Observatoire des droits humains (anglais seulement)

After the smoke clears, a wildfire’s legacy can haunt rivers for years, putting drinking water at risk

(Version anglaise seulement)

par Ben Livneh, Associate Professor of Hydrology, University of Colorado Boulder

Picture a wildfire raging across a forested mountainside. The smoke billows and the flames rise. An aircraft drops vibrant red flame retardant. It’s a dramatic, often dangerous scene. But the threat to water supplies is only just beginning.

After the smoke clears, the soil, which was once nestled beneath a canopy of trees and a spongy layer of leaves, is now exposed. Often, that soil is charred and sterile, with the heat making the ground almost…

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