The deadly wildfires that devastated parts of California this summer may be a harbinger of more catastrophes if greenhouse-gas emissions keep rising. That’s one finding of a report released this week assessing the impact of climate change on the Golden State.
California could face an almost 50% increase in the number of wildfires that burn more than 25,000 acres, and the average area burned across the state would rise by 77% by the end of the century if emission trends are not reversed, the report found.
The report, the fourth such assessment to be carried out since 2006, was produced by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the State of California Energy Commission and the California Natural Resources Agency, and includes peer-reviewed academic research, technical reports, data sets and tools that aim to boost understanding of climate change.
