The last great U.S. wilderness won't forever remain the frozen tundra imagined by residents of the Lower 48. A new report finds evidence of Alaska's transformation in the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires around the state.
"Alaska, the great northern frontier of America, is being reshaped by climate change," according to a post by Climate Central. "While rising temperatures are altering its character and landscape, they are also bringing the ravages of wildfires."
"In the past 60 years, Alaska has warmed more than twice as fast as the rest of the country, with average temperatures up by nearly 3°F. By 2050, temperatures are projected to climb an additional 2-4 degrees, with the Arctic region seeing the most dramatic increases. These rising temperatures are expected to increase wildfire risks in Alaska, just as they have in the rest of the western U.S."
The post serves as introduction to a full research report titled The Age of Alaskan Wildfires [pdf], which is the latest in a series of reports on the same theme. The post also shares several key findings from the current report, including specific details about the increasing size and number of wildfires in Alaska.
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