The wildfires in Canada generated the highest carbon emissions ever recorded in the country. According to the European Copernicus observatory, the fires that occurred in early May emitted almost 480 megatons of carbon, “almost five times more than the average of the last 20 years”, which represents 23% of total global carbon emissions from of forest fires in 2023. .
“The estimated annual total of fire emissions (as of December 10) is 2,100 megatonnes of carbon. These wildfires in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories and Quebec were notable not only in terms of emissions but also in terms of its intensity, persistence and impact on local communities,” explains Copernicus, in a statement.
Pollution caused by the fires in Canada has “severely” affected air quality both locally and in much of North America and Europe.
“The Canadian wildfires will be the largest in terms of global fire emissions in 2023. The persistence of the fires, from May to October, reached a level never seen in the data record. Impacts on air quality in America of the North and the fact that Europe experienced cloudy skies as a result of these fires give a clear indication of their importance,” says Mark Perrington, senior scientist at CAMS, in the same note.
This year, the northern hemisphere was hit by several forest fires “that consumed vast areas of forests and grasslands.”
“While the fires in Canada broke records, the United States and Russia recorded much quieter fire seasons than usual, with estimated emissions lower than the average of the previous 20 years,” indicates the European observatory.
In Spain, on the border between Aragon and Valencia, and in Asturias, the fires caused the “highest” emissions of the month of March. In August, the Spanish island of Tenerife and the Canary Islands recorded “the highest carbon emissions since 2003.”
“The forest fires that occurred on the Hawaiian island of Maui during the month of August were also notable, both in terms of emissions and local impact, causing significant damage to human lives and infrastructure,” highlights Copernicus.
The El Niño climate phenomenon causes rising temperatures and an increased risk of fires in the tropics of the southern hemisphere.
“The number and emissions of fires in Indonesia increased under El Niño conditions between August and November compared to the previous three years, but did not reach the level recorded in 2015 and 2019. Tropical regions of Australia also recorded the highest number “The risk of wildfires is expected to remain very high in large regions of the country, particularly in Queensland and New South Wales,” it adds.
Also in South America, “some important forest fires” were recorded at the beginning of the year, in Chile and Argentina. “The typical peak of fires in the Amazon region during August and September was generally below average,” however, “it increased significantly between late October and mid-November.” Emissions from fires “increased significantly” in Bolivia and southern Brazilian states due to drought and rising temperatures.
Source: TSF
