geologic

Rain and runoff are known to exacerbate and accelerate the land movement, as groundwater drives the geologic shifting.

"The temperature is going up so fast now, there is nothing in the geologic record I am aware of that we can use for a true comparison," Sternes said.

Together, these remnants are helping scientists understand how fires have shaped and been shaped by environmental change through geologic time.

"There are places where we see the same kinds of geologic instability that preceded these other events, but there are a lot of people exposed," said Higman.

Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a system used in a variety of applications, including geologic mapping and self-driving vehicles.