​Fire Risk

Fire risk is evaluated as a combination of current weather, ignition sources and fuel loads. Climate changes such as decreasing rainfall, increasing temperatures and more incidences of high temperatures will modify fire risk since:

• Drier fuel can result from higher temperature, reduced rainfall and increased lower relative humidity.
• Litter production and decomposition rates under enhanced CO₂ concentrations can modify the fire fuel loading where increased temperature increases decomposition rates of both leaf litter and woody debris rates – provided there is adequate moisture reducing fuel loads.
• Decrease in litter decomposition occurs when C:N ratios are increased, increasing fuel loads.
• Increased natural ignition from any increases in thunderstorms frequency.
• The productivity and spread of weeds increases with climate change, providing more natural fuel.