Press Herald interviews Birkel on Maine’s risk for wildfires
The Portland Press Herald interviewed Sean Birkel, Maine state climatologist and assistant professor at the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, on the likelihood of a large fire developing in Maine. Birkel said the Northeast region of the country is more humid than the western part, but drought conditions in recent years have increased the risk for wildfires. “As the climate warms, we expect to see a continuing trend toward precipitation extremes,” Birkel said. “One likely outcome is that we see more intense wet periods and more intense dry periods.”