Hotter Summer Days Mean More Sierra Nevada Wildfires, Study Finds

Wildfires are increasing in size and intensity in the Western United States, and wildfire seasons are growing longer. California in particular has suffered in recent years, including last summer, when the Sierra Nevada experienced several large fires. One, the Dixie Fire, burned nearly a million acres and was the largest single fire in the state’s history.

Recent research has suggested that heat and dryness associated with global warming are major reasons for the increase in bigger and stronger fires.