Wildfire

Together, forests, shrubland, and grassland [blank] more than half of the land area in the United States. These ecosystems are important resources, both environmentally and economically. Although wildfires [blank] naturally and play a long-term role in the health of these ecosystems, changing wildfire patterns threaten to [blank] the status quo. Multiple studies have found that climate change has already led to an increase in wildfire season length, wildfire frequency, and burned areas. The wildfire season has lengthened in many areas due to factors including warmer springs, longer summer dry seasons, and drier soils and vegetation. Similarly, climate change threatens [blank] increase the frequency, extent, and severity of fires through increased temperatures and drought. Earlier spring melting and reduced snowpack resulted in decreased water [blank] during hot summer conditions, which in turn contributed to an increased wildfire risk, allowing fires to start more easily and burn hotter. The trends of longer wildfire seasons and larger wildfire sizes are predicted to continue as more frequent and longer droughts occur.