Tom Swetnam says tree rings tell the tale of how climate, fire and people interacted hundreds and thousands of years ago. Today that interaction continues, and Swetnam says climate change is causing earlier snowmelt—which can lead to bigger, hotter blazes. Brett Fay joins to talk about predicting the movements of a wildfire.
Segment Guests
Brett Fay
Brett Fay is an assistant fire management coordinator in the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
Tom Swetnam
Tom Swetnam is a professor of dendrochronology and director of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
Meet the Producer
About Christopher Intagliata
@cintagliataChristopher Intagliata was Science Friday’s senior producer. He once served as a prop in an optical illusion and speaks passable Ira Flatowese.