Climate change can increase the frequency and severity of fires that burn forests, grasslands, and desert vegetation. Since 1984, about 4 percent of the land in Oregon has burned per decade.
Climate change could alter the frequency and intensity of forest disturbances such as insect outbreaks, invasive species, wildfires, and storms. These disturbances can reduce forest productivity and change the distribution of tree species. In other cases, existing species may shift their range or die out.
This includes contributing to longer, more intense fire seasons and increased insect and disease outbreaks. Climate change may even reshape the makeup of Oregon's forests in some areas, as conifer trees that need more moisture to live have a harder time surviving.