Megafires and thick smoke portend big problems for migratory birds

Ecology
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

In 2020, the fire season affecting the western United States reached unprecedented levels. The 116 fires active in September consumed nearly 20,822 km2 (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/accessible-view/ Accessed 2020-09-29) with eighty percent of this footprint (16,567 km2) from 68 fires occurring within California, Oregon, and Washington. Although the 2020 fire season was the most extreme on record, it exemplified patterns of increased wildfire size, number, timing, return frequency, and extent which are linked to climate-driven changes in precipitation and temperature affecting fire ignition and severity (Westerling 2016, Goss et al. 2020, Weber and Yadav 2020).

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Megafires and thick smoke portend big problems for migratory birds
Series title Ecology
DOI 10.1002/ecy.3552
Volume 103
Issue 1
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher Ecological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description e03552, 5 p.
Country United States
State California, Oregon, Washington
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details