Understanding Wildfires and Climate Change

What does the fire chief attribute to the increasing difficulty in managing fires?

• Better technology

• Increased number of firefighters

• Lack of funding

• Longer fire seasons

What was the primary mandate of the Forest Service when it was formed in the early 1900s?

• To educate the public about fire safety

• To plant more trees

• To put out all fires quickly

• To conduct fire research

How did ocean currents affect firefighting in the Western US during the 1940s?

• They brought cooler, wetter conditions

• They made fires more intense

• They increased the number of fires

• They caused more lightning strikes

What major change occurred in the Western US by the 1980s?

• A decrease in fire-prone areas

• A return to cooler, wetter conditions

• An increase in the number of acres burned per year

• A reduction in community expansion

What is the effect of a warmer atmosphere on water vapor?

• It causes water vapor to condense more quickly

• It decreases the atmosphere's ability to hold water vapor

• It has no effect on water vapor

• It increases the atmosphere's ability to hold water vapor

What is 'weather whiplash' and how does it relate to fires?

• A decrease in atmospheric pressure

• A rapid increase in humidity

• A dramatic shift between extreme weather conditions

• A sudden change in wind direction

What are the four switches needed to 'turn on' a wildfire?

• Fuels, aridity, fire weather, and ignition

• Humidity, temperature, wind, and rain

• Lightning, rain, wind, and temperature

• Water, wind, temperature, and humidity

What unusual weather condition was observed in California in 2023 and 2024?

• Constant high winds

• Record low temperatures

• Extraordinarily wet conditions

• Frequent lightning storms

What is the primary cause of fires during Santa Ana wind events in coastal California?

• Human activity

• Lightning strikes

• Spontaneous combustion

• Volcanic eruptions

Which factor has definitively changed due to global warming, according to Park's research?

• Wind patterns

• Rainfall

• Humidity levels

• Temperature