Fire has always shaped the landscape in California. But today it burns hotter, more frequently, and spreads further than ever before—a shift driven by human development, climate change, and the prevalence of invasive species, which are non-native plants that have negative effects on local ecosystems. Grasses and trees brought to California for agriculture, landscaping, or by accident, have transformed the state’s fire dynamics.
“Many non-native species can propagate fire faster than native plants,” says David Acuña, battalion chief for Cal Fire, the state’s department of forestry and fire protection. This transformation is an overlooked driver for the increasingly destructive wildfires in California and around the world.
Southern California is dominated by