Ignition matters

Sadegh, Mojtaba, Abatzoglou, John T., AghaKouchak, Amir and Seydi, Seyd T., (2025). Ignition matters. Nature Sustainability, n/a-n/a
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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Sadegh, Mojtaba
    Abatzoglou, John T.
    AghaKouchak, Amir
    Seydi, Seyd T.
    Title Ignition matters
    Appearing in Nature Sustainability
    Publication Date 2025-03-27
    Place of Publication United Kingdom
    Publisher Springer Nature
    Start page n/a
    End page n/a
    Language eng
    Abstract Many of the destructive fires in California are started by electricity-related ignitions, mainly during extreme winds. To prevent such fires, utilities have implemented public safety power shut-offs (PSPS) as a fire prevention strategy during critical fire weather conditions; a practice that dates back to 2013 in Southern California. While the official causes of the LA fires are not yet determined, the Eaton fire started close to a powerline during one of the strongest Santa Ana wind events coincident with dry fuels in a decade. PSPS was implemented on some circuits on 7 January 2025, but preliminary information shows that the circuit co-located with the ignition was not de-energized. Early investigations for the Palisades Fire suggest a possible source was the rekindling of a fire that was started by the New Year’s fireworks and believed to have been fully suppressed. This would not be the first time rekindling of ignitions occurred. The Calf Canyon Fire in New Mexico in April 2022, which merged with the Hermit’s Peak Fire to destroy more than 1,500 structures, was a holdover from a January pile burn that was not fully extinguished. There are other examples. ‘Zombie’ fires in permafrost burn under a pile of snow over the winter and carry smolders from one year to the next. Wildfires generally reduce hazardous fuels and mitigate the occurrence and intensity of subsequent fires in the same vicinity, but when a wildfire is not fully extinguished, the hazard reduction effect may be illusory if critical fire weather re-emerges.
    Copyright Holder The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
    Copyright Year 2025
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI 10.1038/s41893-025-01527-7
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    Created: Tue, 08 Apr 2025, 00:32:56 JST by Miriam Aczel on behalf of UNU INWEH