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This year's devastating wildfires are a visible example of how climate change is impacting national parks. By early October, wildfires covered 8 million acres of the West, burning in or adjacent to Yosemite, Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain, and many more. "We are entering this era where fires are becoming larger and more severe and more destructive. 2018 was on the map for some of the most destructive fires ever recorded... this year surpassed them again," said Jennifer Gibson, chief of resources and fire at Crater Lake National Park. Park managers are working to adjust to the new conditions, implementing fuel reduction projects and preparing firefighting infrastructure. However, parks are at “the extreme warm edge of historical conditions,” a fact that leaves them vulnerable to fires.
Wildfires are just one of the effects of climate change on national parks. Research shows that national park areas are warming twice as fast as the rest of the country, exacerbating impacts from drought to ecosystem shifts. While park lands are disproportionately impacted by climate change, they also present opportunities for climate mitigation. As one of the strongest conservation designations, national parks serve as hubs of conservation, connecting larger landscapes for wildlife migration and climate resiliency.
Interior says it is following court order on Pendley removal
Despite William Perry Pendley's insistence that the court order ousting him from the helm of the Bureau of Land Management had no effect, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt says otherwise. Bernhardt told reporters that the Interior Department is complying with the court's orders and that Pendley is "not the acting director," a contradiction of Pendley's recent message.
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I think for a long time the climate effort focused on rightfully closing down coal power and shifting to a clean energy economy but I think a lot of scientists are realizing that lands and climate are one in the same and you need this wide-reaching [30x30] approach to addressing the climate crisis.”
