Wildfires increasingly impact rivers and water supplies

Abstract

Wildfires are increasing in frequency, severity, duration and extent with potentially catastrophic impacts on river systems and water supplies. Scientists are quantifying these impacts and studying the underlying factors driving the susceptibility of landscapes to post-fire erosion in a changing climate. Recommended actions include: (1) rapid response water monitoring during and after fires, (2) citizen science and (3) machine learning to provide communities with data and predicted impacts in near real-time.