafires in these states.

Declines in Plant Resilience Threaten Carbon Storage in the Arctic

Ohio State University — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:05:45 EST

Rapid warming has impacted the northern ecosystem so significantly that scientists are concerned the region's vegetation is losing the ability to recover from climate shocks, suggests a new study.

New Innovator Award Recognizes High-Risk, High-Reward Project to Measure Environmental Impacts on Health

University of Utah Health — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 12:05:45 EST

Yue Lu aims to develop ways to measure how environmental exposures affect health at population-level scale and with organ-level precision, all through advanced analysis of simple blood draws.

Fire Safety Expert Advises Against Outdoor Burning During 'Unusually Dry' Fire Season

West Virginia University — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:30:14 EST