Researchers at the University of Aberdeen examined how wildfires responded to the Danian hyperthermal, a natural warming event around 65 million years ago. Their analysis found that warming can produce long-lasting increases in fire activity and much slower ecosystem recovery.
The study suggests that periods of warming can produce long-lasting increases in wildfire activity, while ecosystems take much longer to recover than previously thought. As human-caused warming raises fire risks, the findings point to concerns about both more burning and longer-lasting ecological damage.
✦ Warming can prolong wildfire activity and delay ecosystem recovery.