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Articles on Fires

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Forest fires were mostly started by lightning. Their spread was then exacerbated by a lack of precipitation and abnormally high temperatures. (Victor Danneyrolles)

Québec’s summer 2023 wildfires were the most devastating in 50 years. Is the worst yet to come?

The forest fires of the summer of 2023 in Québec were devastating. It was the worst year in 50 years. But with climate change, the worst may be yet to come.
Rocky Mountain fires leave telltale ash layers in nearby lakes like this one. Philip Higuera

What 2,500 years of wildfire evidence and the extreme fire seasons of 1910 and 2020 tell us about the future of fire in the West

As the climate warms, devastating fires are increasingly likely. The 2020 fires pushed the Southern Rockies beyond the historical average. Is there hope for the Northern Rockies?
In June 2023, a fire started at this e-bike shop in New York City and spread to upper floors of the building. AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Lithium-ion battery fires are a growing public safety concern − here’s how to reduce the risk

Lithium-ion batteries power many electric cars, bikes and scooters. When they are damaged or overheated, they can ignite or explode. Four engineers explain how to handle these devices safely.
NASA International Space Station program

Our planet is burning in unexpected ways - here’s how we can protect people and nature

We used satellite data to create global maps of where and how fires are burning. Fire season lasts two weeks longer than it used to and fires are more intense. But there are regional differences.
Market fires cause significant upheavals in the heavily informal Ghanaian economy. Wikimedia Commons

Accra’s market fires are devastating to informal traders - but they don’t trust or understand what they’re being told about managing risk

Fire risk communication strategies must not only be supported by formal institutions such as government agencies but also be rooted in and sensitive to each market’s socio-cultural dynamics.
Satellite image of a forest fire in July 2021 in northern Saskatchewan (Wapawekka Hills). The image covers an area of about 56 kilometres in width and is based on Copernicus Sentinel data. (Pierre Markuse), CC BY 2.0

Forest fires: North America’s boreal forests are burning a lot, but less than 150 years ago

North America’s boreal forests have been burning a lot, probably more and more over the past 60 years. Yet the long-term trend indicates that they are burning less than they were 150 years ago.
Pavel Koubek / Unión Europea / Flickr

These are the implications of the latest wave of mega-fires for the European Green Deal

In a new study, the authors discuss the role that poor forest management in protected areas, commercial plantations and fuel condition play in the spread of fire.
The majority of fire-related deaths that occurred in 2020 took place in people’s homes. Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

10 fire safety tips to help keep you and your kids alive and safe

Last year, 3,500 Americans were killed by house fires. A former fire and explosion investigator has 10 tips to keep you and your children safe this holiday season.

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