![]() ![]() Source: CBCĪ significant drought lengthened the 2022 British Columbia wildfire season well into October. Alberta and British Columbia had more fires in 2022 than the 5-year average, but fewer hectares burned. However, a few months of hot, dry conditions elevated fire danger. In 2022, Western Canada received steady rain into June which helped with mitigation. In Canada, fire seasons are expected to get longer and more severe as the climate continues to change. Experts warn that one mild year does not equate to a trend and forest management aligned with fire-dependent ecosystems, including forest treatments, remain critical. Wildfires in the state burned about 362,000 acres in 2022, compared with 2.5 million acres in 2021 and 4.3 million acres in 2020.Ĭommunity preparedness may have played an essential role in ensuring less destruction in 2022 with CalFire having completed 290,000 defensible space inspections last year. The Chipola Complex Fire in Florida’s panhandle affected parts of the state hit by Hurricane Michael in 2018 with the dead vegetation helping fuel the fire.Ĭalifornia’s relatively mild wildfire season was largely due to a combination of well-timed precipitation and favorable wind conditions. Texas experienced the most significant wildfire year since 2011 after more than 12,000 wildfires burned more than 650,000 acres across the state. Significant fire events in 2022 include California’s Mosquito Fire, which prompted evacuations in northern parts of the state, and the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire in New Mexico which became the state’s largest. These figures are higher than the ten-year average of 59,733 fires and 7,333,776 acres. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) statistics show that as of Dec. Drought Monitor, extreme conditions are more widespread than at any point in at least 20 years, contributing to increased risk of large severe fires.Įditor’s Note: The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) maintains a profile on International Wildfires which covers all major wildfire areas outside of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. ![]() ![]() Extreme drought and rising temperatures dry out forests and remain the leading driver of an increase in fire weather. However, climate change is making fire seasons worse overall. In California, resource availability played a role, but so did weather conditions that consistently went in the state’s favor. Unexpected wet weather helped curb severe fire seasons in New Mexico and Alaska. The 2022 season outlook was dire and while the number of wildfires and acres burned were higher than the 10-year average, experts say the season could have been worse. So it’s not really accurate to call it a fire season.” Now our fires are extending all the way through December and then into January. 10-15 years ago we use to call it the California fire season where we might get fires say in July that would last through maybe September or October. In January 2022, Cecile Juliette, public information office of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, “We are towards the end of January. However, as climate change increasingly has a more significant impact, we have been losing the concept of wildfire seasons. Typically, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) starts its North American wildfires profile in the summer or even fall. ![]()
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