Open AccessGrowing impact of wildfire on western US water supply
Author(s) -
A. Park Williams,
Ben Livneh,
Karen A. McKin,
Winslow D. Hansen,
Justin S. Mankin,
Benjamin I. Cook,
Jason E. Smerdon,
Arianna M. Varuolo-Clarke,
Nels Bjarke,
Caroline S. Juang,
Dennis P. Lettenmaier
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2114069119
Subject(s) - streamflow , climate change , environmental science , surface runoff , drainage basin , geography , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , geology , biology , geotechnical engineering , cartography
Significance How will increasing wildfire activity affect water resources in the water-limited western United States (WUS)? Among basins where >20% of forest burned, postfire streamflow is significantly enhanced by an average of approximately 30% for 6 y. Over 2015 to 2020, several large WUS basins experienced >10% of forest burned. Climate projections and an exponential forest fire response to climate-induced drying suggest the next 3 decades will see repeated years when WUS forest fire area exceeds that of 2020, which set a modern record for forest area burned. If so, entire regions will likely experience more streamflow than expected, potentially enhancing human access to water but posing hazard management challenges. Projections of water supply and runoff-related hazards must account for wildfire.