The Link Between Climate Change and Wildfires

Record-breaking heat, dry vegetation, and lightning each played a
role in sparking wildfires that have burnt more than one million
acres across California. But to what extent were these factors
caused by climate change? UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain,
along with a team of researchers, published a study earlier this
year that found that the “number of days with extreme fire weather
during the autumn season has more than doubled since the late
1970s.” The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
or Cal Fire, calls climate change a key driver of the shift toward
longer fire seasons. In this segment, we talk with Swain about the
link between climate change and the risk of wildfires in
California.