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Climate Change Increased Likelihood Of L.A. Wildfires, Report Finds

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Climate Change Increased Likelihood Of L.A. Wildfires, Report Finds

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India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA – A new report from the World Weather Attribution group found that climate change made the conditions leading to recent Southern California wildfires 35% more likely. The fires, which killed at least 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings, were fueled by hot, dry, and windy conditions, which were exacerbated by human-caused global warming.

The study analyzed weather and climate models to assess how a warmer atmosphere is increasing the likelihood of fire-prone weather. It revealed that the extreme conditions driving the recent fires in Los Angeles are now expected to occur once every 17 years, compared to once every 23 years without climate change.

John Abatzoglou, a climatology professor at the University of California, Merced, and a contributor to the report, noted that the combination of dry seasons, Santa Ana winds, and the built environment contributed to the intensity of the fires.

“This was a perfect storm when it comes to conditions for fire disasters — the ingredients in terms of the climate enabling, the weather driving the fires and the huge built environment right downwind from where these ignitions occurred,” Abatzoglou said.

Park Williams, a UCLA geography professor and co-author of the report, emphasized that four key factors — dry conditions, burnable vegetation, ignition sources, and extreme weather — need to align for fires to occur. Climate change, he said, has made these conditions more frequent and intense.

“The artificial warming due to human-caused climate change is making the light brighter,” Williams said.

The report also found that, compared to preindustrial times, the Los Angeles area now experiences an additional 23 days of dry season annually, increasing the risk of wildfires during the Santa Ana winds. However, while climate change is a factor, the report also highlighted that human development, such as urban sprawl and more people in fire-prone areas, contributes significantly to the spread of wildfires.

Researchers are continuing to study whether warming will intensify or reduce the frequency of Santa Ana winds.

Also Read: Climate Change Turns Nepal’s Sweet-Orange Business Sour

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