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GrumpyUncleSean🔥

@grumpyunclesean.bsky.social
5.5K followers 758 following 751 posts

Research scientist | public land owner | facial hair enthusiast. Science interests: #Wildfire #Forests #GlobalChange

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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I’ll be presenting a webinar on Tuesday, October 6 at 1pm (central time) on the fire deficit across North American forests—what it is and what it means for forest ecosystems, the future of wildfire, and the people and places at risk. 🔥 Please join me for the discussion!
oakfirescience.com
Webinar topic: Living With the Fire Deficit: Forest Resilience, Community Risk, and the Future of Fire - Oak Fire Science
<p>Presented by: Dr. Sean Parks, Ariel Re UK Limited & US Forest Service (retired)</p> <p>Date: October 6, 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 PM (central time)</p> <p>Register here (required): <a href="https://umsyste...
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Michael Wara @michaelwara.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Today @gavinnewsom.bsky.social signed a whole series of wildfire prevention bills that cement his legacy on wildfire prevention. This California resident is very grateful. www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/29/g...
gov.ca.gov
Governor Newsom signs legislation to accelerate wildfire prevention projects, strengthen fire response, and harden communities against future disasters | Governor of California
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
This, my friends, is what we call the “wildfire paradox” 🔥 Also see 👇👇👇
nature.com
Fire suppression makes wildfires more severe and accentuates impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation - Nature Communications
Fire suppression removes less-extreme wildfires, concentrating fires under extreme conditions. The authors use model simulations to show how this “suppression bias” intensifies fire behavior and effec...
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Climate Risk Economics @climateeconomics.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
France allocated more than €1 billion ($1.16 billion) to support farmers following significant losses from successive heat waves, drought, and wildfires this summer. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
France Allocates Over €1 Billion in Farm Aid After Heat Waves
France allocated more than €1 billion ($1.16 billion) to support farmers following significant losses from successive heat waves and wildfires this summer.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
5/5 Huge congratulations to @pinonnino.bsky.social , @stevensjt.bsky.social, @coopecology.bsky.social, and the rest of the authors. I’m grateful to have been part of this excellent team.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
4/5 Similar patterns of increasing high-severity fire and forest loss are becoming apparent in other dry-conifer forests across the western U.S. This points to the importance of proactive forest restoration that can help sustain dry-conifer forests and reduce risks to nearby communities.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
3/5 High-severity fire since 1995 has burned large portions of the landscape, including forests that held centuries of fire-history records. One sobering finding: if recent rates continue, only about half of pre-1995 dry-conifer forest cover is projected to remain by 2055, and much less by 2115.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
2/5 In the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico, that pattern has changed dramatically. Using one of the most extensive tree-ring fire-scar networks in North America, we found that recent high-severity fires in this landscape have no analog in the past 500 years of documented fire history.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
1/5 New paper in PNAS led by Andreas Wion! 🔥🌍🧪 For centuries, dry-conifer forests in the western U.S. burned frequently, but mostly at low severity, meaning most trees were not killed by fire. Read on for details ...
doi.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
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Kylie Mohr @thatsmohrlikeit.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
the great shrubification 🫠 www.nytimes.com/2026/08/23/c...
nytimes.com
Bigger, Hotter Fires Are Slowly Erasing America’s Great Forests
Towering woodlands in the West are being permanently replaced by tracts of spiky shrubs. Conditions “just aren’t normal anymore,” one researcher said.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
4/4 As fire seasons lengthen and extreme fire weather becomes more common, understanding fast fire spread will be critical for forest management, postfire recovery, and adaptation. Congrats to @coopecology.bsky.social and the full team. I’m grateful to have been part of this work.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
3/4 That matters because large high-severity patches can leave burned areas farther from surviving live tree seed sources, reducing the likelihood of conifer forest recovery. So fire speed is not just an operational concern. It has long-term ecological consequences.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
2/4 Using nearly 3,500 fires from 2012-2023, we found that the fastest-spreading daily fire events burned disproportionately large areas. But they also tended to burn more severely and create larger high-severity patches.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
1/4 Fast fires don’t just burn more area. They can also change what comes back afterward. In a new Science Advances paper led by @coopecology.bsky.social, we looked at how rapid wildfire spread relates to burn severity and postfire forest recovery across western and boreal North America.
doi.org
Faster, bigger, more severe: Extreme wildfire spread sets the stage for forest ecosystem change in western and boreal North America
A relatively small number of rapidly spreading wildfire events burn disproportionately large areas. But beyond area burned, do fast fires produce distinct postfire ecological outcomes? Here, we measur...
