Climate Change and Wildfire Risk: Statistical Analysis of Fire Weather in Northern Colorado

Explore the complex factors contributing to increased wildfire occurrences in a 21-minute AGU talk. Delve into the interplay of climate change, weather patterns, forest management, and human activity in high-risk areas. Examine how Colorado State University professor Dan Cooley uses multivariate statistical analysis of Fire Weather Index data to demonstrate climate condition changes in northern Colorado. Gain insights into the challenges of attributing individual fires to climatic shifts and understand the multifaceted nature of fire risk. Learn about the roles of heat, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed in fire occurrence, and how their daily combinations affect overall risk. Discover the findings from Colorado's worst fire season in recorded history in 2020 and the implications for future wildfire management and prevention strategies.