Pine needles can ignite at half the temperature of a candle

For thousands of years, the high humidity of spring acted as a natural fire extinguisher for North American forests. However, research from the University of Alberta reveals that this safety net has been unraveling since the 1990s. As landscapes dry out, the tipping point for a disaster occurs at just 300 degrees Celsius. At this temperature—roughly half that of a common tea light—pine needles spontaneously ignite, transforming the forest floor into a fuse.