Want to predict wildfires? The key may be underneath Colorado, Western states

Want to predict wildfires? The key may be underneath Colorado, Western states

Recent studies show soil moisture may have a strong link to where Western forest fires spark and spread.

Colorado Fire Fight Goes Underground as Soil Secrets Rewrite Wildfire Playbook

Out on Colorado's high ridges, where the wind usually gets all the blame for fire danger, scientists are making the case that the real action is happening underfoot. A growing group of researchers and land managers says tracking how wet or dry the soil is could sharpen wildfire forecasts in ways that traditional weather and drought maps simply cannot match. Last summer, research teams spread out across Independence Pass and other high-country sl…