California wildfires worsened by climate change-driven heat

Wildfires burning across the Los Angeles area have been intensified by conditions linked to human-caused climate change. Rising temperatures, driven by climate change, dry out the landscape, significantly increasing the risk of extreme fire behavior.  

Climate change-driven heat exacerbates wildfire risks in several ways including:

• Dries out vegetation: Prolonged heat turns forests and grasslands into tinder, fueling faster, more intense burns.

• Strains water resources: Scarcer water supplies hinder firefighting efforts and recovery.

• Limits mitigation opportunities: Fewer safe days for prescribed burns make it harder to reduce fuel loads in vulnerable areas

Note: Use the Global Climate Shift Index map to stay updated on heat in your region.

What do experts say?

Kaitlyn Trudeau, senior research associate for climate science at Climate Central, said: 

“Climate change is playing a role in the increase of fire weather in the West, where more days of dry, warm, windy weather are amplifying the risks of wildfires spreading rapidly. As our climate warms, the chances of intense, fast-growing fires like the ones Californians are facing today will keep rising."

To request an interview with a Climate Central scientist, please contact Abbie Veitch at aveitch@climatecentral.org

Reporting resources

Until carbon emissions end, heat waves everywhere will continue to become hotter and more dangerous. Explore quick facts and local analyses on the links between climate change and extreme heat in:

• Climate Matters: Longer, more intense fire weather seasons

• World Weather Attribution’s guide to reporting on extreme heat and climate change

• Yale Climate Connections’ summary of the connection between heat waves and climate change.

• Potential Energy’s Guide to Reporting on Unnatural Disasters