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With this combination of extreme drought, heat and dry vegetation, all it takes is a spark to ignite a wildfire

The heat wave hitting the northwestern U.S. and Canada has been , with temperatures above normal. With drought already gripping the West, the intense heat has helped suck even more moisture from millions of acres of forests and grasslands, bringing dead vegetation in many regions to and elevating the fire danger to its .

With this combination of extreme drought, heat and dry vegetation, all it takes is a spark to ignite a wildfire.

That’s why , , along with , are urging people to skip the fireworks this Fourth of July and to avoid other activities that could start a blaze.

Chart: The Conversation/CC-BY-ND  Source: Mietkiewicz et al, 2020 

Chart: The Conversation/CC-BY-ND  Source: NIFC 

Humans start the most wildfires on July Fourth

For decades, one of the most striking and predictable patterns of human behavior in the western U.S. has been people accidentally starting fires on the Fourth of July. From 1992 to 2015, – the most wildfires ignited on any day during the year. And most of these are near homes.

With this year’s tinder-dry grasslands and parched forests, sparks from anything – a cigarette, a campfire, a power line, even a mower blade hitting a rock – could ignite a wildfire, with deadly consequences.

Year-round, by igniting fires when and where lightning is rare. And it is these very fires that pose the greatest threat to lives and homes: . Farther from human development – beyond the – the majority of area burned by wildfires in the West is still due to lightning.

Whether ignited by people or lightning, human-caused climate change is making fires easier to start and grow larger . The western U.S. saw these consequences during – and the 2021 fire season has the to be just as devastating.

Here’s how to stay safe

We’ve spent years studying the causes and impacts of wildfires across and , and working with managers and citizens to envision how best to adapt to our increasingly flammable world. We’ve outlined and thought carefully about how communities can .

When asked “What can we do?” many of our suggestions require long-term investments and political will. But there are right now to make a difference and potentially save lives.

, move flammable materials like dried leaves and needles, gas and propane containers and firewood away from all structures. Clean out your gutters. If you tow a trailer, make sure the chains don’t hang so low that they could hit the pavement and cause a spark. If you have to mow a lawn, do it in the cooler, wetter morning hours to prevent accidental sparks from igniting fires in dry grass. Don’t drop cigarette butts on the ground.

This Fourth of July, and campfires – , and celebrate by keeping summer skies smoke-free for as long as possible.

Many communities are banning personal and public fireworks and voluntarily canceling fireworks displays because of wildfire concerns.

Adapting to increasingly uncharted territory

The fingerprints of human-caused climate change are all over the , the recent heat waves, and what could become another record-setting fire season. Research highlights how , including drought, and even .

will require reconsidering some traditions and activities. As you celebrate this Fourth of July, stay safe and help out the firefighters, your neighbors and yourself by preventing accidental wildfires.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .