The Southwest is on fire, famous deserts and towns are at danger and one governor is calling to declare a disaster

Arizona and New Mexico are facing dangerously early fire seasons. It has destroyed entire neighborhoods and caused such severe damage that New Mexico’s governor declared May 3rd 2022 the end of the fire season. President Joe Biden was asked to declare a national disaster. Over 600 firesBy May 1, a fire had broken out in both states, and hundreds of homes had been destroyed by large wildfires near Ruidoso, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Flagstaff, Arizona.

We asked wildfire scientists Molly Hunter at the University of Arizona to explain what’s fueling the extreme fire conditions and why risky seasons like this are becoming more common.

Why is this year’s wildfire season in the Southwest so early and intense?

Fire is a natural element in the Southwest. However, fire seasons are not. Getting longer and more intense.

Historically, fire season in the Southwest didn’t ramp up until late May or June, because fuels that carry fires – primarily woody debris, leaf litter and dead grasses – didn’t fully dry out until then.

The Southwest is now seeing more fires starting earlier in the season. The timing coincides with the typical events the region experiences. Strong windsThis can lead to rapid fire growth. Some of the fires we’re seeing this year, like the Tunnel FireThese wind events are causing severe winds to blow through Flagstaff and New Mexico. They’re pretty typical winds for spring, but fuels are now really dry and ready to burn.

The earlier the fire season is Partly because of the warming climate. As temperatures rise, snow melts faster and more water evaporates into atmosphere. Grasses and other fuels also dry out earlier in the season.

This year, we have plenty of fuel to burn. Last summer, 2021, the Southwest had an Extraordinary monsoon seasonThis left green hillsides and lots more vegetation. The grasses are now forbsThe monsoon has dried out the vegetation that was established during the monsoon, leaving plenty of biomass that can be used to light a fire. In the Southwest, the most significant fire years are those when there is a dry and a wet period. La Niña conditions we’re experiencing now.

What role does climate-change play?

In the Southwest Climate changeThis has led to warmer and drier conditions. One immediate result is the longer fire season.

Fires are now starting in March and April. And if the Southwest doesn’t get a good summer monsoon – the region’s typical period of heavy rainstorms – fire season won’t really stop until we get significant rainfall or snowfall in fall and winter. This will put more pressure on firefighting resources and increase the stress on communities that are forced to face fire, smoke, and evacuations.

As fire season extends, states are also experiencing more fires that were started by human activity, such as fireworks, sparks coming from vehicles or equipment, and powerlines. More people are moving.Out of areas that are fire-prone, there are more chances for human-caused ignitions.

What effect is the changing fire regime having on the Southwest’s ecosystems?

When fires burn in areas that didn’t see fire historically, they can transform ecosystems.

People generally don’t think of fire as being a natural part of desert ecosystems, but Grasses are now fueling big fires in the desert, like Arizona’s Telegraph FireIn 2021. These fires are also spreading further and into other ecosystems. The Telegraph Fire began as a desert fire, and burned through chaparral before reaching the mountains, where it was surrounded by pine and conifer trees.

Part of the problem? Invasive grasses like red brome or buffelgrassThey spread quickly and burn easily. It is very common to have a lot of grass. These desert systems are now home to many plants.They are more likely to catch on fire.

Some plant species, such as mesquite or other brushy plants can survive a wildfire in the desert. But the saguaro – the iconic cactuses that are so popular in tourist visions of the Southwest – are Not well-suited to fire.They can often be killed by fire, and are very common in the wild. Paloverde trees are Also, not well adaptedTo survive fires.

The grasses, both natives and invasive, are what brings back the land quickly. So in some areas we’re seeing a transition from desert ecosystem to a Grassland ecosystemThis is very conducive for the spread of fire.

The Cave Creek FireThis is an example of how you can see the transition in Phoenix in 2005. It burned over 240,000 acres, and if you drive around that area now, you don’t see lot of saguaros. It doesn’t look like desert. It looks more like an annual grassland.

This is an iconic landscape and its loss can have a negative impact on tourism. It also impacts wildlife. Many Saguaro is a vital resource for many species.For nesting and feeding The flowers are important to batsFor nectar.

What can we do to prevent high fire risk in future?

In some ways, people will have the realization that fire is inevitable.

Our ability to control fires is now limited. When winds are strong and the fuels are really dry, there’s only so much firefighters can do to prevent some of these big fires from spreading.

More Prescribed firesClearing out fuel potential is one way to reduce the likelihood of really destructive blazes.

In the past, firefighting was more expensive than managing the fuels using tactics like prescribed fire and thinning. But the Infrastructure billA significant influx of funds for fuel management was included in the 2021 budget. There’s also a push to move some seasonal fire crew jobs to full-time, yearlong positions to conduct thinning and prescribed burns.

Homeowners also have the option of Be better equipped to deal with fires. That means maintaining yards and homes by removing debris so they’re less likely to burn. You should also be prepared to evacuate.