Why do flash floods happen after intense wildfires?
The short answer:
Under normal conditions, when it rains a lot of that water soaks into the ground. Intense wildfires remove vegetation and burn the soil making it harder for water to soak in. This means that more water flows directly into streams and rivers and this can lead to flash flooding, especially in mountainous regions. Additionally, downed trees can also be swept downstream leading to dangerous debris flows.
On Social Media:
Media Downloads:
VIDEOS
| Name | Description | Size | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Floods & Wildfires Animation (zip) | Video (mp4) with no voiceover or captions plus English script | 120 MB | 43s |
| Flash Floods & Wildfires English Voice (zip) | Video (mp4) with English voiceover and captions | 120 MB | 50s |
References and Additional Resources
To learn more about this question checkout these resources:
- FEMA prepare for floods after fires
- National Flood Insurance Protection Program. (Jan, 2012). Flood after fire fact sheet.
- Pima County. (2023). Floods follow fires.