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Friends of the Earth Australia @foe.org.au · 15/08/2026
'As Canada battles multiple raging wildfires, misinformation & disinformation about their causes are also spreading quickly online. CBC's Ashley Fraser breaks down how AI & conspiracy theories are being used to mislead people'. www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
cbc.ca
Wildfire misinformation is spreading — and people are profiting from it
As Canada battles multiple raging wildfires, misinformation and disinformation about their causes are also spreading quickly online. For The National, CBC's Ashley Fraser breaks down how AI and conspi...
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Jim Whittington🔥 @jimwhittington.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Other than everyone except the people actually in charge, who could have predicted such a thing?
nytimes.com
Federal Job Cuts Are Making Wildfires Harder to Fight (Gift Article)
The Trump administration pushed out thousands of veteran U.S. Forest Service staff. An ‘extraordinary’ fire season is testing those who are left.
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Jonathan Coop @coopecology.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Our new paper assesses relationships between wildfire rate of spread, area burned, and severity in western + boreal North American conifer forests 2012-2023. Take home message in the title: faster--> bigger--> more severe. With @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social, @jessforplanet.bsky.social and more! 🔥🧪🌍
science.org
Faster, bigger, more severe: Extreme wildfire spread sets the stage for forest ecosystem change in western and boreal North America
A relatively small number of rapidly spreading wildfire events burn disproportionately large areas. But beyond area burned, do fast fires produce distinct postfire ecological outcomes? Here, we measur...
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Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Unfortunately, and as anticipated, yesterday's widespread lightning-following-heat event amid severe drought has sparked a large number of additional wildfires, expanding existing outbreak across OR, WA, & BC. Numerous heat signatures & large smoke plumes are evident. #ORwx #WAwx
Current snapshot from NOAA Wildfire Fire Portal showing dozens of large, active fires (heat signatures and smoke plumes) from Oregon into southern British Columbia
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Mark Lubell @envpolicycenter.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Among all of the dire impacts of climate change, the rapidly increasing probably of "snow droughts" in the West is really scary for wildfire, water supply, and recreation. I do not suggest investing in a ski area. insideclimatenews.org/news/2207202...
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Emily Atkin @emorwee.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Here's a fun little coincidence I noticed: Every Republican Congressmember loudly blaming Canada's forest management policies for this year's unprecedented wildfires (and ignoring climate change) is a massive recipient of fossil fuel funding. Receipts👇
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
As wildfire season is now in full force (with ridiculous tariff threats from the US president), I think it an appropriate time to repost this thread. 🔥
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Climate change is reshaping where species can survive—and conservation must evolve with it. I'm excited to be a co-author on this new 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 synthesis exploring how we can better manage climate-driven species range shifts. Congrats to lead author Lise Comte and the entire team! 🧪🌎
researchgate.net
(PDF) At the leading edge: advancing and bridging the science and management of range-shifting species
PDF | Climate-mediated shifts in species distributions are reshaping ecosystems worldwide, creating major challenges for conservation and resource... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on...
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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Idea: To stop wildfire smoke from Canada, build a wall the entire length of the US/Canada border and the height of the tropopause (let’s make it 15 km to be safe). Or we can stop burning fossil fuels.
