Weiskittel speaks to CNN about forest fires
CNN interviewed Aaron Weiskittel, professor of forest biometrics and modeling at the University of Maine, about the increased risk of wildfires in the Northeast this year. “Wherever there’s forests, there’s always a risk of forest fires,” Weiskittel said. Weiskittel also explained that climate change and milder winters in the Northeast are contributing to an influx of pests — since winters aren’t always cold enough to kill the insects — and allowing some species to move further north. “The trees will survive three to five years of defoliation, but after that it’s a struggle,” Weiskittel said.