"Some say the world will end in fire," wrote Robert Frost a century ago. The poet described one popular take on the world's end before shifting to its apocalyptic opposite, writing, "some say in ice."
According to experts, wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense in the western United States as a result of decreasing sea ice. During the months of July to October when sea ice melts, the Sun warms the increasingly ice-free surrounding region. This eventually delivers heat and fire-friendly conditions to faraway places like California, Washington, and Oregon in the fall and early winter.