As Western wildfires get more destructive, scientists are finding a far-off connection to shrinking ice on the Arctic Ocean.
Researchers predict a tripling of thunderstorms by the end of the century, which could lead to heavier rainfall and flash flooding, landslides and more lightning-sparked wildfires.
The wildfires can burrow into rich organic material, such as the vast peatlands that ring the Arctic, and smolder under the snowpack throughout the frigid winter.
Global warming has already resulted in more forest fires out West, according to the latest National Climate Assessment. The future could see more of the country burn.
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