Wildfire Risk Heightened as Temperatures Climb Out West

Posted: August 4, 2023 9:30 am

After a slight respite from the extreme heat in the Southwest, Mother Nature is cranking up the thermostat again. As the mercury soars, the risk of wildfires will also increase.

Wildfire Threat to Increase in Coming Days

It has been a slow start to the wildfire season in the U.S. this year thanks to a wetter than normal winter and spring for much of the West. This slow start is in direct contrast to the record-breaking wildfire season happening in Canada this summer.

However, the activity is starting to heat up across the West with several fires erupting over the last few weeks. While the heat has certainly exacerbated the situation, the return of the North American monsoon season to the region has also delivered more frequent lightning strikes that ignite these blazes.

The Southwest has recently experienced a small dip in the temperatures, however, that is all changing heading into the weekend. In addition, the upcoming weather pattern will also support the monsoon storms by next week

Temperatures Climbing Again in the Southwest and Beyond

The end of the week and weekend will continue with the dry weather pattern as a dome of high pressure extends over the Southwest, bringing hot conditions to Arizona, Nevada, southern New Mexico, and Southern California. This heat dome will encourage temperatures to hit up to 15 degrees above the average for the beginning of August.

Daily high records may fall in cities such as Santa Fe, New Mexico through the end of the weekend. It will also be exceptionally hot in the desert of Southern California and throughout much of Arizona. The heat dome will stretch as far as Texas, preventing any relief from the scorching temperatures for the Lone Star State.

The extreme heat will also be an issue for the south-central portions of the U.S. to end the work week. For instance, New Orleans is bracing for record-breaking temperatures in the triple digits on Thursday and Friday. This would land about 8 – 10 degrees above normal for this time of the summer.

The temperatures will also soar once again in Phoenix, a city that recently set a record for the longest stretch of days at 110 degrees or higher. The Valley of the Sun experienced the hottest July on record as a result of this streak. Temperatures dipped below this threshold to start the week, however, these readings are back in the forecast.

It will take a bit longer for the extreme heat to return to California as the heat dome remains anchored farther to the east. In fact, temperatures are expected to trend a bit below average in some areas of California before they begin to climb again.

Monsoon Moisture Elevates Fire Risk

The monsoon-generated precipitation will eventually move to the north and impact the Rocky Mountains. This will create the threat of persistent thunderstorms across Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Montana.

The moisture will be welcome in some parts of Idaho and Montana, areas of the West that are currently under the designation of moderate or severe drought conditions. The repeated rain over the interior Northwest will almost certainly help to provide relief from the drought.

However, these storms will also trigger the risk of flooding in area streams and rivers throughout the northern Rocky Mountains. Vacationers in the national and state parks in this region will want to stay alert about this potential wrinkle.

As the moisture moves to the north, the movement will leave drier conditions for California, western Arizona, and southern Nevada.

Wildfire Risk Expands Throughout the Northwest

The risk of wildfires will expand throughout the Northwest in the coming days as the heat builds. The arrival of the monsoon moisture will also deliver a higher chance of dry lightning strikes that could spark fires. This risk will be elevated in areas that have been dealing with dry conditions.

The winds that accompany these storms will also usher in a greater threat of wildfire development. Gusts of up to 35 mph could be possible over the next few days across the interior Northwest. The high winds also make it more challenging for fire crews to get flames under control once a fire erupts.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), there have been 1,174,562 acres burned in the U.S. as of Wednesday. The greatest concentration of current wildfires is across Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.

Wildfire Scorches Legendary Joshua Trees

Sadly, some of the legendary Joshua trees in the desert of Southern California have fallen victim to the wildfires. Thousands of acres have been burned by the York Fire, the largest fire thus far this year in California. As of Wednesday, the fire had burned over 82,000 acres in the New York Mountains located in the Mojave National Preserve.

The fire is about 30% contained. After starting last Friday, the flames eventually jumped the border and began burning in Nevada.

These rare trees only thrive in a small part of the Desert Southwest, a unique area of biodiversity. Officials are not certain as to the extent of the damage to the Joshua trees. Rangers in the preserve will not be able to survey the damage until the flames have been extinguished.

The crews working to bring the York Fire under control are also being particularly protective of the desert tortoise population. This threatened species comes out of their burrows to drink water, often mistaking the fire suppression tactics for rainwater.

As a result, firefighters are balancing putting out the flames with protecting this species by being intentional about avoiding the burrows.

Update on Canadian Wildfires

The fire situation is growing particularly dire in Canada. As of August 2, over 32 million acres had burned throughout the nation in 2023. Nearly four million acres have burned in the province of Quebec alone.

The wildfire season got off to a hot start in Canada, literally and figuratively. The country set a new record for total acres burned throughout a season by June 24. The situation became worse in July with just under 11 million acres burning in that month.

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