Overview

• A study published June 23 in Nature Communications Earth & Environment compared decades of water quality data from 245 burned and nearly 300 unburned western U.S. watersheds to isolate wildfire impacts.
• In the first year after a fire, sediment and turbidity levels increased 19 to 286 times above prefire baselines while organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus rose three to 103 times.
• Nitrogen and sediment concentrations remained significantly elevated for up to eight years post-fire, increasing the risk of algal blooms and harmful byproducts in drinking water.
• Watersheds with denser forests or greater urban burn areas experienced more severe and prolonged contamination, highlighting the need for tailored watershed management.
• Municipal utilities must prepare for multi-year treatment expenses, exemplified by Denver’s more than $27 million investment after the Buffalo Creek and Hayman fires.