Changes including intensifying drought, expansion into burnable land, and an increase in human-caused ignitions have led to a shift in fire patterns.
Disaster management
Posted inResearch Spotlights
ICON Principles Underused as a Natural Hazards Research Tool
Scientists identify barriers to and opportunities for applying integrated, connected, open, and networked research strategies to natural hazards studies.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Tools for Improved Drought and Flood Response
A new book presents recent advances in the modeling and remote sensing of droughts and floods of use to emergency response organizations and policy makers on a global scale.
Posted inScience Updates
Making the Most of Volcanic Eruption Responses
Last year, a new collaborative initiative conducted a hypothetical volcano response exercise. A month later, they put the knowledge gained to use during an actual eruption.
Posted inOpinions
Building Resilience in Rural America
People in rural communities are often hit disproportionately hard by natural hazards, largely because of in-equitable and inflexible risk reduction policies. But there are ways to change that.
Posted inScience Updates
Assessing Social Equity in Disasters
Natural hazard impacts and resources allocated for risk reduction and disaster recovery are often inequitably distributed. New research is developing and applying methods to measure these inequities.
Posted inFeatures
Natural Hazards Have Unnatural Impacts—What More Can Science Do?
As disadvantaged communities suffer disproportionately from natural hazards, scientists, policymakers, and emergency managers explore why policies are failing—and what can be done about it.
Posted inFeatures
An Unfought Geoscience Battle in U.S. Prisons
Prisoners, activists, and lawyers are fighting to protect incarcerated people from pollution and the dangers of climate change. There’s a place for geoscientists in the fight too.
Posted inNews
Heavy Rains, Human Activity, and Rising Waters at Lake Victoria
Water levels in Africa’s largest lake have risen over a meter since last fall and continue to increase as land use changes and heavy rains enhance the flow.
Posted inNews
Leveraging Satellite Sensors for Oil Spill Detection
By using multiple remote sensors, scientists can quickly estimate the nature and thickness of oil spills—important factors for containment efforts.