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Groundbreaking Wildfires in Canada Break Carbon Emissions Record
The wildfires that have been devastating Canada for nearly four months have already surpassed the previous annual record for carbon emissions, according to Copernicus, the EU’s earth observation agency. This abnormal intensity of the fire season has resulted in the burning of 13 million hectares of boreal forests, an area equivalent to the size of Greece, exacerbating the impacts of climate change.
Boreal forests, predominantly consisting of conifers, serve as the largest land-based carbon store on our planet. Mark Parrington, a senior scientist from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (Cams), stated that while significant wildfires in the northern hemisphere have occurred in recent years, the fire activity in Canada this year is highly unusual. This can be attributed to the warm and dry weather conditions, which have increased vegetation flammability and the risk of large-scale fires.
As of August 2, Canada has already emitted 290 megatons of carbon, surpassing the previous record of 138 megatons set in 2014. These emissions alone account for a quarter of the global carbon emissions from fires this year. In comparison, boreal forest fires across a wider region, including Eurasia and Russia, have contributed almost a quarter of the total carbon emissions from wildfires in 2021, releasing a record-breaking 1.76 billion tonnes of CO₂. Global total carbon emissions currently stand at approximately 37 billion tonnes.
The northern hemisphere’s fire season this year has witnessed significant wildfire activity in Greece, Algeria, Italy, and the far east of Russia, coinciding with the hottest June and July on record. Research conducted earlier this year indicates that summertime fires in boreal forests have expanded since 2000.
The smoke generated by the Canadian fires has spread as far south as the United States and across the Atlantic to Europe, causing poor air quality in major cities far from the original fires. The radiative power of the fires in Canadian states such as British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec has far exceeded the average intensity measured since records began in 2003.
Though fires in boreal regions are not uncommon in the spring, scientists have noted the increasing intensity of these fires over the past decade. This is a consequence of global warming, as average temperatures in northern regions have risen faster than those closer to the equator, resulting in the disappearance of reflective snow and ice in the Arctic.
Parrington predicts that the total carbon emissions will continue to rise as wildfires in boreal regions usually peak in early August. Currently, there are still more than 1,000 active fires burning nationwide in Canada, with over 600 classified as “out of control.” International firefighters have joined forces to combat these blazes.
Copernicus notes that the record-breaking scale of the 2023 wildfires is attributed to the warm and dry weather conditions, which are becoming more likely due to climate change.
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