On January 7, a forest fire started in Los Angeles, which quickly grew into a large-scale disaster, destroying hundreds of buildings.. Local authorities were forced to announce an evacuation, which was later canceled. Scientists now believe that a series of sharp changes from extremely dry to extremely wet conditions contributed to the terrible winter fires, writes Science Alert..

A new review of more than 200 papers shows that this extreme change in conditions, also known as " It is believed that the reason is the growing ability of the atmosphere to absorb and retain moisture. As Earth's climate rapidly approaches 3 degrees Celsius of warming, such fluctuations, which trigger widespread wildfires and floods, are expected to double.

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According to climate scientist Daniel Swain of the University of California, Los Angeles, the massive wildfire in California is essentially an example of how "

As the atmosphere warms, its ability to absorb, hold and release water increases. Back in the early 19th century, scientists discovered that this ability of the atmospheric sponge increases with each degree of warming by about 7%. However, increased water retention means that even if total precipitation remains the same in a given location, the ecosystem will become drier. At the same time, rainfall causes a boom in vegetation, which then dries out, creating the perfect recipe for increasingly intense forest fires..

According to Swain, it was this sequence of “hydroclimatic whiplashes” that doubled the risk of fire in California. In simple terms, climatic conditions initially increased the growth of hot grass and shrubs in the months leading up to the fire season, and then dried out the vegetation with subsequent dryness and warmth.

Further, all that is needed to start a large-scale forest fire is a spark, which is now often provided by nature itself. Previously, scientists discovered that the number of lightning strikes during thunderstorms has increased significantly - another consequence of the climate catastrophe. Scientists have found that just 1 degree Celsius of warming increases the number of lightning strikes by about 12%..

Moreover, shifts in the timing of dry and wet periods in this deadly cycle also cause complications that have exacerbated dangerous conditions in Los Angeles. Climate change is increasing the overlap between extremely dry late-season vegetation conditions and the occurrence of wind events, Swain said.. Ultimately, scientists believe this is a key link between climate change and California's massive wildfires..

In their work, the scientists used meteorological data and found that the " Unfortunately, scientists expect that hydroclimatic variability will continue to increase in scale and actively manifest itself.

The only way to slow down this process, according to scientists, is to reduce fossil fuel emissions - something that researchers have long warned humanity about..

Focus previously wrote that “devilish winds” are fueling deadly wildfires in California.