Why Wildfire? Wildfire supression and management are expensive; over $1,000,000,000 is spent every year on suppression. Often influenced by local to regional climate, wildfire forecasts are plausible and of great economic benefit. (Read more....)
Links Westerling's Public Fire Data Directory Wildfire climatology Other Fire Links CEFA Tony Westerling	Summary of climate and wildfire in the western US -- a White Paper by Tony Westerling August fire ignitions, fraction of annual, 1980-1999 Tony Westerling -- May 9, 2008 A recent white paper by Tony Westerling (CAP/CCCC PI) explores natural and anthropogenic factors that drive the number and extent of wildfires in the western United States. Click here for the full report	Warming and Earlier Spring Increase Western U.S. Forest Wildfire Activity A recent Science article by Westerling, Hidalgo, Cayan and Swetnam, examines an increase in spring wildfire activity in the western U.S. The article shows that large wildfire activity increased suddenly and markedly in the mid-1980s, with higher large-wildfire frequency, longer wildfire durations and longer wildfire seasons. The greatest increases were found in mid-elevation, Northern Rockies forests, where land-use histories have relatively little effect on fire risks and are strongly associated with increased spring and summer temperatures and an earlier spring snowmelt. Click here for pdf file

1868 Dutch Flat	Wildfire and Land Use The way land is managed has a significant impact on wildfire supression and costs. The photos to the left show Dutch Flat in 1868 and 1993. The photos to the right show the American River in 1867 and 1993. Theses photos illustrate the change in forestation due to man's influence on land use. Dutch Flat in 1868 was a new mining town where the local timber was a resource and previous wildfires were not supressed. Now it is a small community where trees are ambiance and supression of fire is necessary. The American River area remains uninhabited today as it did over 100 years ago. However, widlfires are not supressed and vegetation thrives. These photos are from "Fire in Sierra Nevada Forests", by George Greull (Mountain Press Publishing Company, Inc., Missoula, MT, 2001).	1867 American River
1993 Dutch Flat		1993 American River

Last update: 7 August 2008

This CAP project is led by Dr. Tim Brown and Dr. Anthony Westerling. Dr. Brown works at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) and is manager of the Program for Climate, Ecosystem and Fire Applications (CEFA). Dr. Westerling works at the University of California - Merced - as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering Research Division, Assistant Professor of Geography and in the Sierra Nevada Research Institute and Environmental Systems Graduate Group.