Wildfire and weather extremes – University of Nevada, Reno

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Weather extremes, including droughts, flooding and severe snow storms, impact Lake Tahoe and its surrounding communities. Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability researchers address weather extremes and wildfire issues, including planning for wildfire, tracking and understanding changes in wildfire in near-real time, or addressing the impacts from smoke and ash emission during active fires or measuring impacts after wildfires have altered landscapes. Faculty and students work towards solving issues related to wildfire and climate extremes by providing key scientific information to managers and policy makers who are addressing wildfire related needs. 
Researchers with the Institute have been working to understand the impacts of smoke and burning material from the Caldor, Dixie and other fires on Lake Tahoe. Not all smoke or ash that deposits on the lake are created equal.  Through collaborations with Utah State University, U.C. Davis and other institutions, researchers show how the quality of the ash and firebrands impacts the water quality of algal growth.
Climate change is transforming winter conditions across the Tahoe region and Western Nevada, with rising temperatures converting precipitation from snow to rain, particularly at mid-elevations between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, resulting in significantly reduced snowpack even in high-precipitation years. As storms continue to warm, lower and mid-elevation areas face declining snow seasons, while higher elevations remain more resilient, making elevation the defining factor in how the Sierra Nevada adapts to a warming climate.
As part of an extensive network to help firefighters and first responders with wildfire discovery, monitoring and evacuations, an ALERTWildfire camera is installed in the Whittell Forest & Wildlife Area. ALERTWildfire is a consortium of the University of Nevada, Reno, the University of California San Diego and the University of Oregon. The system features highdefinition pan-tilt-zoom cameras that rotate 360 degrees, giving real-time information around the clock using near-infrared technology, all coupled with private microwave networks and internet that give firefighters valuable information about the fires. Cameras can see from 40 to 60 miles during the day and 80 to 100 miles or more at night.
Dr. Erin Hanan leads the Fire and Dryland Ecosystems Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Since its inception, the University of Nevada, Reno Living with Fire (LWF) extension has created materials for residents that have been shared and applied to fire-prone regions throughout the country.
The Harpold lab tackles grand challenges related to water sustainability in response to unprecedented environmental change and increasing water demand in the 21st century.
The Computational Mountain Studies research group focuses on snow and ice in the climate system, and how they melt and become water supply for communities and ecosystems.
1072 Evans Avenue, Reno, NV 89512
sudeep@unr.edu
(775) 682-6066

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