Study Finds Fire Suppression Increases Wildfire Severity and Climate Change Impacts

Efforts to suppress all wildfires lead to more extreme fires, exacerbating climate change effects and hindering forest adaptation.

New research indicates that suppressing wildfires results in more severe fires due to fuel accumulation and a change in fire intensity distribution.
The suppression of low- and moderate-intensity fires leads to an increase in the severity of remaining fires, a phenomenon known as 'suppression bias'.
Computer simulations show that fire suppression can cause areas to burn three to five times faster over time, compared to scenarios with no suppression.
Allowing more low- and moderate-intensity fires to burn could mitigate the negative consequences of fire suppression.
Developing strategies for safely managing wildfires during moderate conditions is essential for addressing the fire crisis and its impacts on climate change.