CA Wildfires Could Increase 77% By 2100: Report

CALIFORNIA -- Californians could see more wildfires and less beaches by 2100 if climate change continues without human intervention, according to a state report released Monday. California officials detailed their findings in the fourth Climate Change Assessment.

The assessment includes 44 technical reports and 13 summary reports detailing climate change impacts to help the state prepare for a future punctuated by severe wildfires, more frequent and longer droughts, rising sea levels, increased flooding, coastal erosion and extreme heat events, officials said.

“In California, facts and science still matter,” Gov. Jerry Brown said in a press release. “These findings are profoundly serious and will continue to guide us as we confront the apocalyptic threat of irreversible climate change.”

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Among the key findings, researchers said wildfires would increase by 77 percent in 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. In addition, the frequency of extreme wildfires burning more than 25,000 acres would increase by nearly 50 percent. In the areas that have the highest fire risk, the cost of wildfire insurance is estimated to rise by 18 percent by 2055.

The assessment also found:

• When it comes to sea-level rise, up to 67 percent of Southern California beaches may completely disappear by 2100 without human interventions.
• Higher temperatures will increase electricity demand for air conditioning, primarily in inland regions and Southern California.
• Heat-related illnesses and deaths are expected to worsen throughout the state. By mid-century, the Central Valley is projected to experience heat waves that average two weeks longer than those today, and the hot spells could occur four to 10 times more often in the Northern Sierra region.

Read the full Fourth Climate Change Assessment at www.ClimateAssessment.ca.gov.

Smoke from the Holy Fire burning in Cleveland National Forest is blurred in a long exposure above an industrial storage facility (BOTTOM C) on August 10, 2018 in Corona, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)