More recent research found that anthropogenic climate change has extended fire seasons globally. Collectively, these factors have contributed to longer fire seasons across most ecological provinces. The University of Tasmania’s Fire Center, a research unit within the School of Natural Sciences, led this unique, first-of-its-kind study. It looks at the impact of human behavior on wildfires. To accomplish this, the research team analyzed fuel moisture and lightning data from more than 700 ecological regions around the globe. The researchers made one major discovery — that humans have altered just about every ecosystem on Earth.
Media available Dr Todd Ellis, Research Associate in Physical Pyrogeography at the University of Tasmania and leader of the study. Its findings have a tremendous effect on our understanding of the timing and intensity of wildfires. UQ’s Professor David Bowman and Dr Grant Williamson were the study’s lead authors. Citing the alarming change in the length and intensity of fire seasons around the globe, particularly on tropical grasslands where fire seasons have been increased by three months due to human actions.
Extent of Human Influence on Fire Seasons
Human-caused climate change and land management practices have accelerated a shift in the timing of wildfires to a much earlier fire season. This transformation ranges from tropical savannas, boreal forests to Mediterranean ecosystems. Activities such as agricultural burning, land clearing, accidental ignitions, fire suppression, and cultural fire practices have all contributed to this shift.
Dr. Todd Ellis notes, “Before people began influencing fire, wildfires mostly happened when lightning struck during dry conditions.” This dramatic difference serves to show just how much human practices have disrupted the natural balance of fire in our landscapes. As a result, the research underscores how today, in tropical grasslands like Cerrado, most fires happen within a human, or anthropogenic, time period. This highlights the critical importance of sustainable fisheries management.
Implications for Ecosystems and Stewardship
The study’s conclusions highlight the significant role that modern humans play in the management of fire. Professor David Bowman states, “This work underscores that humans have a great responsibility for sustainable stewardship of fire, and we can learn much from Indigenous fire practitioners.” Indigenous practices of fire management have much to teach us. These key lessons learned can help improve current wildfire mitigation strategies and procedures to lower the risks of future conflagrations.
Dr. Grant Williamson further stresses the urgency of adapting to these changes: “We’re not just seeing more wildfires, and fires of a greater intensity. We’re seeing them at times of the year when ecosystems haven’t evolved to cope with them.” This reality creates serious burdens for endangered species, as well as the human communities that reside in impacted regions.
Global Implications and Future Considerations
The global potential of this research is far-reaching. With wildfires increasingly growing in frequency and intensity, it is essential to grasp what is behind this increasing trend. Countries across the globe need to rethink how they approach land, and focus their efforts on practices that jive with nature.
The study emphasizes the growing need for international collaboration around wildfire response and preparedness. By implementing sustainable practices and learning from those who have long maintained their environments through traditional methods, nations can work towards reducing the adverse impacts of extended fire seasons.