Articles | Volume 21, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-109-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-109-2024
Research article
 | 
05 Jan 2024
Research article |  | 05 Jan 2024

Geographically divergent trends in snow disappearance timing and fire ignitions across boreal North America

Thomas D. Hessilt, Brendan M. Rogers, Rebecca C. Scholten, Stefano Potter, Thomas A. J. Janssen, and Sander Veraverbeke

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Cited articles

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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.
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