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Dozens of forest fires have broken out North Carolina,, South CarolinaAnd Georgia At the beginning of March 2025 as strong winds, abnormally dry conditions and low humidity combined to light and spread the flames.
Fires followed a year of cervical boost in the Carolines, of a drought flash during the summer Far -hail flooding In September, then return to drought again. Storms on March 5, 2025 helped Douse of many fires Always burning, but the southeast shooting season has only just started. Forest experts at Wake Forest University Lauren Lowman And Nick Corak Put the fires and dry winter in the region in context.
Why did Carolines see so many forest fires?
Most North and South Carolina have been abnormally dry or moderate drought Since at least November 2024. Regular drought conditions have they have flooded vegetation, leaving fuel for forest fires.
When the earth and the vegetation are so dry, everything you need is a love at first sight or an artificial fire and gusts of wind to start a forest fire.
The hurricanes flooded the region at the end of the summer of 2024, but before that, the Carolines experienced a Flash drought.
Flash droughts are extreme droughts that develop quickly due to the lack of precipitation and dry conditions in the atmosphere. When the atmosphere is dry, it pulls the water from the vegetation and the floors, Dry the surface.
In August and September, Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene caused many floods in both states, but the Carolines received little precipitation in the months that followed, leaving the winter of 2025 abnormally dry again.
How unusual fires in the region?
The fires are historically quite common in the Carolines. They are a natural part of the landscape, and many Ecosystems have evolved To depend on them.
Carnivorous plants such as Venus Flychtraps and Pitcher Plants count on a frequent fire activity To eliminate shrubs and other plants that would grow up on them and block the light. Even some The fauna depends on the fire For their habitats and for the food of the native plant mixture which grows up after a fire.
