Wildfires used to die down and even stop at night with cooler temperatures and increased humidity. But a study released Friday says climate change is making burning weather more around the clock in North America because night is becoming warmer and drier. Canadian fire scientists say potential burning hours for fires have increased 36% in the last 50 years. California now has about 550 more fire-friendly hours a year than it did in the 1970s. North American summer nights are warming faster than days, evening relief is evaporating for forests and that means the area of land burned is soaring.
Budget woes, cuts to the federal wildfire-fighting workforce and President Donald Trump's threats against Canada have made it more difficult for state officials to plan for the upcoming wildfire season. In Washington, a $12 billion budget shortfall prompted majority Democrats in the Legislature this week to propose significantly slicing spending on wildfire prevention. State Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dave Upthegrove says those drastic cuts would endanger public safety. As Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency slashes federal spending, the Trump administration withheld money for wildfire mitigation in several states and then fired thousands of workers involved in firefighting from various agencies.
