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Wildland fires delay Arctic snow cover formation

Wildland fires in snow-dominated regions such as the Arctic can have profound effects on snowpack characteristics. Satellite observations reveal a delay in snow cover formation in the Arctic following major wildland fires. Machine learning and causal analyses suggest that this delay is linked to fire-induced reductions in albedo and increases in surface temperature.

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Fig. 1: Drivers of delayed snow cover formation following fire events.

References

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This is a summary of: Qing, Y. et al. Delayed formation of Arctic snow cover in response to wildland fires in a warming climate. Nat. Clim. Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02443-6 (2025).

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Wildland fires delay Arctic snow cover formation. Nat. Clim. Chang. 15, 1037–1038 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02444-5

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