'An unprecedented rate': McGill study says mountain-side wildfires becoming increasingly common
The prevalence of wildfires has become difficult to ignore these past few years.
In 2020 alone, devastating fires swept across California, Australia, the Amazon, Siberia and Indonesia, to name a few places. Just a few years earlier, major fires ripped through parts of Western Canada, destroying homes and costing millions in damage. British Columbia saw its worst fires on record in 2018, with 1.35 million hectares burned.
As summers grow drier and hotter, fires are spreading more quickly and frequently. According to one team of researchers from McGill University, this is especially true when it comes to a particular type of terrain: mountains.
Over the decades, forest fires have inched steadily uphill, making their way up mountains which, at one point, were too wet to burn. Mohammad Reza Alizadeh, a McGill PhD student, says mountain forests have become increasingly arid, making them the ideal kindling for raging wildfires.
"Because of the climate warming, we’re going to see hotter and drier weather in the future," he said.
Alizadeh is the lead author of a recent McGill study that analyzed records of major fires in the mountainous regions of the Western U.S. between 1984 and 2017. The study, published June 1, found that fires travelled in an upslope advancement of roughly 7.6 metres a year.
"It was supposed before that the fire goes up to [certain] treelines, let’s say, but after that it vanishes because of the presence of humidity," he said. "But now [we see] decreasing humidity."
According to the study, forest fires have been enabled in an additional 11 per cent of western forests because of these progressively arid conditions.
DISTURBING THE NATURAL ORDER
While high-elevation forest fires can have severe consequences for mountain wildlife and ecosystems, they can also have a significant impact on life down below.
"[High elevation forests] are really important in terms of natural and also human systems and resources," said Alizadeh.
As Alizadeh puts it, high mountains serve as "natural-order towers," providing substantial amounts of water to the people and wildlife downstream. Forest fires can impact the quality and quantity of these waters, and dramatically alter the amount of time it takes for them to reach the ground, with flooding being an increased risk.
These fires even have an impact on avalanches, says Alizadeh, as a mountain’s forest can serve as a protective barrier against them. Without this "anchor point," avalanches can travel faster and farther.
Alizadeha says that unless we take the steps to reverse climate change, these problems will become more pronounced over time.
"This is an unprecedented rate [...] that we’ll see more and more in the future, unfortunately."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.