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The fastest-growing and most destructive fires in the US (2001 to 2020)
Jennifer K Balch1,2, Virginia Iglesias1,3, Adam L Mahood4
1Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab (ESIIL), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 24, 2024
Summary
Fast-moving wildfires are a major threat, destroying 78% of structures and costing billions. Understanding their rapid growth is key to improving wildfire management and community safety.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Remote Sensing
- Disaster Management
Background:
- Wildfires pose significant threats, with destructive and deadly events often characterized by rapid spread.
- Understanding the dynamics of fast-growing wildfires is critical for effective response and mitigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the daily growth rates of wildfires across the contiguous United States using satellite data.
- To quantify the impact of fast fires on structures and suppression costs.
- To identify trends in wildfire growth rates, particularly in the Western US.
Main Methods:
- Utilized satellite data to analyze the daily growth rates of over 60,000 wildfires from 2001 to 2020.
- Defined 'fast fires' as those growing more than 1620 hectares in a single day.
- Calculated the percentage of structures destroyed and suppression costs attributed to fast fires.
Main Results:
- Nearly half of US ecoregions experienced destructive fast fires.
- Fast fires accounted for 78% of destroyed structures and 61% of total suppression costs ($18.9 billion).
- The average peak daily growth rate of fast fires more than doubled in the Western US between 2001 and 2020 (+249%).
Conclusions:
- Fast-growing wildfires are a significant and increasing threat across the US, particularly in the West.
- These fires disproportionately cause destruction and incur high suppression costs.
- Improved firefighting strategies and community preparedness are essential to address the growing challenge of fast fires.
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