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Climatologist49 @climatologist49.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
🚨🚨🚨 March 2026 was the warmest March on record according to Prism climate data (1895-present). Previously, 2012 was far and away the warmest March, but this March beat 2012 by about half a degree Fahrenheit. This map shows how March temperatures ranked compared to all other Marches.🔥🔥🔥
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Carbon Brief @carbonbrief.org · 31/03/2026
NEW – How wildfires and storms drove insurance losses in 2025 – in three charts | @orladwyer.carbonbrief.org Ho Woo Nam Read here: buff.ly/0XOfI5t
Percentage of insured economic losses driven by primary perils (tropical cyclones (black), winter storms (dark grey), earthquakes (light grey) and secondary perils (floods (dark blue), convective storms (medium blue), wildfires (light blue) and other (pale blue) for 2025 and as decadal averages over 1995-2024. The 2015-24 figure amounts to 101% due to rounding. Source: Swiss Re (2026)
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Jonathan Coop @coopecology.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
Nice article from CBC featuring our recent research findings relating snowpack to fire severity. More important than how much area burns, is how it burns. 🔥🧪🌎 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social www.cbc.ca/news/science...
cbc.ca
Heat dome and snow melt could prime western U.S. for intense fire season | CBC Climate Change News
Mountains that normally see their peak snowpack in March are brown this year, thanks to a spring heat dome that baked western U.S. for much of the second half of the month. That's raising alarm bells ...
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Kylie Mohr @thatsmohrlikeit.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Think a warmer, drier spring means no rx fire (like I did?) Think again! www.hcn.org/articles/why...
hcn.org
Why intentional fires can still be safe during this dry spring - High Country News
Land managers across the West are finding pockets of cool, wet conditions, allowing them to safely reduce future fire risk.
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Bob Berwyn @bberwyn.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
The western U.S., limping away from one of the driest winters on record, is primed for wildfires. insideclimatenews.org/news/2703202...
insideclimatenews.org
This Year’s US Wildfires Have Already Set Records That Could Foreshadow a Smoky, Fiery Summer - Inside Climate News
Recently released data show how drought, paltry Western snows and unseasonable heat, all exacerbated by climate change, could be priming the nation for a long wildfire season.
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Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
1/ For those of us keeping an eye on systemic #climate risks, these aren’t difficult dots to connect. I find it downright frightening. We need to brace for impacts and spring into preparedness now. This thread outlines 6 key papers and what we can do in response. ⬇️🧵
6 front pages of articles about climate risk connected by a red line.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Trust me: the alternative is worse.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
To complement this @theguardian.com article, please see our new (very timely) paper on snow-wildfire dynamics 🔥
iopscience.iop.org
Snowpack decline kindles more severe fire in the western United States
Snowpack decline kindles more severe fire in the western United States, Balik, Jared A, Coop, Jonathan D, Parks, Sean A
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Jeff Berardelli @weatherprof.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Lowest snowpack on record in the Southwest by longgg shot! Only 36% of normal currently. Much lower in spots. Former record 57% in 2015 going back to 1987. Obviously this can have huge implications for water availability and fire season… 1/
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
5/5 Other members of the research team include Jared Balik (lead author) and @coopecology.bsky.social
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
4/5 Another key finding: 3) Overall, continued snowpack decline is expected to drive increases in both total area burned and fire severity—not just more fires, but more damaging ones! Increased high-severity fire raises the risk of forest loss and conversion to shrubland or grassland.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
3/5 Another key finding: 2) Reduced winter snowpack results in higher severity fire that is more damaging to forests. This is highly relevant given ongoing declines in western US snowpack in some areas. The southwestern US, for example, shows the strongest evidence of long-term snowpack decline.
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
2/5 Coincidentally, our research team published a paper on snowpack-wildfire dynamics yesterday! Here are the key findings: 1) Early snowmelt results in more area burned by extending the fire season. We already knew this, but importantly ...
