Harvard model predicts wildfire seasons by 2050 will be
three weeks longer, up to twice as smoky, and will burn a wider area in the
western United States
Research by environmental scientists at the Harvard School
of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) brings bad news to the western
United States, where firefighters are currently battling dozens of fires in at
least 11 states.
The Harvard team’s study suggests wildfire seasons by 2050
will be about three weeks longer, up to twice as smoky, and will burn a wider
area in the western states. The findings are based on a set of internationally
recognized climate scenarios, decades of historical meteorological data, and
records of past fire activity.