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Student Name: Nicholas Kerkmeester Section: Core / Core extension (HL) / Options
(Highlight as
appropriate)

Syllabus Part (Highlight as Unit/Option : Geographic Inquiry (learning objective):

appropriate): Climate change, unit 2
The implications of climate change: changes in biomes -
One (Options) / Two (core) case study - forest fires in the USA
/ Three HL extension)

Case Study Title:

Case Study Facts & Figures

Who? The USA Fact1: Data Point 1

Dense american forests Absorb 13% of the
are a significant carbon greenhouse gasses that the
sink US emits through the burning
of fossil fuels

What? Forests fires have reached new highest Fact 2: Data Point 2 .
America has had a rise 2013 yosemite national park
in fires, insect was affected by california's
infestations, and drought third largest wildfires ever,
burned over a quarter of a
million acres

When? 2015 Fact 3: In 2015 over 10 Data Point 3 This was the
million of America’s 766 biggest area burned since
million acres of forest 1960, and it cost the US
were consumed by government over $2 billion.
wildres.

Why? The forest fires in 2013 and 2015 in the United Fact 4: Fire is an Data Point 4
States were caused by a combination of factors important part of the However,
including high temperatures, low humidity, strong winds, natural system. mismanagement is also
and dry conditions. In many cases, the fires were Wildres clear away fuelling the flames
started by natural causes such as lightning strikes, but disease, remove leaf since 1910, the US
some were caused by human activities such as litter government has suppressed
campfires, cigarettes, or equipment use. and create space for wildres and planted dense
new growth. They forest to replace
prevent that lost by logging –
the build-up of woody increasing the impact of
material. wildres when they do occur.

Where? Sketch Map(s)

United States, north america

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Key Terminology
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

page 2
S.P.E.E.D. GRID . Think! Short term or long term?
Social Political Benefits of wildfires Environmental Key facts and
statistics:

● Fire is an important Wildres clear away ● High Climate change is

part of the natural disease, remove temperature believed to have
system. leaf litter s made California’s
Wildres clear away and create space ● Low drought 15–20 per
disease, remove leaf for new growth humidity cent more severe;
litter ● Strong in Alaska, where
and create space for winds the average winter
new growth. They ● Dry
temperature has
prevent conditions
risen by over 3°C
the build-up of woody ● Lightning
material. However, strikes since 1950 – over
mismanagement is ● Human twice the average
also fuelling the activities: for the rest of
flames: campfires, America – its
since 1910, the US cigarettes r impact is even
government has equipment greate
suppressed use
wildres and planted
dense forest to replace
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that lost by logging –

increasing the impact
of
wildres when they do
occur. Climate change
is believed to have
made California’s
drought
15–20 per cent more
severe; in Alaska,
where
the average winter
temperature has risen
by
over 3°C since 1950 –
over twice the average
for
the rest of America –
its impact is even
greater.
By accelerating the
melting of winter snow,
for
example, in Alaska and
the mountains of the
West – the Rockies,
the Cascades and
Sierra
Nevada – hotter
temperatures have
made the re
season longer, from an
average

● ● ● ● Predictions ●
of forest
areas to
burn the
double from
what they
already did
● Forests
have trees
that don't
repel
insects
anymore (ie
in the boreal
forest, trees
have an
uncontrolled
amount of
the spruce
beetle)

● ● ● ● ●
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Sources:
1.