With decreasing snowpack comes greater fire risk
The wildfire that flared up suddenly Sunday has burned thousands of acres and more than 100 structures. Hundreds of other homes and buildings are in the raging fire’s path. About 1,000 people have been evacuated.
With snowpack in the mountains well shy of average after a lackluster snow season, Lake Tahoe — like many other mountain communities — was at greater risk for wildfire. Scientists say more intense and frequent wildfires will likely come as a result of global warming, as decreasing mountain snowpacks leads to decreased runoff, drier conditions and ultimately drier tinder-like forests, just waiting for a spark.