Climate change drives wildfires higher into mountains, threatening western water supplies as snow melts earlier

As climate change intensifies across the American West, wildfires are climbing to unprecedented elevations, reaching the high-mountain watersheds that serve as the region’s primary water storage system. A groundbreaking new study reveals that these blazes are fundamentally altering when and how the West’s crucial snowpack melts, with potentially devastating consequences for water security.

The research shows that in areas recently scorched by wildfire, snow disappears significantly earlier than in unburned forests. This acceleration occurs because fires remove the protective tree canopy that normally shields snow from direct sunlight and wind, while also darkening the landscape with ash and debris that absorbs more heat. The result is a dramatic shift in the timing of snowmelt, which traditionally provides steady water flow throughout the spring and summer months.

This phenomenon creates a cascading crisis downstream. Communities, farms, and ecosystems that depend on gradual snowmelt for their water supply may face earlier flooding followed by prolonged drought conditions. The change also threatens forest recovery, as trees and other vegetation lose access to the slow, steady moisture release that healthy watersheds typically provide.

The study underscores how climate change creates compounding environmental challenges – not only are rising temperatures making wildfires more frequent and severe, but these fires are now reaching elevations previously considered safe havens. As this cycle intensifies, Western states may need to fundamentally rethink their water management strategies to adapt to a new reality where mountain snowpack becomes increasingly unreliable.