Chapter 1 Introduction

The topic of this project is the trends and relationships between wildfires and drought conditions in the United States. There’s no doubt that the wildfires and drought are raising more attention in the recent years. In fact, wildfires have become a symbol of the summer or fall in many locations around the county. Wildfires can cause property damage, disrupt transportation, deteriorate air quality, and lead to loss of belongings or even lives among those involved.

We are interested in drought and wildfire because they are major natural disasters that can have devastating impacts on the environment and human populations. Droughts can lead to water scarcity, crop failures, and famine while wildfires can cause destruction of ecosystems, displacement of people, and loss of life. Understanding the causes and effects of these disasters can help us manage and prepare for them in the future.

The relationship between drought and fire is complex. The timing, intensity, and frequency of drought events may have divergent impacts on fire behavior. Drought and the drying of ecosystems leads to increased fuel in forest understories and grasslands. But is there evidence of drought becoming more common in the United States? Is there evidence of increased number of wildfires? We are intrigued to explore more about the relationship to better help us understand trends in wildfires and drought, and better understand the changing environment.