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
1/5 NEW paper alert! 🧪🔥 A lot of you know that snowpack is currently at a record or near-record low in many watersheds in the western US. A logical question is thus: how will the low snowpack affect wildfire in the coming months? Read the thread for key findings ...
iopscience.iop.org
Snowpack decline kindles more severe fire in the western United States
Snowpack decline kindles more severe fire in the western United States, Balik, Jared A, Coop, Jonathan D, Parks, Sean A
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Clare Boerigter @clareboe.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
My research team recently published “Guardians and gardeners: Managing wilderness for the twenty-first century.” If you’re interested in wilderness philosophies, Indigenous stewardship, and the questions raised by climate change and fire - this one’s for you! www.researchgate.net/publication/...
researchgate.net
(PDF) Guardians and gardeners: Managing wilderness for the twenty-first century
PDF | The 1964 Wilderness Act is a landmark piece of legislation, providing robust protections from development, mechanization, and resource extraction... | Find, read and cite all the research you ne...
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Michael Wara @michaelwara.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Interesting article in the @wsj.com by Katherine Clarke about a rebuild in the Pacific Palisades area. Two things to note - expensive but not crazy build costs plus a massive savings generated on insurance. www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
wsj.com
What a $3 Million Fire-Resistant Home Looks Like
After losing his house to the L.A. wildfires, a developer built a new one designed to resist an active fire for around six hours.
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Jeff Berardelli @weatherprof.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
🔥 Critical Fire Weather Monday 🔥 “Critical” is rare for #Florida - a couple times of year. And it’s the first of 2026 due to very dry air, gusty winds and drought-stricken crisp ground. Please take great care as any fire that ignites will spread rapidly. This will be a challenging #fire season!
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Yale Environment 360 @yalee360.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Hot, dry, windy conditions are increasingly arising in multiple regions at the same time, setting the stage for simultaneous wildfires around the world, a study shows. via @vox.com
e360.yale.edu
Warming Raises the Risk That Multiple Wildfires Strike at Once
Firefighters combat a grass fire in Alexandra, Australia, in January. Jay Kogler / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images 
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Peter Gleick @petergleick.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Me. I'm a mad scientist. (Paul Noth cartoons)
One scientist talking to two others.
"These days. If you're not a mad scientist, you're not paying attention."
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Joseph D. Ortiz @earthsciinfo.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
EV battery technology continues to astound! 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 electrek.co/2026/02/24/s...
electrek.co
Solid-state EV batteries are rolling out in China, promising nearly 1,000 miles of range
Chinese battery manufacturers already account for well over 50% of the global market, but new battery types, including solid-state, are...
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Problembear @problembear.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
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Kari Norman @karinorman.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Really proud of my paper with @ecologyofgavin.bsky.social, @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social, Andrew Stillman, and Courtney Davis out now in @natcomms.nature.com, which looks at the forecasted exposure of bird biodiversity to high severity fire in the western US. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Exposure of western United States bird communities to predicted high severity fire - Nature Communications
Changing fire regimes, leading to higher likelihood of high severity fire, are having unknown impacts on biodiversity. This study identifies regions of high avian biodiversity and individual bird spec...
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Some nice media exposure about the threatened whitebark pine that highlights one of our recent studies. 🧪🌎
nationalparkstraveler.org
Ecosystems At Risk If This Pine Tree Vanishes From Rockies
Underway in the West is an environmental calamity that threatens a pine species that helps control spring meltwater that fills reservoirs communities depend upon, holds cultural significance to tribal...
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Murphy Woodhouse @murphywoodhouse.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Democracy may die in darkness, but it also seems you can kill it in broad daylight.
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❌ Rosie The Boomer❌💪🐏⚖️☮️🍷🧶✊🪧🌹 @judyhartmant.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
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Ned Webb @nefariusned.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
None of what's happening now would be possible without gop enablers. They own all of it. The gop is the party of evil. Vote them all out.
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ACCR @accr.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
In 2025, more than 200 climate-related disasters affected more than 87.8 million people worldwide, according to prelim figures from the International Disaster Database. The disasters include flash floods, landslides, severe storms, wildfires & droughts. news.mongabay.com/short-articl...
news.mongabay.com
More than 87m people impacted by climate-related disasters in 2025
In 2025, more than 200 climate-related disasters affected more than 87.8 million people worldwide, according to preliminary figures from the International Disaster Database analyzed by Mongabay. The d...
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