One of the weirdest things about climate change is that it’s making areas of the world more like their key features. Wet areas are getting WAY wetter. Dry areas are getting WAY dryer. These changes lead to floods and fires. Neither of those are good but that second one is really bad.

Wildfires destroy vegetation and habitats. In dry conditions, they quickly go out of control and ravage the surrounding areas. They can go for a small area to a very large problem very quickly leaving people and animals homeless or far worse. Fires in dry areas also affect the landscape for years to come leading to erosion and lack of new growth.

Scientists are trying to stay ahead of these damages by understanding where fires will spring up and attempting track their passage. As the Earth gets warmer, studies like this will become more and more vital to the safety of people who live in areas prone to burning.