Arctic Sea Ice More Sensitive to Wildfires in Western US

Science Advances, 27 July 2022

Several decades ago, an extended period with abnormally few “controlled burning” fires in the United States — resulting in greater wildfires — accelerated sea ice loss in the Arctic, unveiling a new dimension to the interconnected relationship between wildfires and sea ice. Controlled burning, the setting of planned fires to support and sustain healthy ecosystems, reduces the risk of uncontrollable wildfires and encourages new plant growth. When fires are not successfully managed however, sea ice loss further accelerates as a result. The ongoing, long-term retreat of Arctic sea ice increases the frequency of unexpected and dangerous wildfires by worsening drought conditions across the western United States. The growing sensitivity of Arctic sea ice to black carbon and soot increases the importance of effective fire management; and emphasizes the importance of reducing emissions to curb global temperature rise and de-escalate the feedbacks intensifying ice loss and deadly wildfires.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abo2405