Fire suppression exacerbates extreme wildfire conditions, worsening climate change and fuel accumulation impacts.

New study from the University of Montana reveals unintended consequences of fire suppression: fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation. Attempting to suppress all wildfires results in fires burning with more severe ecological impacts and accelerated increases in burned area beyond those expected from fuel accumulation or climate change.