Recent studies have found that while some watersheds begin to recover within five years of a fire, others may be fundamentally altered, never fully returning to their pre-fire conditions.
When fires scorch the land, they burn that vegetation and organic matter, leaving behind a bare landscape that's highly susceptible to erosion.
Rhoades found elevated levels of nutrients, like nitrogen, in rivers almost 15 years after a high-severity fire.
Wildfires can increase sediment in rivers and reservoirs, spark algae blooms, and pollute watercourses with dangerous chemicals, affecting long-term water quality.
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