India, Jan. 17 -- Drought years will contribute most to future burned areas

More droughts brought on by climate change could worsen the impact of wildfires in United States' southern Appalachians, according to a new study.

Rising annual drought patterns and heightened drought variability may amplify the incidence of wildfires, leading to increased forest burning, a paper published in journal Fire Ecology, January 12, 2024 found.

The southern Appalachians is a unique section of the mountain range comprising Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and North Carolina and features a wealth of forested land.

According to projections, drought years will be responsible for the majority of future burned areas. The results indic...