'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
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Here's how much more Canadian landlords are asking for now, according to a just-released report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A man was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Out-of-control wildfire burning near Fort McMurray
As of 9 a.m. on Friday, the wildfire burning 28 kilometres southwest of the northeastern Alberta city was 25 hectares in size.