Pop quiz! Let’s test your intuition about melting ice.

1. Which melts faster? A block of ice that is:
   1. 1 foot square
   2. 1 inch square
2. Which melts faster? A block of ice sitting in:
   1. Direct sunlight
   2. Deep shade
3. Which melts faster? A block of ice wrapped in:
   1. Shiny white plastic
   2. Matte black plastic

If you answered B, A, B — congratulations! You’ve mastered the main ways wildfire accelerates snowmelt.

The Missing Shade

When a wildfire destroys the forest canopy, more snow reaches the ground — which sounds like a win. However, without the “umbrella” of tree cover to provide shade, that snow is exposed to the direct, punishing heat of the sun. Just like the block of ice in the sun, it stands no chance of lasting through the spring.

The Black Coating

Wildfire doesn’t just clear trees; it produces massive amounts of carbon (soot and ash). When these dark particles land on snow, they it becomes a giant heat-absorber. Just like wearing a black shirt on a hot day — or wrapping ice in black plastic — this “dirty” snow absorbs the sun’s energy instead of reflecting it, melting up to 57% faster than pristine white snow.

Why Should You Care?

If you live in the Western U.S., the mountain snowpack isn’t just for skiing — it’s your water supply. We rely on the snowpack to build up through the winter, and then slowly melt through the summer.

If the snowpack melts too quickly, we can experience two problems:

1. Spring floods: When the snow melts fast, it’s like trying to fill a tea cup with a firehose. Rivers and reservoirs overflow, causing dangerous floods.
2. Summer drought: Because the “ice block” melted too early in the spring, the water is long gone by the time the dry, hot months of July and August come around.

In short, the wildfire burns off anything providing shade and covers the ice block in black. As a consequence, it melts quickly, and the water spills across the table. By the time you’re thirsty, it’s all gone.

What can you do?

BEFORE the fire: Learn about and support sustainable forest and water management practices that protect the watershed and balance different needs.

DURING the fire: Stay safe!

AFTER the fire: Heed water usage restrictions and guidelines. Even if you see plenty of water now, there may be much less coming

RIGHT NOW: Make a donation to help Creative Crisis Leadership turn complex science into simple, life-saving knowledge!

Sources

1. Wildfire impacts on western United States snowpacks | Frontiers in Water
2. Wildfires Are Increasingly Burning California’s Snowy Landscapes and Colliding with Winter Droughts to Shrink California’s Snowpack | Desert Research Institute, February 2023
3. Severe Summer Wildfires Are Impacting Western U.S. Mountain Snowpack During Winter and Spring | NOAA February 2023

 

Stay Safe and Be Curious this Holiday Season!