Climate changeHuman-caused changes to climate on EarthChanges in surface air temperature over the past 50 years. The Arctic has warmed the most, and temperatures on land have generally increased more than sea surface temperatures.Earth's average surface air temperature has increased about 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) since the Industrial Revolution.
Natural disasterType of adverse eventEconomic loss risk for six natural disasters: tropical cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, floods, landslides, and volcanoes.A natural disaster is the very harmful impact on a society or community brought by a natural phenomenon or hazard. Some examples of natural hazards include avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides - including submarine landslides, tropical cyclones, volcanic activity and wildfires.
Fire ecologyStudy of fire in ecosystemsThe Old Fire burning in the San Bernardino Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station)Fire ecology is a scientific discipline concerned with the effects of fire on natural ecosystems. Many ecosystems, particularly prairie, savanna, chaparral and coniferous forests, have evolved with fire as an essential contributor to habitat vitality and renewal.
FireFire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion reaction when the fuel reaches its ignition point temperature. Flames from hydrocarbon fuels consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.
VegetationVegetation is an assemblage of plants and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader than the term flora which refers to species composition.
DroughtA drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions. A drought can last for days, months or years. Drought often has large impacts on the ecosystems and agriculture of affected regions, and causes harm to the local economy. Annual dry seasons in the tropics significantly increase the chances of a drought developing, with subsequent increased wildfire risks. Heat waves can significantly worsen drought conditions by increasing evapotranspiration.
Combustibility and flammabilityA combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e. sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable or inflammable if it ignites easily at room temperature. In other words, a combustible material takes more effort to ignite and a flammable material ignites almost immediately when exposed to a flame. The degree of flammability in air depends largely on how easy the material vaporizes.
Forest managementForest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, forest protection, and regulation. This includes management for timber, aesthetics, recreation, urban values, water, wildlife, inland and nearshore fisheries, wood products, plant genetic resources, and other forest resource values.
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state in the Western United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, the Mexican state of Baja California to the south, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. With a population of over 39 million across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the most populous U.S. state and the third largest by land area.
OregonU.S. stateState in the United StatesOregon ( , ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western United States, with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. The 42° north parallel delineates the southern boundary with California and Nevada. The western boundary is formed by the Pacific Ocean.
SiberiaGeographical region of Russia comprising North AsiaGeographical region in Russia, AsiaSiberia ( ; Russian: Сибирь, romanized: Sibir', IPA:) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west (with the Ural River usually forming the southernmost portion of its western boundary) to the Pacific Ocean in the east.
Washington (state)Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington state to distinguish it from the national capital; both are named after George Washington, a U.S. Founding Father and the first U.S. president. Washington borders the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south, and Idaho to the east; it shares an international border with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.