In response to “Are extreme summers the new normal in Minnesota?” by Yasmine Askari:
It came as a relief when reading that the summer that Minnesota has experienced this year is likely to be an uncommon one. The combination of extreme heat, drought, and wildfire smoke is unlikely to be a common occurrence. However, the part that stood out in this article is how easily the increase in wildfires and temperatures were seemingly brushed over. The last few years have shown a frighteningly high increase in fires, not just in the state but the entire world. If Minnesota is going to start accepting warmer temperatures as a new norm, then we’re going to have to accept more wildfires and smoky skies as part of that norm.
Longer wildfire seasons
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, wildfire seasons are getting longer. On average, the seasons are expanding by an additional 3.5 months a year. The main reason for this: higher temperatures and shorter winters. As referenced in the article, the warmer temperatures that we have been experiencing only seem to be affecting our winters, but that is a major red flag in itself. Shorter and warmer winters leave more time for wildfire seasons.
Another part of the article mentioned that Minnesota has actually experiencing one of its wettest decades ever recorded. This was mentioned to counter the fact that Minnesota is experiencing a drought right now. However it’s important to point out that, according to a study done by Yongqiang Liu and colleagues (2013) on future wildfire potential in the United States, areas that are experiencing higher amounts of precipitation are still at greater risk for wildfires when rising temperatures are involved. Even with more rain, increased temperatures cause quicker evaporation, which leads to shorter winters and more natural fuel for wildfires to use once they get started.
Serious health issues
Not only do wildfires destroy homes and infrastructure, but they cause health concerns for the people who live near them. One study by Rongbin Xu and colleagues (2020) on wildfires and human health noted that people can be physically affected by wildfires as far as 620 miles away from where it’s burning. According to this same study, experiences include inhalation, heat stroke, and cardiac and respiratory issues. These are serious health issues that can especially affect children, pregnant women, and people over the age of 65. This is a large part of the population that is going to need extra assistance during times of wildfires, even if that means that the fires are an entire state away.
[image_caption]Rachel Schwalbach[/image_caption]
Rachel Schwalbach is a graduate student studying clinical social work at the University of St. Thomas. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work.
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Yes of course we will have more forest fires, how else does Mother Natural clear the ground for new growth? In nature trees grow, they die, they burn, the cycle starts again. We are hitting the hundred year mark on extensive logging that was done in N E Minnesota, at the turn of century 1900’s. That means we have mature forests that are prone to burn. Counties up here on the Range have done a good job of logging state land but Federal land has not been opened up for logging. With Minnesota having 2.9 million acres in Govt/state land (the majority of it from Duluth to International Falls) the natural cycle of giant forest fires will happen, bank on it. The only alternative is forest management (logging) and that is a dirty word for some. As I stated before, when I asked my friend, who is a longtime DNR guy, why we don’t do more logging to deter giant fires in Northern Minnesota his simple answer is, leadership is anti logging.
New growth is what nature is looking for, it allows sun to reach forest floor, it allows a new verity of plants a chance to grow which feeds animals, it doesn’t burn! That will happen by management or by fire.
One fact a lot of these articles seem to miss is the undeniable effects of the Spruce Budworm that has led to the death of our beloved spruce trees in the great Northwoods (much like the Emerald Ash Borer killing ash trees). Add in a lot of birch dying, coupled with warmer temperatures and drought, it’s a potentially bad situation. We live about 40 miles from the Greenwood Fire, but with some winds that could easily come our way very fast. It will be interesting to see what this area will look like in 50 years with various invasive species and climate change happening. There could be a lot less forest, regardless of logging.