Articles | Volume 21, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-109-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-109-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Jan 2024
Research article |
| 05 Jan 2024
| 05 Jan 2024
Geographically divergent trends in snow disappearance timing and fire ignitions across boreal North America
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Brendan M. Rogers
Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA
Rebecca C. Scholten
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Stefano Potter
Woodwell Climate Research Center, Falmouth, MA, USA
Thomas A. J. Janssen
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Sander Veraverbeke
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Viewed
Total article views: 6,141 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 21 Aug 2023)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,282 | 1,452 | 407 | 6,141 | 499 | 545 | 505 |
- HTML: 4,282
- PDF: 1,452
- XML: 407
- Total: 6,141
- Supplement: 499
- BibTeX: 545
- EndNote: 505
Total article views: 4,050 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 05 Jan 2024)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,864 | 863 | 323 | 4,050 | 325 | 461 | 354 |
- HTML: 2,864
- PDF: 863
- XML: 323
- Total: 4,050
- Supplement: 325
- BibTeX: 461
- EndNote: 354
Total article views: 2,091 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 21 Aug 2023)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,418 | 589 | 84 | 2,091 | 174 | 84 | 151 |
- HTML: 1,418
- PDF: 589
- XML: 84
- Total: 2,091
- Supplement: 174
- BibTeX: 84
- EndNote: 151
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 6,141 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 5,640 with geography defined
and 501 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 4,050 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 3,604 with geography defined
and 446 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 2,091 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 2,036 with geography defined
and 55 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Climate impacts from North American boreal forest fires M. van Gerrevink et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01940-3
- Using observed fires to study changes in fire season timing across Ontario, Canada K. Granville et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25164
- Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024–2025 – eight findings from ecology, sociology, and economics F. Bohn et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2425-2025
- Canadian wildfires are losing their climate-cooling influence from postfire snow albedo M. van Gerrevink et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2600434123
- Reburning from overwintering fires in boreal North America: insights from a Landsat time series analysis T. Hessilt et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25286
- Summer meteorological drivers and transport pathways of wildfire-derived PM2.5 and O3 in Fort McMurray, Alberta T. Richards-Thomas https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2026.100483
- Attributing climate and weather extremes to Northern Hemisphere sea ice and terrestrial snow: progress, challenges and ways forward K. Ye et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01012-0
- Accelerating retreat of northern hemisphere snow regimes R. Faal et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aea4ca
- Snow dynamics and forest structure interact to increase wildfire burn severity in the boreal forest J. Goldman et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123180
- Long-Term Socioeconomic Damages Attributable to Future Wildfire Carbon Emissions Under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 W. Tian & A. Liu https://doi.org/10.3390/su18146952
- Trends and drivers of Arctic-boreal fire intensity between 2003 and 2022 Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172020
- Water tracer model-assessed contributions of source waters to changing circumpolar Arctic terrestrial evapotranspiration and river discharge H. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134379
- Slow post-fire carbon balance recovery despite increased net uptake rates in Alaskan tundra J. Hung et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad8764
- The changing landscape of fire fuels in western Canada: insights from 40 years of public data and research E. Jones et al. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2025-0281
14 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Climate impacts from North American boreal forest fires M. van Gerrevink et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01940-3
- Using observed fires to study changes in fire season timing across Ontario, Canada K. Granville et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25164
- Reviews and syntheses: Current perspectives on biosphere research 2024–2025 – eight findings from ecology, sociology, and economics F. Bohn et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2425-2025
- Canadian wildfires are losing their climate-cooling influence from postfire snow albedo M. van Gerrevink et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2600434123
- Reburning from overwintering fires in boreal North America: insights from a Landsat time series analysis T. Hessilt et al. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25286
- Summer meteorological drivers and transport pathways of wildfire-derived PM2.5 and O3 in Fort McMurray, Alberta T. Richards-Thomas https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2026.100483
- Attributing climate and weather extremes to Northern Hemisphere sea ice and terrestrial snow: progress, challenges and ways forward K. Ye et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-01012-0
- Accelerating retreat of northern hemisphere snow regimes R. Faal et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aea4ca
- Snow dynamics and forest structure interact to increase wildfire burn severity in the boreal forest J. Goldman et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123180
- Long-Term Socioeconomic Damages Attributable to Future Wildfire Carbon Emissions Under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 W. Tian & A. Liu https://doi.org/10.3390/su18146952
- Trends and drivers of Arctic-boreal fire intensity between 2003 and 2022 Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172020
- Water tracer model-assessed contributions of source waters to changing circumpolar Arctic terrestrial evapotranspiration and river discharge H. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134379
- Slow post-fire carbon balance recovery despite increased net uptake rates in Alaskan tundra J. Hung et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad8764
- The changing landscape of fire fuels in western Canada: insights from 40 years of public data and research E. Jones et al. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2025-0281
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 17 Oct 2026
Short summary
In boreal North America, snow and frozen ground prevail in winter, while fires occur in summer. Over the last 20 years, the northwestern parts have experienced earlier snow disappearance and more ignitions. This is opposite to the southeastern parts. However, earlier ignitions following earlier snow disappearance timing led to larger fires across the region. Snow disappearance timing may be a good proxy for ignition timing and may also influence important atmospheric conditions related to fires.
In boreal North America, snow and frozen ground prevail in winter, while fires occur in summer....
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint