Climate Change Made LA 35% More Primed to Burn, Scientists Say
Global warming exacerbated fire conditions in the Los Angeles area, an analysis by the research group World Weather Attribution finds.
The Hughes Fire burns a hillside in Castaic, California, on Jan. 22.
Photographer: Kyle Grillot/BloombergClimate change made Southern California’s dangerous wildfire conditions in early January 35% more likely than they would have been before the industrial era, according to a new analysis by the scientific group World Weather Attribution.
Greenhouse gas pollution raised temperatures, made drought more likely and extended the length of fire season, contributing to the most destructive fire disaster in US history, killing at least 28 people and destroying more than 16,000 structures. The fires were also 6% more intense because of climate change, the analysis found.